Hannelore Bey facts for kids

Hannelore Bey (born Hannelore Mueller on November 6, 1941, in Leipzig) is a famous German prima ballerina. A prima ballerina is the highest rank a female ballet dancer can achieve in a dance company. She was a lead dancer at the Komische Oper Berlin, a well-known opera house in Berlin.

Life of a Ballerina

Hannelore Bey started her dance training early. From 1956 to 1961, she studied at the Palucca School of Dance in Dresden. This is a very respected dance school. Later, from 1965 to 1966, she continued her studies at the Waganowa Academy in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg, Russia). There, she learned from famous teachers like Belikowa and Puschkin.

Her professional dance career began in 1961. She was a dancer with the National Theatre of Dresden until 1965. In 1966, she joined the Komische Oper Berlin. Her talent quickly shone, and she became a prima ballerina in 1969. This meant she was the main female dancer, performing the most important roles.

Hannelore Bey also had a family; she had a son named Oliver Bey in 1975. From 1983 to 1991, she was a member of the Akademie der Künste, which is an important arts academy. During her career, she traveled a lot, performing in many countries. She toured in places like Finland, Norway, Italy, Spain, Greece, France, Cuba, and Egypt.

In 1985, Hannelore Bey retired from dancing. She was made an honorary member of the Komische Oper Berlin, which is a special recognition. After retiring, she didn't stop being involved in the arts. She became a critic for a Berlin newspaper called Trägerin. Since 1996, she has also been a professor at the Palucca school of dance, teaching new generations of dancers.

Awards and Recognition

Hannelore Bey received several important awards for her amazing dance career. In 1973, she was given the National Prize of East Germany. This was a very high honor in East Germany. Later, in 1981, she was awarded the Fatherland Order of Merit. These awards show how much her talent and contributions to ballet were valued.

Main Ballet Roles

Hannelore Bey performed in many famous ballets and dance pieces throughout her career. Here are some of her main roles:

• "Abraxas" (1966)
• "Fantastic Symphony" (1967)
• "Cinderella" (1968)
• "Dornrö" (1968)
• "Giselle" (1968)
• "La Mer" (1969)
• "Undine" (1970)
• "Match" (1971)
• "Romeo and Julia" (1972)
• "Party" (1973)
• "The Badly Protected Daughter" (1974)
• "Black Birds" (1975)
• "Revue" (1977)
• "Swan Lake" (1980)
• "Shakespeare Shapes" (1982)
• "Wahlverwandtschaften" (1983)
• "Walzer" (1988)
• "Bernarda Albas House" (1990)

Film and Video

Hannelore Bey's performance in Cinderella with the Berlin Comic Opera Ballet was recorded and is available on DVD. This allows people to still see her incredible dancing today.