Jorma Elo

Resident Choreographer

In just a few short years, Finnish-born Jorma Elo has become one of the most sought-after choreographers in the United States and Europe. Elo, who was named Resident Choreographer of Boston Ballet in 2005, was singled out as a “talent to follow” by Anna Kisselgoff in her 2004 Year in Review for The New York Times. It was an astute observation. He has since created numerous works in the US and internationally, including Slice to Sharp for New York City Ballet, Glow-Stop and C. to C. (Close to Chuck) for American Ballet Theatre, Double Evil for San Francisco Ballet, Carmen for Boston Ballet, 10 to Hyper M for Royal Danish Ballet, Offcore for Finnish National Ballet and Pointeoff for Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. His From All Sides debuted in January 2007 for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, to a commissioned score from Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Mead Composer-in- Residence, Mark Anthony Turnage, and the piece was conducted by Maestro Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Elo trained with the Finnish National Ballet School and the Kirov Ballet School in Leningrad. Prior to joining Netherlands Dance Theater in 1990, he danced with Finnish National Ballet from 1978 through 1984 and Cullberg Ballet from 1984 to 1990.

Elo has also received commissions from Basel Ballet, Ballet Debrezen (Hungary), Alberta Ballet (Blank Snow and L’Apres Midi d’un Faune/Spectre de la Rose), Norwegian National Ballet (Cut to Drive, Brake-Green), Finnish National Ballet (Happy is Happy, Twisted Shadow, Two Fast), Stockhom 59° North (in my DREAM team), Netherlands Dance Theatre 1 (1st Flash and Plan to A), Staatstheater Nurnberg (Slice to Core), Ballet X (Scenes View 2). For Boston Ballet, Elo has created six world premieres: Sharp Side of Dark (2002), Plan to B (2004), Carmen (2006), Brake the Eyes (2007), In On Blue (2008), and Le Sacre du Printemps (2009). He is also a skilled designer of costumes, lighting and video effects for his ballets.

The 2005 Helsinki International Ballet Competition awarded Elo a choreographic prize and he is the recipient of the Prince Charitable Trust Prize and the Choo-San Goh Choreographic Award in 2006. Dance Magazine (April, 2007) featured Elo on their cover with a corresponding article, Pointe Magazine named him a Dance VIP of 2006, and Esquire Magazine named him a “Master Artist” in 2008.