Modernity on the march!

The Ballets Suédois or Swedish Ballets were an essential feature of the post-WWI avant-garde. This ballet company illuminated Paris, France, and Europe from 1920 to 1925, with major creations like The Wedding Party on the Eiffel Tower by Cocteau and Les Six, The Grave of Couperin by Ravel, The Creation of the World, and L’Homme et son désir (Man and Desire) by Darius Milhaud, Iberia by Albeniz, Within the Quota by Cole Porter, and Relâche by Erik Satie.

The troupe collaborated with the greatest painters, sculptors, poets, and authors of the day, including De Chirico, Paul Colin, Bonnard, Marie Laurencin, Fernand Léger, René Clair, Paul Claudel, and Pirandello. Founded by Rolf de Maré, the company was headed by choreographer Jan Börlin, a key figure in the evolution of choreographic art in the 20th century. The Ballets Suédois only lasted for five years but nevertheless produced a series of breathtaking creations that left an indelible mark on the dance world. The company gave their last performance in Epernay in March 1925. FARaway celebrates this centenary almost to the day.