Andrea Marie Krætzmer, née Møller (1811–1889), was a Danish ballet dancer. She became a soloist in the early ballets of

August Bournonville August Bournonville (21 August 1805 – 30 November 1879) was a Danish ballet master and choreographer. He was the son of Antoine Bournonville, a dancer and choreographer trained under the French choreographer, Jean Georges Noverre, and the ne ...

Early life

Born in

Slagelse Slagelse () is a town on Zealand (Denmark), Zealand, Denmark. The town is the seat of Slagelse Municipality, and is the biggest town of the municipality. It is located 15 km east of Korsør, 16 km north-east of Skælskør, 33 km south-east of Ka ...

, as a small child she moved to Copenhagen with her parents where her father was employed at the Hotel du Nord. In 1918, when she was eight years old, she joined the ballet school at Copenhagen's Royal Theatre. She first appeared on stage in 1824, dancing as a 12-year-old in Vicenzo Galeotti's ''Bjergbøndernes Børn og Spejlet''.

Career

She impressed

with her dancing, particularly her outstanding performance in 1829 when she danced Therese in ''Søvngængersken'', a Danish production of '' La Somnambule'' which Bournonville had discovered in Paris. She went on to dance Virginie in Bournonville's ''Paul og Virginie'' and Margaretha in his ''Faust'' (1932), gaining the status of a soloist. After a questionable pregnancy, an unsuccessful marriage, periods of illness, and increasing problems with Bournonville and the Royal Theatre, in 1831 she was finally punished with a month's imprisonment in Copenhagen Castle's Blue Tower. She returned to the theatre where she again received acclaim for dancing Margarethe in ''Faust''. However, after further disputes with the theatre, in 1834 she left to dance in Stockholm, St Petersburg and Moscow, but did not meet with much success. She returned to Copenhagen in 1845 where she again danced in ''La Somanbule'' and ''Faust'', but her career was over.

Assessment

In his ''Mit Theaterliv'', Bournonville praised Krætzmer's graceful style and interesting personality although he was not so happy with her private life. As a guest dancer in Copenhagen in 1829, he had found her the only member of the ballet who could match his own ability.

Johanne Luise Heiberg Johanne Luise Heiberg (; née Pätges; 22 November 1812 – 21 December 1890) was a Danish actress of the 19th century. She is most famous for her work at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, where she achieved great success. Though she was cl ...

, who had trained with her at the ballet school, commented that she "performed her role in ''La Somnambule'' with grace, innocence and fervor that was quite adorable."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kraetzmer, Andrea 1811 births 1889 deaths Prima ballerinas Danish ballerinas 19th-century Danish ballet dancers People from Slagelse Royal Danish Ballet dancers