Jiří Vrátil
Operation Manager, Stage ManagerBiography
Demi-soloist of the National Theatre Ballet Jiří Vrátil was born in Prague. He studied modern dance techniques at the private dance conservatory Dance Centre Prague with I. Kubicová, J. Hartman and V. Schneiderová, and classical ballet under the tutelage of Prof. I. Krob, A. Halász and A. Kliková. He attended a number of dance seminars and had study stays both in the Czech Republic and abroad, where he worked with such renowned pedagogues and choreographers as Bruno Genty, Christopher Bruce and Rochelle Zide-Booth. Between 1992 and 1997 he was a member of the Prague Chamber Ballet, dancing in the choreographies of Pavel Šmok, Jiří Kylián (Evening Songs, Stoolgame, Picollo Mondo) and other guest choreographers. With this ensemble, he toured Central Europe and the Middle East (e.g. Jordan and Lebanon). In 1997 – 1998 he worked in Jiří Srnec’s Black Theatre, where he honed his technique as regards non-verbal theatre. In 1998 he became the ensemble’s artistic director. Since 1999 he has worked at the National Theatre. Initially, he danced in minor roles, including the Police Commissar in Vaculík’s ballet Some Like It…, Wilfried in Giselle, the Master of Ceremonies in Raymonda, the Khan in Polovtsian Dances, in Kylián’s The Child and Magic and Sinfonietta. In 2003 he became a demi-soloist of the National Theatre Ballet and began dancing solo roles too; for example, Redbeard in Swan Lake, Hillarion in Giselle, the Mouse King in The Nutcracker, Pedro in Lucrezia Borgia, Scrooge in The Nutcracker – A Christmas Carol, Gremin in Onegin and the Evil King in Goldilocks. Audiences have also had the opportunity to see him in August Bournonville’s ballets La Sylphide and Napoli, as well as in Youri Vàmos’s Romeo and Juliet. When it comes to the modern repertoire, he has danced in choreographies by Petr Zuska: Ways 03, Among the Mountains, Les Bras de Mer, IBBUR, or A Prague Mystery, Requiem and BREL – VYSOTSKY – KRYL / Solo for Three, Jiří Kylián: Stamping Ground, Petite Mort and Sinfonietta, Nacho Duato: Jardí Tancat, Stijn Celis: Black and Blues, Conny Janssen: Álbum Familiar, Itzik Galili: Through Nana´s Eyes and Zuzana Šimáková: 6 Halves of a Human.