Anders Selinder

Anders Selinder

Anders Selinder, (4 November 1806, Stockholm – 6 November 1874, Stockholm), was a Swedish dancer, Ballet master, choreographer and director. He was master of the Royal Swedish Ballet in 1833–1856.

Anders Selinder was premier dancer at the Royal ballet in the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm in 1829-1846. In 1833, he was appointed ballet master at the age of twenty seven, and replaced Per Erik Wallqvist, who had first shared the position with Sophie Daguin; Daguin was principal of the Opera's ballet school, and together, Selinder and Daguin are considered to have uphold a high standard in the ballet. Selinder is considered as one of the most notable of the masters in the ballet. During this time, there was a new interest for the old Folk dance, which were at that time disappearing, and Selinder learned them and preserved them by making them into ballets. He wrote several ballets and made the choreography to the national opera Värmlänningarne in 1846.

In 1856, Selinder lost his position; Sophie Daguin was fired the same year, and this is considered to be the start point of the decay, which was considered to affect the Swedish ballet during the second half of the 19th century. After 1856, he created the first travelling Swedish ballet company and toured in Sweden; they also performed folk dance and instructed everyone interested in learning. In 1858–1866 he managed a children's theatre, and in 1870–1871, he was joint director in the theatre Ladugårdslandsteatern.

He composed about 40 ballets and 40 opera ballets. Many of his ballets were used by the Folk dance movement where they are still performed, such as Daldans, Jössehäradspolska and Vingåkersdans.

Among his famous students were Anna de Wahl, Sophie Cysch, Mathilda Hodell, Hilma Bruno, Hilda Bingvall, Zelma Eklund, Gardt and C. GL Callmén, Mina Pettersson, Sophie Dahl, Gunhild Rosén, Robert Sjöblom and Gustaf Ullberg.

References

• Nordisk familjebok (Swedish)
• Klas Ralf: Operan 200 år. Jubelboken (1973) (Swedish)