Adam Darius (né Hervey Krefetz, 10 May 1930 – 3 December 2017) was a Turkish origin American dancer, mime artist, writer and choreographer. As a performer, he appeared in over 86 countries across six continents.The extensive archives of Adam Darius´s career as dancer, mime artist and author are now housed in Espoo, Finland and at the Royal Academy of Dance in London. As a writer, he published 19 books and wrote 22 plays. A full catalogue of Adam Darius' publications can be seen at the Mime Centre .
In a program devoted to his career, the BBC World Service described him as "one of the most exceptional talents of the 20th century".In a program devoted to his career, broadcast in October, 1993, the BBC World Service in London, hosted by the voice of Latin America, Araceli Uriarte, described Adam Darius as "one of the most exceptional talents of the 20th century".Foreword by Araceli Uriarte in Darius. A Audition Monologues, Kolesnik, 2000 (p.viii).
Biography Adam Darius was born in Manhattan, New York City, into a family of Turkish and Russian ancestry.Darius. A A Nomadic Life, Helsinki, 2004 (p.244)
Ballet career
Adam Darius began his ballet and contemporary dance training in 1945, at the age of 14, and went on to study with, among others, Anatole Oboukhov, George Goncharov, Olga Preobrajenska and José Limón.Darius, A The Adam Darius Method, Latonia, 1984 (p.260)
His professional career began in 1946 with appearances at New York's Metropolitan Opera House, and then with numerous ballet companies including Britain's International Ballet (1953), Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet (1954), and Denmark's Scandinavian Ballet (1962).Los Angeles Times. 11 September 1955. Retrieved 13.08.2009Darius, A The Adam Darius Method, Latonia, 1984 (p.261) He was also choreographer of the Israel National Opera (1963–1964), where he choreographed four operas for opera star Plácido Domingo; (Don Giovanni, Carmen, La Traviata and The Pearl Fishers, all of which premièred at the Israel National Opera in Tel-Aviv in 1963). From 1964 to 1966, Adam Darius was the director of his own company, the Israeli Ballet.The Jerusalem Post, 5 August 1964
Principal ballets: Pierrot the Wanderer - Choreographed for American prima ballerina Melissa Hayden and premièred at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in Toronto, Canada in 1955. Quartet - Choreographed for American prima ballerina Cynthia Gregory and premièred at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse, California in 1958.Foreword by Hal de Becker in Darius. A Arabesques Through Time, Harlequinade, 2007 (p.viii) The Anne Frank Ballet - Premièred in Long Beach, California in 1959. Produced for Italian Television in 1967.Anne Frank Ballet - Italian Television RAI Turin, 1967 Released as a video in 1989, in which Mr Darius danced the role of Anne Frank's father, Otto Frank."2 videos recollect life in World War II". Chicago Tribune. 1 September 1989. Retrieved 13.08.2009Greco, José The Gypsy in My Soul, Doubleday, 1977 (p.208) Marilyn - A ballet based on the life of Marilyn Monroe, which ran for five weeks at the Arts Theatre in London's West End in February 1975. Firebird - Choreographed to Stravinsky's music. Presented by the Las Vegas Civic Ballet at the Reed Whipple Cultural Center, Las Vegas, in April 1986.
