Jorma Elo

Jorma Elo is a contemporary choreographer. He was born 30 August 1961 in Helsinki, Finland. His father, Professor Jaakko Elo, MD, is a prominent urological surgeon, mother Ruth Elo née Carlstedt, a dentist. Jorma Elo´s life partner since 1994 is Nancy Euverink (born 1968), who – being a dancer herself – has also been assistant to Mr Elo and is from 2012 Director of the Dance Department of Royal Conservatory of The Hague.

As a schoolboy, Elo planned himself a professional ice hockey carrier, but began studying modern and jazz dance at 12. At 13 he was enrolled in Finnish National Ballet School for classical training. Later, 1979–80, he studied in the Kirov Ballet School (Vaganova Academy), which under the Soviet era was the name of the Maryinsky Ballet School in St. Petersburg. The same school had educated Rudolf Nureyev.

Elo was signed by the Finnish National Ballet exceptionally young, at 16, and acquired a comprehensive experience not only of stage, but also of opera and ballet production processes. He danced with the Finnish National Ballet from 1978 to 1984. In 1983 he also completed his compulsory military service. Year 1980 he attended Varna International Ballet Competition and 1984 he was a finalist in Helsinki International Ballet Competition.

Elo joined the Swedish 1984 for six years. The modernist Cullberg Ballet led by choreographer Mats Ek was part of , the Swedish State Theater Organisation. It toured mostly in Sweden and the Nordic Countries.

...
Wikipedia