Edith Roger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edith Roger
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Roger with Rolf Daleng in 1959
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| Born | 29 May 1922 Vestby, Norway
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| Died | 24 February 2023 (aged 100) |
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Edith Roger (born May 29, 1922 – died February 24, 2023) was a very talented Norwegian artist. She was a dancer, a choreographer (someone who creates dances), and a stage director (someone who guides actors in a play).
Edith Roger started her career as a dancer with Ny Norsk Ballett. Later, she danced at the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. After her dancing days, she worked at Nationaltheatret as a stage director for about 30 years. She received many awards for her amazing work in both dance and theatre.
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About Edith Roger
Edith Roger was born in Son, Norway, on May 29, 1922. Her father, Conrad Hansen, owned a workshop. She was married to architect Ole-Carl Øien from 1950 to 1975.
Her Amazing Career
Dancing on Stage
After moving to Oslo, Edith Roger trained in classical ballet. During Second World War, she also learned free dance. She first performed as a dancer at Rogaland Teater in 1945. She also danced in shows at Chat Noir and Svenska Dansteatern.
From 1948, she was a key dancer in the Ny Norsk Ballett group. Then, from 1958 to 1962, she danced with the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. Some of her most important dance roles included "Maria" in Bibliska bilder (1951) and "Columbine" in the ballet Carnaval (1958).
Creating Dances (Choreography)
Edith Roger started creating her own dances in 1954. She helped create The Saint Olav Drama. This was a historical play about the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030.
In 1958, she choreographed Haugtussa, a dance based on poems by Arne Garborg. The next year, in 1959, she created Dans ropte fela. This show featured folk dance and music. In 1969, she choreographed Mot Solen, a performance inspired by the life and art of Edvard Munch.
Directing Plays (Stage Director)
From 1967 to 1999, Edith Roger worked as a stage director at Nationaltheatret. Her first plays to direct were Sangen om utyske and the comedy Den stundesløse.
During her time at Nationaltheatret, she directed around fifty plays. These included famous works like Ibsen's A Doll's House (1971) and Peer Gynt (1975 and 1985). She also directed Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (1973). Other plays she directed were Ballerina (1976) and Hedda Gabler (1988).
In 2005, she made a special comeback as a dancer. She performed in Memento Mori, a dance piece choreographed by Sølvi Edvardsen.
Edith Roger turned 100 years old in May 2022. She passed away on February 24, 2023.
Awards and Her Legacy
Edith Roger received many important awards for her work. In 1985, she was honored as a Knight, First Class of the Order of St. Olav. She also received the Arts Council Norway Honorary Award in 2002.
In 2005, she got the Senter for Dansekunsts Ærespris for her contributions to dance. In 2010, she received the Hedda Honorary Award for her amazing work in theatre.
After she passed away in 2023, many people spoke about her influence. Ingrid Lorentzen, who leads the Norwegian National Ballet, said that Edith Roger greatly influenced many generations of dancers. Kristian Seltun, the director of Nationaltheatret, explained that Edith Roger brought dance elements into plays. He said she created a fun and new directing style that young actors loved.