Expressive mime
In 1967, Adam Darius broke away from the traditional world of ballet and premièred his own fusion of dance and mime, described as 'expressive mime',Dr Alberto Testa, Festival Magazine, Rome, 1967 at the Spoleto Festival in Italy and at the Arts Lab in London.Burns, Richard Adam Darius at the London Arts Lab , 1968
In the years that followed he toured many countries, including: South Africa (1970); the Soviet Union (1971); the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Australia (1971);"Mime - a rare moment". Sydney Morning Herald. 26 April 1971. Retrieved 13.08.2009 Syria, IranPerformance poster in Darius. A Audition Monologues, Kolesnik, 2000 (p.32) and Afghanistan (1976); Japan (1984);Performance poster in Darius. A Audition Monologues, Kolesnik, 2000 (p.48) and Greenland (1998).Performance poster in Darius. A Audition Monologues, Kolesnik, 2000 (p.96)
Adam Darius' concept of physical theatre was also realized in the London productions of Yukio Mishima (1991),Ian Shuttleworth's review of Yukio Mishima at BAC 15 May 1991 Rimbaud and Verlaine (1992) and Tower of Babel (1993), in collaboration with Kazimir Kolesnik. Among their further joint productions was A Snake in the Grass, presented in Amman, Jordan (2001) and acknowledged with the Noor Al Hussein Award.Afterword by Lina Attel in Darius. A Arabesques Through Time, Harlequinade, 2007 (p.252)
Teaching In 1978, Adam Darius and Marita Crawley founded the Mime Centre in London.Introduction by Marita Crawley in Darius, A The Adam Darius Method, Latonia, 1984 (p.12) In Britain he taught, among others, mime artist, dancer and director, Kazimir Kolesnik,Interview with Kazimir Kolesnik in Darius, A Acting: A Psychological and Technical Approach, Helsinki, 1998 (p.150) rock star Kate Bush,Interview with Kate Bush in Darius, A The Adam Darius Method, Latonia, 1984 (p.236)Jovanovich, Rob Kate Bush: The Biography, Portrait, 2006 Hollywood film star Kate Beckinsale,Interview with Kate Beckinsale in Darius, A Acting: A Psychological and Technical Approach, Helsinki, 1998 (p.144) and West End principal Warren Mitchell.Interview with Warren Mitchell in Darius, A The Adam Darius Method, Latonia, 1984 (p.241)
Death Darius died on 3 December 2017 in Espoo, Finland at the age of 87.Dancer and Choreographer Adam Darius Passes at 87
Books by Adam Darius Author#YearTitlePagesPublisherCityISBNGenreDarius, Adam11973Dance Naked in the Sun325Latonia PublishersLondonAutobiographyDarius, Adam21978The Way to Timbuktu276Latonia PublishersLondonAutobiographyDarius, Adam31984The Adam Darius Method270Latonia PublishersLondonTheatre techniqueDarius, Adam41988The Man Who Spat at Fate251Latonia PublishersLondonNovelDarius, Adam51991The Guru115Latonia PublishersLondonPhilosophyDarius, Adam61996The Commedia Dell' Arte97Kolesnik Production OYHelsinkiTheatre techniqueDarius, Adam71998Acting - A Psychological and Technical Approach208Kolesnik Production OYHelsinkiTheatre techniqueDarius, Adam82000Audition Monologues128Kolesnik Production OYHelsinkiTheatre techniqueDarius, Adam92003Double Existence202Kolesnik Production OYHelsinkiNovelDarius, Adam102004A Nomadic Life250Kolesnik Production OYHelsinkiAutobiographyDarius, Adam112005When Your Dog Dies63Kolesnik Production OYHelsinkiAnimal WelfareDarius, Adam122007Arabesques Through Time407Harlequinade BooksHelsinkiAutobiographyDarius, Adam132009Death in Damascusn/ae-bookn/aNovelDarius, Adam142011The Passion of Black Jesusn/ae-bookn/aNovelDarius, Adam152012Dancing in the Himalayasn/ae-bookn/aNovelBocher, Barbara with Darius, Adam162012The Cage: Dancing for Jerome Robbins and George Balanchine, 1949-1954288CreateSpacen/aAutobiographyDarius, Adam172013La Belle Otero: The Last of the Great Courtesansn/ae-bookn/a PlayDarius, Adam182014Poems by Adam Dariusn/ae-bookn/a PoetryDarius, Adam192014Ballet Babylonn/ae-bookn/a History
Honours and awards
