Ruth Abramovitsch Sorel

Ruth Elly Abramovitsch Sorel (18 June 1907 - 1 April 1974) was a German choreographer, dancer, artistic director and teacher. She spent the first half of her career working mainly in Europe (particularly Warsaw) and then was predominantly active in Canada after moving to that nation in 1944. In Canada she worked under the stage name "Ruth Sorel", but in Europe she was known under her maiden name, Abramovitsch (sometimes spelled Abramowitz).

The Canadian Encyclopedia states that Abramovitsch Sorel was, "A well-known, expressive performer, who was praised by local and international critics for her intensely theatrical German dance style, her literary inspiration and the emotion, musicality and precision of her execution... Working in Canada prior to the existence of grants for innovation, Sorel was a pioneer of European expressionism in Québec." As a choreographer she was at the forefront of modern dance and contemporary ballet, combining two contrasting elements: German expressionist dance and classical ballet. For many years she operated and directed her own dance company in Montreal, Les Ballets Ruth Sorel (also known as the Ruth Sorel Modern Dance Group).

Born to Polish-Jewish parents in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, Abramovitsch Sorel studied Dalcroze eurhythmics before becoming a dancer in Mary Wigman's company in Dresden in 1923 where she remained for six seasons. From 1927-1933 she was a principal dancer with the Berlin State Opera where she was much admired as the lead soloist in the ballet Legend of Joseph.

Abramovitsch Sorel was forced to leave the Berlin State Opera by the Nazis due to her Jewish heritage and Communist leanings. She left Germany for Poland in 1933 where she soon won first prize at the international solo dance competition in Warsaw for her performance of Salomé's dance of the seven veils. From 1933-1939 she taught dance and directed student productions at Warsaw's advanced dance school. She also actively performed in Poland during those years, often appearing with dancer George Groke with whom she gave performance tours to Palestine and the United States during the 1930s. At the outbreak of World War II she emigrated from Poland to Brazil. She attempted to start a dance academy in that nation but was unsuccessful.

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