Teet Kask is carving out a distinguished role in the ballet world through his work as both a choreographer and a teacher. His ballets are recognised for their unique character and diversity, while as the creative director of the Estonian National Ballet School in Tallinn, he shapes the next generation of dancers. His achievements in these areas are deeply influenced by his successful career as a dancer.
Trained at the National School from the age of ten, his talent was quickly recognised, leading to numerous performance opportunities while still in school. At the Estonian National Ballet, he achieved the rank of Principal and danced in many of the classic works. His time at the Royal Swedish Ballet and the Norwegian National Ballet allowed him to broaden his repertoire with modern pieces. It becomes apparent in conversation that Kask is a remarkably open and receptive artist, deeply understanding the power of art to enrich human experience.
When asked about his transition from performer to choreographer, he reflects, “I felt I might have something to offer as a choreographer, but sometimes you need a good mirror to truly discover it. Glen Tetley was that mirror for me. He had what is known as the third eye. I believe he brought real depth to the ballet world; he encouraged dancers to broaden their perspective, to experience life more fully, and to convey it on stage as a narrative. That’s what he instilled in me: learning to communicate with the world through dance and to tell my story.”
The first piece Kask choreographed was approximately eleven minutes long. He recalls, “It originated when I heard a piece of music that captivated me—I couldn’t shake it off! I thought: perhaps this is a sign. It was my first encounter with music in that way. In later works, I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with exceptional composers from the beginning. For instance, the Louis XIV ballet I created for the Estonian National Ballet. I approached a writer friend specialising in French literature with the concept. His response was: ‘this task is so vague! Louis ruled for 72 years and documented everything!’ I clarified that my focus was on his inner life, as both a human and a king. I told the composers that this would be the essence of the work, and then we could each go our own way and let things unfold. That’s one approach—though sometimes, if you have a piece of music stuck in your head, that’s the starting point!”
Currently, Kask is immersed in an extraordinary project, Brain, set to be performed at the Leigo Lake Festival near Tartu, Estonia’s second city and European Capital of Culture 2024. He explains, “My team and I initially explored the concept of Artificial Intelligence. What is it? Are we truly prepared for it? Perhaps the creative and performing process can shed light on the contrast between AI and human creativity. We’ve collaborated with a psychology professor to better understand how the brain functions; it’s been fascinating. For instance, he suggests that no one is inherently more talented than another, but those who work harder and persevere gather pieces of experience, like pixels or jigsaw pieces, which eventually lead to creativity. With this experience, you can begin to piece everything together. I enjoy discussing this with teachers and students.” As he speaks, I envision the performance on a stage set in the middle of the lake—a setting that would undoubtedly be deeply inspiring to work with such a perceptive choreographer.
Kask also collaborates with his collective, Birdname, which includes two composers, a producer, a director, an animator, and a lighting artist. Their latest production is a two-act ballet based on Mare Kandre’s novel God and the Devil, an allegorical tale exploring the dualities of good and evil. He notes, “Mare Kandre is highly esteemed in Sweden. They refer to ‘before and after Mare Kandre’. I discovered an exceptional dancer from Japan by chance, and a male dancer from the Estonian National Ballet who excels in role creation. He’s tall, resembling a god-like figure, while the Japanese dancer is smaller and playful but can also be intense. They both fall in love with a girl rejected by society, who suffers abuse. Initially, I considered using a classical or contemporary dancer for the role, but we realised we needed a singer as well. I decided the singer should portray the wife/lover. Such experiences, and the flexibility to make changes, enhance my readiness for working with a large company.”
Shifting to his work with the Tallinn Institute of Classical Ballet, Kask discusses how the training, based on the Russian Vaganova method, is complemented by his focus on deepening students’ understanding of their craft. “In recent years, I’ve noticed a decline in appreciation for the importance of the three fundamental elements of preparation: tendu, plié, and fondu. Mastering these elements is crucial for executing jumps and other techniques. Nowadays, I see issues such as improper turning in, rolling over the big toe, and heels not being properly placed. Without proper heel placement through the plié, it’s difficult to overcome gravity and achieve high jumps.”
“What does it mean when I’m stretching into a classical line?” he continues. “It signifies a yearning or a desire to reach something—the intention is clear. Classical ballet is about striving for clarity. When aiming for an earthy quality, you move downwards, letting gravity’s pull influence your body. Transitioning between these states is where storytelling occurs. From this, free expression emerges. Contemporary dance isn’t just about the movements but about the story you’re telling, your current feelings, and your ability to convey that through movement. I greatly admire Martha Graham and have learned much from Merce Cunningham, José Limón, and others. What we now view as contemporary technique was their personal way of moving, influenced by their physicality. What they shared was their storytelling.”
So, when teaching a contemporary class, is it about communicating the storytelling and transitions between steps to your students? “Yes,” he replies. “My main interest is in exploring how we can consciously engage with authentic movement. Anyone can dance, but the key difference is that a performer on stage does so with conscious intent. That’s why rehearsals are essential—to practice the conscious act of telling a story through specific movements. Many schools today overlook how thought impacts movement. Have you considered how you will transition and how the movement evolves with the music?”
How easily can students absorb this kind of immersive thinking from a teacher? He explains, “When you’re explaining or discussing something, if you convey sensation through your voice or the exercise, what is genuinely present and effective will be recognised subconsciously by the young person immediately.”
When I ask about the future of ballet in Estonia, I am thrilled to learn a lot of unexpected Estonian ballet history from Kask. His eagerness to learn about it began after discovering a book at the library of the Laban Centre in London, which mentioned four female Estonian dancers in Rudolf Laban’s company. This sparked his curiosity, leading him to initiate research in Estonia, where he found unexpected connections with notable figures such as Mary Wigman, Kurt Jooss, and Isadora Duncan. He notes that before becoming part of the Soviet Union, Estonia was a proud republic and became a sanctuary for artists and Russian nobility escaping the Revolution. Dancers from the Mariinsky arrived and began setting up studios in their homes. Traditional methods were passed down, and Kask believes that Estonian dance heritage originates from these practices rather than the Soviet focus on ballet, which was mainly driven by its value as propaganda.
The Estonian National Ballet is currently thriving and progressing, boasting a diverse repertoire, exceptional dancers, and strong artistic leadership. We can only hope that their efforts, along with the innovative and thoughtful approach of Kask and his contemporaries, will continue to flourish.
Teet Kask’s ballet Brain (Aju) is being presented on 10th August at the Leigo Lake Festival, near Tartu, Estonia, as part of the Tartu 2024 programme.
The Leigo Lake Festival will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2024 and is one of the longest-running classical music festivals in the Baltics.
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