RALPH GRANT
Ralph Grant, dancer and choreographer
in loving memory
Ralph Grant was buried on 19th March next to his mother at Rosehill Cementary, Section 53, Row 30, Grave 119, in Linden, New Jersey. A funeral ceremony was held with family and friends at the House of Hills Chapel in Brooklyn, New York. The funeral was officiated by Reverend Robert L. Gahagen of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Epiphany.
I would like to thank Ralph's family, friends, dancers and everyone else who contributed to the memorial service in Denmark and the funeral in New York. It had not been possible without you. Thank you for the fantastic flowers, which Ralph would have loved. I have not yet completely understood that Ralph is not here anymore - he lives inside me and will do so forever. There is, truly, nobody like him.
With love
Ole Mertz
Photos
from New York ceremony
A beautiful memorial service for Ralph was held Saturday March 10th 2 at Vester Kirkegård, Nordre Kapel, Copenhagen West, followed by a gathering at Dansens Hus.
A beautiful memorial service for Ralph was held Saturday March 10th 2 at Vester Kirkegård, Nordre Kapel, Copenhagen West, followed by a gathering at Dansens Hus.
please read all the words to Ralph at the memories page
RALPH
GRANT
Born 19th May 1946, grew up in New York City, dancer in Germany for Tanztheater Wuppertal with Pina Bausch, teacher and choreographer in France and Copenhagen, Denmark.
Ralph Grant passed away 24th February 2007. We miss him very much.
Ralph Grant inspired a whole generation of new Danish choreographers, his work without doubt the most progressive and daring choreographies of the eighties and early nineties dance scene in Copenhagen.
Ralph Grants dance studio in Christianshavn and his classical ballet classes were home and training ground for many young dancers. Not only did we dance ballet, we were being educated in the beauty of life, art and dance by someone who truly cared. Someone who adored the lines and pure technique of dance, yet made us feel worthy of being dancers and artists regardless of our technical abilities.
Many of his students became dancers in the Dance Studio Company. Under Ralph’s strict artistic guidance we danced his choreographies and were challenged as individuals in the artistic process, something that was very meaningful and encouraging to all of us.
Ralph was avant-garde, a dedicated and courageous artist. The public recognition of Ralphs artistic work and the opportunity given to him to realize his artistic vision was only partial, compared to his artistic visions and his sense of perfection and professionalism. Yet he did give us great beauty and raw artistic nerve without compromise. With little means and steady enthusiasm Ralph Grant created and directed many great performances in Copenhagen and brought the international world of dance to us.
from the dancers of Copenhagen
by Pipaluk Supernova
RALPH GRANT by Astra Sterns
Ralph Grant was first and formost a classical dancer. His passions were: The Bolshoi, Bournonville and Balanchine. In NYC Ralph studied with John Barker, a reknown Vaganova teacher, and also at the School of American Ballet (Balanchine). Furthermore he studied art and design at the prestigious Parsons School of Design in Greewich Village.
With a dream to dance in the great Russian classics, especially "Le Corsaire", "The Fountain of Bachchiserai" and "La Bayadere", Ralph came to Europe. However, to his great disappointment none of the ballet companies in Germany had these spectacular ballets in their repertoire. Besides, being a "black dancer" in the early ' 60s and ' 70s, it was not easy to get accepted in a classical company in Europe. Determined to stay and dance, Ralph conceded and joined the expanding realm of German modern dance companies.
After a dance injury put a stop to performing, Ralph came to Denmark to fulfill another of his great dreams: to learn Bournonville ballet technique. He remained in Denmark and soon became a "special" teacher of ballet and an even more special choreographer, as everyone who knew him loved him. Ralph saw the pontential in every young dancer whom he came in contact with, whether classical or modern.
As a colleague he was a demanding teacher, yet gentle and patient. I have known Ralph for over 25 years. He choreographed two short neo-classical pieces for my youth ensemble, Copenhagen City Ballet, in 1996 and ' 97, when CCB was invited to dance in Riga, Latvia, at the 1st and 2nd Baltic International Ballet Festivals (director: Lita Beiris). The young dancers adored Ralph and his "unusual" method of doing choreography, which was to assemble and show the steps, without music, thus leaving the music as "background" to the movements. It was a wonderful challenge for the CCB "kids", several of whom have gone on to become professional dancers in Denmark, Germany and New York.
Ralph, we loved you very much and we are going to miss you tremendously, but you will remain in our "dancing-hearts" - never to be forgotten.
Hon. prof. Astra Sterns, balletchef CCB
