The Czech National Ballet Calendar 2019 – Tradition & Originality

Just like every year the Czech National Ballet publishes a wall calendar for all dance fans to enjoy. Lyrical colour photographs depict the Czech National Ballet soloists within the beautiful historical buildings of the National Theatre and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague.

The calendar has been created in collaboration with the Museum of Decorative Arts, the Polygraf printing company and the Formata graphic studio and the author of the pictures is Younsik Kim, a South Korean dancer (Czech National Ballet demisoloist) and photographer.

„Within the space of life the movements of dancers change but they are suspended in eternity.“ Younsik Kim

What is it exactly that connects the buildings of the two important cultural institutions – the National Theatre and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague? Above all it is their constructor Josef Schulz, one of the most potent architects of the 19. century, who won great acclaim and came to the spotlight after Josef Zítek had retired. Josef Schulz was a true renaissance man – designer, urbanist, garden designer, builder and conservationist.

„Younsik Kim worked with dancers that inspired him the most and managed to touch the fragile beauty of the human body. The two monumental spaces and the delicate postures of the graceful dancers will be engraved on his heart forever.“ Filip Barankiewicz – Artistic Director of the Czech National Ballet

The calendar is available in both the National Theatre and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague as well as in the National Theatre e-shop for CZK 219.

photo: Younsik Kim