Teacher and choreographer

   He is a graduate of the State Ballet School in Warsaw, a student of Zygmunt Dąbrowski, Mieczysław Jankowski, Henryk Giero, and Boris Kumysnikov. In 1962-1966 he studied at the State Institute of Theatre Art (GITIS) in Moscow, in two departments: choreography and pedagogy. He was a student of outstanding Soviet ballet masters: Vladimir Burmeister, Leonid Lavrovsky, and Rostislav Zakharov as well as well-known classical dance teaching specialists: Maria Semyonova and Nikolai Tarasov.
   He prepared his first choreographies while still a student, working with Soviet Television, the operetta and drama theatres in Moscow. His graduation work involved fragments from Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet" at Moscow's Theatre Institute and "The Graduation Ball" with music by Johann Strauss at the Warsaw Ballet School. He was a dancer with the Teatr Wielki in Warsaw in 1966-1969, where he appeared as a soloist in "Don Quixote" and "Giselle" prepared by Alexei Tchitchinadze, in Eugeniusz Papliński's "Harnasie", and Witold Gruca's "Nocturne and Tarantella". At the same time, he was a teacher at the Warsaw Ballet School, sometimes gave lessons in classical dance to the Teatr Wielki's ballet company, and occasionally prepared choreographies for film and television.
   Searching for new artistic and teaching opportunities, he left for France in 1969. He joined the Marseilles Opera Ballet, where he worked under outstanding American ex-ballerina and teacher Rosella Hightower. He appeared in solo parts in Lifar's "Suite en Blanc", "Giselle" prepared by Anton Dolin, and "Don Quixote" prepared by Rudolf Nureyev. He studied classical dance with Rosella Hightower, Anton Dolin, and Tatiana Grantzeva, and modern dance with John Butler. He subsequently danced in Roland Petit's Marseilles Ballets and at the Royal Opera Ballet in Stockholm. He gave up dancing in 1972 and devoted himself to teaching and choreography.
   At first he gave lessons in classical and character dance at Academie International de la Danse in Paris, headed by outstanding French ex-ballerina Yvette Chauvire. His rivals there included such famous dance teachers as Boris Kniaseff, Tatiana Grantzeva, and Peter van Dyk. Nevertheless, he quickly gained a solid reputation among Paris dancers. In 1974 he started his own Dance Studio in Boulevard du Montparnasse, which he shared with renowned dancer and modern-dance choreographer Aline Roux. He has had his own Dance Studio in Boulevard Rochechouart since 1979. He is currently one of the most popular teachers in international and French dance training courses. He has also taught at the Sorbonne's Dance Department. Beside Raymond Franchetti, Serge Peretti, and Gilbert Mayer, Glegolski is recognised as the best teacher of classical dance active in the French capital outside the Paris Opera. His teaching method is an original combination of the most valuable experiences of the Russian, French and American schools. Many great ballet soloists and well-known choreographers have attended his classes in Paris.
   Choreography has always been an equally important part of Glegolski's artistic activity. He started from small forms prepared for students of the International Academy of Dance in Paris. He composed many choreographic miniatures for dancers visiting his studio, and prepared ballets called "Rhythme et Structure" for Aline Roux's company. He also prepared ballet shows commissioned by the festivals in Avignon, Chateauvallon, and Florence. In mid-1979 he put together a group of over ten soloists, led by excellent American dancer Christopher Aponte. Glegolski worked with this ensemble, called International Ballets André Glegolski, for over a year, taking part in Italian and French ballet festivals. He has also been the leader and choreographer of several other temporary ensembles which toured Germany and Switzerland with his ballets.
   Glegolski's choreographies include all of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's ballets: "Swan Lake", "The Nutcracker", and "The Sleeping Beauty". He also has quite a few original choreographic compositions to his credit. He returned to Poland at the invitation of the Teatr Wielki in Warsaw to produce Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" (1989), and then Minkus' "Don Quixote" (1990). He has also collaborated a few times as a choreographer with the Teatr Wielki in Łódź, the Polish Dance Theatre, and the Teatr Wielki in Poznań. He has often visited Warsaw as a guest teacher of the Polish National Opera's ballet company. In 2006, together with a revival of his production of "The Nutcracker" at the Teatr Wielki in Warsaw, he celebrated the 40th anniversary of his artistic career. On this jubilee and in appreciation of Glegolski's achievements, the minister of culture and national heritage presented the artist with the prestigious Gloria Artis Gold Medal for service to culture.

 

Photo: Hubert Cygan