Suzanne Perrottet (13 September 1889 – 10 August 1983) was a Swiss dancer, musician, and movement teacher. Trained in music and dance, Perrottet ran the Bewegungsschule Suzanne Perrottet and was a member of the faculty at the

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne École may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * École, Savoi ...

and the Zürcher Bühnenstudio. She was active in the

Dada Dada () or Dadaism was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century, with early centres in Zürich, Switzerland, at the Cabaret Voltaire (Zurich), Cabaret Voltaire (in 1916). New York Dada began c. 1915, and after 192 ...

art movement as a musician, performing at the Kaufleuten. In 1939 she co-founded the Swiss Professional Association of Dance and Movement. Along with

Mary Wigman Mary Wigman (born Karoline Sophie Marie Wiegmann; 13 November 1886 – 18 September 1973) was a German dancer and choreographer, notable as the pioneer of expressionist dance, dance therapy, and movement training without pointe shoes. She is co ...

and

Rudolf von Laban Rudolf von Laban, also known as Rudolf Laban (German; also ''Rudolph von Laban'', hu, Lábán Rezső János Attila, Lábán Rudolf; 15 December 1879 – 1 July 1958), was an Austro-Hungarian, German and British dance artist, choreographer an ...

, she is considered one of the co-founders of modern

Expressionist dance ''Expressive dance'' from German ''Ausdruckstanz'', is a form of artistic dance in which the individual and artistic presentation (and sometimes also processing) of feelings is an essential part. It emerged as a counter-movement to classi ...

Biography

Suzanne Perrottet was born on 13 September 1889 in

Rolle Rolle () is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Cantons of Switzerland, Canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It was the seat of the district of Rolle (district), Rolle until 2006, when it became part of the district of Nyon District, N ...

, Switzerland. Her father, Emile Jules, was a pharmacist. Her mother was Adèle Julie Amélie Simon. She trained as a violinist at the

Conservatoire de Musique de Genève A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger ins ...

, graduating in 1909. In 1910 worked as a teacher of music and rhythm at

Émile Jaques-Dalcroze Émile Jaques-Dalcroze (6 July 1865 – 1 July 1950) was a Swiss composer, musician, and music educator who developed Dalcroze eurhythmics, an approach to learning and experiencing music through movement. Dalcroze eurhythmics influenced Carl Or ...

's school in

Hellerau Hellerau is a northern quarter ''(Stadtteil)'' in the city of Dresden, Germany, slightly south of Dresden Airport. It was the first garden city in Germany. The northern section of Hellerau absorbed the village of Klotzsche, where some 18th cent ...

. In 1912, she moved to Vienna to teach

Dalcroze eurhythmics Dalcroze eurhythmics, also known as the Dalcroze method or simply eurhythmics, is one of several developmental approaches including the Kodály method, Orff Schulwerk and Suzuki Method used to teach music to students. Eurhythmics was developed ...

. She was an active member in the

movement and performed musical works in Zürich. In 1913 she trained in dance with

Monte Verità Monte Verità (Italian; German 'Berg Wahrheit', meaning "Mount Truth" or "Mountain of Truth") is a 321 metres above sea level high hill and a cultural-historical ensemble in the Swiss canton of Ticino. The site is in the municipality of Ascona, a ...

. In 1918 she took over the management of the Laban School, later renaming it the Bewegungsschule Suzanne Perrottet. She ran the school and taught there until 1979. With von Laban and

she is considered one of the founders of modern

. In 1936, she was hired to teach rhythmic gymnastics, body language, and musical accompaniment at the

. She also taught pantomime, gymnastics, and dance at the Zürcher Bühnenstudio. In 1939 she became a co-founder of the Swiss Professional Association of Dance and Movement, serving on the committee until 1955.

Death

Perrottet died on 10 August 1983 in Zürich at the age of 93. Her estate, including photographs, documents, and letters, was donated to the Kunsthaus Zurich in 1990.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perrottet, Suzanne 1889 births 1983 deaths École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne faculty Zurich University of the Arts faculty Dance teachers Dada Expressionist dancers Swiss female dancers Swiss women musicians People from Rolle Laban movement analysis