Gagik Ismailian
Choreographer


Portuguese nationality, Armenian, born in Tehran, Gagik Ismailian started early dance training at The Iranian National Ballet school of dance. After completing his studies, he moved to Great Britain, where he trained at the Legat School of Dance in Surrey (UK) and later on, continued his studies at Royal Ballet School in London. While in school, he gained his first professional experience being invited to dance in Florida, where he interpreted the prince in "Nutcracker". He has interpreted some classical, and neoclassical roles, as well as many modern and contemporary dance repertoire. In 1978, he became a member of the Gulbenkian Ballet in Lisbon, where he maintained his status of principal dancer since 1981. He has performed in American, Australian, Japanese and Brazilian stages and in almost all European countries.
From 1985 to 1986, invited by Jiri Kilyan he became a member of the Nederlands Dans Theatre. He has worked with choreographers, such as Barry Moreland, Heinz Spoerli, Peter Sparling, Elisa Monte, Christopher Bruce, Milko Šparemblek, Carlos Trincheiras, Hans Van Manen, Louis Falco, Nacho Duato, Jiri Kilyan, Vasco Wellenkamp, Joseph Rousillio and Olga Roriz where they have enriched and influenced his dancing style and stimulated his choreographic affinities. As a choreographer, Gagik Ismailian has been active since 1982. Since that time, he has made various original choreographique pieces, in Portugal and also in Brazil, Germany, Croatia and Slovenia. He has received prestigious international awards for his work at international dance competitions in Japan (Nagoya) and in Germany (Augsburg).
Gagik Ismailian is a choreographer who always explores new dance techniques and merges them with strong emotional dimensions; therefore his style is passionate and often aggressive.
In the Croatian National Theatre Ballet in Split, where he was The ArtisticDirector from 2000-2002.




He staged three very successful performances (Citadel, 1999; that have been presented in Germany, Italy and Spain( Madrid), Casino Paradis, 2001; From Tango to Fado, 2002).
In 2004 he created for the Slovenian National Opera Ballet, "Veronika decides..." inspired from a best seller book, by Paulo Coelho, with the music composed specially for the piece. "Veronika" was a success, unanimously for the public and all the critics.
2005 created another full evening piece this time for the Croatian National Ballet in Rieka "Love and solitude" also with a tremendous success.
In 2006 created "Me Veronika...?" for the Lisbon Contemporary Ballet, a second point of view towards "Veronikas" decision to end her life... 8th of March 2007 Gagik Ismailian created a new piece entitled "Duality Forms @illusion" for the CNB the National Ballet in Lisbon - Portugal. November 2007 invited to join "Project Mayim Mayim" along with other thirty internationally acclaimed choreographers.
Created a solo for a male dancer, dedicated to 30 Jewish orphans assassinated in the 2nd world war in an orphanage in Furth Germany