Ulrika Åberg (1771–1852) was a Swedish

ballerina A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on ye ...

. She was active in the

Royal Swedish Ballet The Royal Swedish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in Europe. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, King Gustav III founded the ballet in 1773 as a part of his national cultural project in response to the French and Italian dominance in this fi ...

in 1782-95. She was one of the first native

ballet dancer A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on ye ...

s in the Royal Swedish Ballet.

Life

Ulrika Åberg was engaged as a Coryfé in the Royal Swedish Ballet in 1782-85, as a second dancer in 1785-87, and as a premier ballerina in 1787-95. She was a student of the star ballerina of the Gustavian ballet, the Italian ballerina

Giovanna Bassi Giovanna Bassi (1762–1834) was an Italian ballerina who spent the majority of her career in Sweden. She was regarded as the prima donna of the Swedish Ballet during the Gustav III of Sweden, Gustavian age. Biography Giovanna Bassi was born i ...

, from the age of twelve. She was educated in the Italian style of ballet dancing by Bassi, and followed her mentor in her style and parts. She was considered as one of her country's first native ballet dancers. Her most popular part was in the ballet ''Tillfälle för Tjuven'', where she made a success. Among her other well known parts were Lise in ''La Rosére de Salency'' by Jean Marcadet with Giovanna Bassi, Anna Sofia Lind, Antoine Bournonville and Joseph Saint-Fauraux Raimond the season of 1786–87, and Mirza in ''Mirza och Lindor'' by Maximilian Gardel with Carlo Caspare Simone Uttini,

Louis Deland Louis Joseph Marie Deland (25 April 1772 – 15 April 1823) was a Swedish ballet dancer, singer, actor, choreographer and ballet master in the Royal Swedish Ballet. He is often considered the first native male star in the Royal Swedish Ballet. ...

and Jean Marcadet (1792–93). In 1795, Ulrika Åberg married and retired from the stage, only one year after her mentor Giovanna Bassi had done the same. She is mentioned as one of the first professional Swedish dancers. In practice, native professional dancers where active already at the Bollhuset theater in 1738,Byström, Tryggve, Svenska komedien 1737-1754: en studie i Stockholmsteaterns historia, Norstedt, Stockholm, 1981 but she was one of the first Swedish ballet dancers educated and active in the Swedish Royal Ballet.

References

* Österberg, Carin et al., ''Svenska kvinnor: föregångare, nyskapare''. Lund: Signum 1990. () * ''Kungliga teaterns repertoar 1773-1973'' (The Royal Theatre's Repertoire 1773-1973)
''Statens Musikbibliotek'' The Music Library of Sweden
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aaberg, Ulrika 1771 births 1852 deaths Swedish ballerinas Royal Swedish Ballet dancers 18th-century Swedish ballet dancers Gustavian era people