Michal Štípa

Biography

He was born in Brno. In 1990, he began studies at the Dance Conservatory in Brno which he successfully completed in 1998. He then joined the ballet company of the National Theatre in Brno where, from the very beginning, he was cast  in numerous solo parts in key pieces of the ballet repertoire. Subsequently, in 2000 he was appointed soloist. During his 7 years´ engagement in the ballet ensemble of the National Theatre in Brno, he became a regular guest on the stage of the National Theatre in Prague, where in the 2004–2005 season, he was engaged as soloist. After several successful seasons, during which he had an opportunity to dance in all significant pieces of the repertoire mainly in leading roles, he was appointed the first soloist in 2009.
Elegance, natural refinement, perfect body proportions and especially his reliability as a partner and technical disposition have always ranked him as a "danseur noble". Thanks to the natural acting, however, he has repeatedly proven that he is also able to portray even the most demanding dramatic roles, requiring deeper reflection. With such precondition, we can undoubtedly  say that Štípa today belongs among versatile and mature dancers. He often demonstrates these qualities  in roles such as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and the title role in the ballet Solo for three.

At the National Theatre he has danced a variety of roles in the classical and contemporary repertoire: Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake (R. V. Harapes and Mazalová, 2004), (H. Vláčilová and P. Dumbala, 2007), (K. Greve, 2009), Jean de Brienne in Raymonda (J. Grigorovich, 2004), The Nutcracker in The Nutcracker (J. Grigorovich, 2004), Albert in Giselle (Ch. Hampson, 2004), (H. Vláčilová, 2012), the Prince in The Nutcracker - A Christmas Carol (Y. Vàmos, 2004), Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (Y. Vàmos, 2006), Othello in the ballet Othello (Y. Vàmos, 2010), Lensky in Onegin (J. Cranko, 2005), Escamilio in Carmen (M. Ek, 2008), James in the ballet La Sylphide (A. Bournoville, 2008), Father in Cinderella (J. Ch. Maillot, 2011), the Prince in Cinderella (P. and P. Smok Ďumbala, 2007), the Prince in Sleeping Beauty (J. Torres, 2012). He has also appeared in the following  ballet productions: Tchaikovsky, Pas de deux in the ballet performance  Ballet Mania (G. Balanchine, 2005), Maria's Dream  in the ballet performance Ballet Mania (P. Zuska, 2005), Album Familiar (C. Janssen, 2004), Petite Mort (J. Kylián, 2007), Sinfonietta (J . Kylián, 2005), A Little Extreme (P. Zuska, 2009), 1st symphony D-dur (P. Zuska, 2010), Empty Title (P. Zuska, 2010), Brel-Vysockij-Kryl / Solo for Three (P. Zuska, 2007), In the Middle Somewhat Elevated (W. Forsythe, 2012). 

In the 1998-1999 season he was awarded the Philip Morris Flower Award for the greatest talent in the field of classical dance, and three years later won the main prize Philip Morris Flower Award. In 2000 he took part in the Competition of Dance Artists of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic in Brno, where he won second prize. In 2004 he was nominated for the Thalia Award for the role of Solor in the ballet La Bayadere and in the same year he was also awarded the Audience Award. In March 2005 ha was awarded the Thalia Award for the role of Albert in Giselle. In 2007 he received the Award of Commercial Bank KOBANADI for best premiere performance in the ballet piece Brel - Vysockij - Kryl / Solo for Three, where he played the lead role, and subsequently, in the same year was awarded the Thalia Award for the same role.
During his engagement in the National Theatre in Brno and as a guest dancer in various ballet ensembles in the Czech Republic and Slovakia he has played the following roles: Prince in Swan Lake, Colas in La fille malgardée, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, the Prince in The Nutcracker, Spartacus in the ballet Spartacus, Solor in La Bayadere, Phoebus in Notre Dame de Paris, Des Grieux in Manon, Armand in Lady of the Camellias, Escamilio in Carmen, the Prince in The Sleeping Beauty, Albert in Giselle, Sarapo in Edith Piaf, the Prince in Cinderella, Daphnis in Daphnis and Chloé, also participated in the ballet Andersen and Sylphide.
He has appeared as a guest dancer in the ballet Giselle in Yekaterinburg, in Swan Lake in Helsinki, Giselle and The Lady of the Camellias in Taiwan.
He has danced on many  leading international stages in Germany, Austria, Spain, Finland, Italy, Portugal, Malta, Japan, China, Taiwan, Russia, USA and South America.