1976: Silver medallion of the Belgrade Monodrama Festival (Yugoslavia) 1976: Honorary membership of the North Sumatran Community (Indonesia) 1978: American Television Emmy (US) 1984: Premio Positano Léonide Massine Per L'arte Della Danza (Italy) 1987: Key to the City of Las Vegas (US)Presented by Mayor Bill Briare 1998: Shetland Dance and Mime Award (UK) 2001: Noor Al Hussein Foundation Award (Jordan) 2002: Beirut Festival du Rire Trophy (Lebanon) 2003: Noor Al Hussein Foundation Award (Jordan) 2009: Order of Luis Manuel Gutiérrez (Venezuela) 2012: Ministerio del Poder Popular para la Cultura Award (Venezuela) 2014: Gjakova Komedia Fest Appreciation Award (Republic of Kosovo) 2016: Simon Bolívar Award (Venezuela)
International performances since January 2000 Unless marked as being a SOLO performance, all shows were given in partnership with Kazimir Kolesnik. YearMonthCountryCityVenueRepertoireNotes2000AprilJordanAmmanRoyal Cultural CentreResurrection2000JulyCroatiaDubrovnikDubrovnik FestivalResurrectionAdam Darius on Dubrovnik Festival archives2000AugustFinlandOuluOulu Music Festival TheatrePierrot in Exile2000Nov.TurkeyIstanbulAtatürk Cultural CenterSelected solosSOLO2001Jan/FebJordanAmmanBaccalaureate School TheatreA Snake in the Grass2001AprilTurkeyIstanbulAksanat Cultural CentreResurrection2001Sept.MoroccoCasablancaInternational Theatre FestivalResurrectionRabatSalle BahniniResurrection2001Nov.FinlandHelsinkiQ-TeatteriJames DeanAs director2002JuneSlovakiaBratislavaPantomime FestivalDeath of a Scarecrow2002JulyLebanonBeirutFestival du RireHighlight repertoire2003Feb.RussiaSt. PetersburgOkryty TheatreHighlight repertoire2003MayItalyTurinTeatro GobettiDeath of a Scarecrow2003Sept.JordanAmmanRoyal Cultural CentreDeath of a Scarecrow2004MarchNew ZealandChristchurchHagley Community CollegeDeath of a Scarecrow2004AprilMalaysiaKuala LumpurMalaysian National TheatreDeath of a ScarecrowReview of Kuala Lumpur performance on Virtual Malaysia.com 2004AugustMaltaVallettaSaint James Cavalier CentreDeath of a ScarecrowArticle in The Times of Malta, 26 August 20042004Nov.SyriaDamascusAl-Kabbani TheatreDeath of a Scarecrow2005Feb.SyriaDamascusFinnish/Jordanian Festival, Al-Assad Opera HouseFusionWith company2005AugustTurkeyIstanbulSultan's PalaceDeath of a Scarecrow2006Feb.PortugalPortoSerralves Foundation Yukio MishimaWith companyPonte del LimaTeatro Diogo BernardesYukio MishimaWith company2006MayUkraineKyivTYS Theatre; Suzirie TheatreDeath of a Scarecrow2006Dec.ArgentinaRosarioTeatro del Rayo; Centro Cultural LavardenDeath of a Scarecrow2007Oct.ArmeniaYerevanHigh Fest Theatre FestivalDeath of a Scarecrow2007Dec.MacedoniaSkopjeMacedonian Academy of Science and ArtsDance: A Bridge between CulturesUNESCO sponsored lecture2008Feb.EgyptAlexandriaBibliotheca AlexandrinaTears of a Clown2009Jan.FinlandEspooSellosaliDeath of a Scarecrow2009MarchMacedoniaSkopjeMacedonian National TheatreDeath of a Scarecrow2009Oct.VenezuelaIsla de MargaritaTeatro Simon BolivarSelected solosSOLO2009Nov.FinlandEspooSellosaliTears of a ClownKultus website (in Finnish) notification of performance2010MayBosnia & HerzegovinaSarajevoTeaterfest Death of a ScarecrowTeaterfest programme for Death of a Scarecrow2010Nov.NepalKathmanduKathmandu International Theatre FestivalBasho - A Windswept SpiritArticle in The Kathmandu Post, 20 November 20102012MayVenezuelaCaracasTeresa Carreño Cultural ComplexBasho - A Windswept SpiritCaracasSala Juana SujoBasho - A Windswept SpiritCaracasTeatro PrincipalBasho - A Windswept Spirit2013MarchKuwaitKuwait CityDar al Athar al-IslamiyyahBasho - A Windswept SpiritReview in The Asian2013OctMacedoniaSkopjeMacedonian National TheatreBasho - A Windswept Spirit2014SeptRepublic of KosovoGjakovaGjakova Comedy FestivalBasho - A Windswept SpiritReview in Gjakova Press2015MarchKuwaitKuwait CityRoyal PalaceBasho - A Windswept Spirit2015Dec.7RussiaKrasnoyarskPalace of CultureBasho - A Windswept Spirit2015Dec.8RussiaNovosibirskPhilharmonic Chamber HallBasho - A Windswept Spirit2015Dec.10RussiaChelyabinskProkoviev Concert HallBasho - A Windswept Spirit
Notes
External links Adam Darius at the mimecentre.com Adam Darius on Facebook Dansmuseet, Stockholm, Sweden