Nataša Novotná

**Nataša Novotná** (born October 29, 1977, Opava) is a Czech dancer, choreographer, lecturer, co-founder of 420PEOPLE and founder of Kylián fund in Prague.

## Education

Novotná graduated from Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava.

### Dancer and choreographer

In 1997, Novotná was engaged in the Dutch ensemble Nederlands Dans Theater 2 (NDT2) led by Jiří Kylián. Between 2000 and 2002 she danced in the Swedish Göteborgs Operan Ballet. Since 2002 she has been a member of the Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT1).

Novotná has collaborated with leading world choreographers, e.g. . Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, W. Forsyth, M. Ek, Crystal Pite, Meryl Tancard and others.

Since 2007, Novotná has been working independently, performing contemporary dance, collaborating as a dancer with leading world scenes and choreographers such as the Tero Saarinen Company in Finland, Copenhagen International Ballet, Korzo Theater, Station Zuid and C-scope in the Netherlands, as well with Roberto Bolle, the soloist of the Teatro alla Scala or with the London's Sadler's Wells and Sylvie Guillem.

### 420PEOPLE

Together with her former NDT colleague Václav Kuneš and manager Ondřej Kotrč, in 2007 Novotná founded a contemporary dance ensemble 420PEOPLE, and acted as executive director of the ensemble until 2016. The name of the ensemble evokes Czech origin – _ 420 _ is the telephone prefix for the Czech Republic.

The ensemble performs regularly both abroad (e.g. France, Spain, Germany, Mexico, Holland, Finland, Norway, Japan, Great Britain, etc.) and on the Czech stages (among others Czech National Theater, National Moravian-Silesian Theatre).

The ensemble organizes the participation of prominent foreign artists at events in the Czech Republic – such as Ohad Naharin, Abou Lagraa, Jo Strǿmgren, Ann Van den Broek, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and others.

### Kylián Fund in Prague

After a decade of working for 420PEOPLE, Novotná founded _ Kylián Fund in Prague _ in 2017.

## Further activities

Novotná is involved in initiatives to support Czech contemporary dance and is a board member of the Vision of Dance professional organization.

Novotná teaches at dance conservatories, Academy of Performing Arts in Prague and in ensembles in the Czech Republic and abroad. She is a lecturer in the Dance Studio of the New Stage, which offers both contemporary and classical dance lessons. Since 2017 she has been certified teacher of the Gaga movement language, developed by world-renowned choreographer Ohad Naharin.

## Selected  awards

- 2003 nominated by Dutch critics for Best Dancer for interpretation of _Pneuma_ choreography by J. Inger (Dance Europe)
- 2004 nominated by Dutch critics for Best Dancer for the interpretation of W. Forsyth's _Duo_ choreography (Dance Europe)
- 2008 Thalia Award (for dance performance in _Small Hour_ choreography)
- 2009 Dancer of the Year (at the DANCE PRAGUE FESTIVAL)

## Selected choreography

- 2007 _ Znaky o znacích_ (created for Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava)
- 2010 _ Sacrebleu _ (created for 420PEOPLE)
- 2012 _ Pták Ohnivák _ (created for ballet of National Theatre Brno)
- 2012 _Rezonance na pěší vzdálenost _ project with Berg Orchestra
- 2013 _ Škrtič _ (created for National Moravian-Silesian Theatre in Ostrava)
- 2017 _ Portrait Parlé _ (created for 420PEOPLE)
- 2017 Daniel Špinar, 420PEOPLE: _Křehkosti, tvé jméno je žena _, directed by Daniel Špinar, New Stage of the National Theatre in Prague
- 2018 “Dream On” (created for Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava)

## Filmography

- 2013 _Hamletophelia_ (dance fashion film), dir. by Jakub Jahn
- 2016 _Personal Shopper_ (mystery film), role: Ghost, dir. by Olivier Assayas
- 2017 _ Closed _ (dance film), directed by Stein-Roger Bull, Jo Strǿmgren

### Bibliography

- _National Theater Newsletter_, No. 5, January 2017, 134. season 2016–2017, Národní divadlo, Praha, 2017, p. 36
- _National Theater Newsletter_, No. 10, June 2017, 134. season 2016–2017, Národní divadlo, Praha, 2017, pp.  24–5, 32
- Redakce: _Křehkosti, tvé jméno je žena_, In.: _National Theater Newsletter_, No. 8, April 2017, 134. season 2016–2017, Národní divadlo, Praha, 2017, p. 36
- Kateřina Hanáčková: _Ohad Naharin: decadance_, In.: _National Theater Newsletter_, No. 8, April 2017, 134. season 2016–2017, Národní divadlo, Praha, 2017, p. 25

## Other websites

- 420PEOPLE
- Nataša Novotná in Czech National Theater Archive
- Národní divadlo–profil umělce
- National Moravian-Silesian Theatre: Nataša Novotná in Národní divadlo moravskoslezské
- CZECH RADIO-Vltava
- CZECH TV
- Idnes.cz: Martin Jiroušek: _Ostrava černá, děvucha věrná, směje se choreografka Nataša Novotná_
- Ballet masterclass.com
- Opera+: Lucie Kocourková: _10.výročí 420PEOPLE.Velký rozhovor s Natašou Novotnou a Václavem Kunešem._
- Taneční aktuality.cz

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Nataša Novotná
- **image**: Nataša Novotná.jpg
- **birth place**: Opava, Czechoslovakia
- **nationality**: Czech
- **occupation**: dancer, choreographer
- **known for**: certified lecturer of Gaga movement language