Stiftung John Neumeier

The Stiftung John Neumeier (John Neumeier Foundation) is a civil-law foundation based in Hamburg, Germany, dedicated to preserving and making accessible the dance and ballet collection amassed over decades by choreographer John Neumeier. Established in 2006 as a non-legal-capacity private foundation, it became a legally independent foundation under German civil law in November 2022. The foundation's holdings are internationally recognized and combine an art collection, a library, and an archive, with a particular focus on the dancer-choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky and Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. It also maintains a catalogue raisonné of Neumeier's more than 140 ballets, documenting their conception, creation, and development. The foundation operates a scholarly institute with a library that is currently accessible to the public only to a limited extent. Its long-term goals include expanding into a ballet museum and making the collections fully available to the public. The foundation is governed by a board including John Neumeier, Hermann Reichenspurner, and Kai Greve, with Hans-Michael Schäfer serving as curator and head of collections. It collaborates with the Hamburg State Opera, the Hamburg Ballet Centre, the Hamburg Ballet, the ballet school, and the Bundesjugendballett, forming a 'third pillar' of Neumeier's artistic activities in Hamburg alongside performance and training. The foundation participates in international exhibitions and co-publishes works on Neumeier's life and oeuvre.

The Stiftung John Neumeier was established on 23 February 2006 as a non-legal-capacity private foundation (nicht rechtsfähige Stiftung des privaten Rechts) by choreographer John Neumeier. Its purpose was to consolidate, preserve, and secure for the city of Hamburg Neumeier's extensive collections on dance and ballet, as well as his life's work. In November 2022, the foundation was granted legal capacity as a civil-law foundation (rechtsfähige Stiftung des bürgerlichen Rechts) in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. The foundation's origins lie in Neumeier's decades-long collecting activity, which produced an internationally known dance and ballet collection combining an art collection, a library, and an archive. The collection is considered unique not only in ballet but also in art history. The foundation has begun taking over, scholarly processing, and extensively cataloguing the collections. It currently operates a scholarly institute with a library that is available to the public only to a limited extent. Plans are underway to expand its activities into a ballet museum and to make the collections accessible to the public, for which further foundation funds are being raised. The foundation is governed by a board consisting of John Neumeier, Hermann Reichenspurner, and Kai Greve, with Hans-Michael Schäfer as curator and head of collections. It participates in numerous international exhibitions and co-publishes works on Neumeier's life and work, including 'In Bewegung' (2008) and Horst Koegler's biography 'John Neumeier – Bilder eines Lebens' (2010).

• 2022

  In November, the foundation becomes a legally independent civil-law foundation in Hamburg.

• 2006

  Foundation established on 23 February as a non-legal-capacity private foundation by John Neumeier.

A unique cultural heritage foundation preserving the history of dance and ballet, serving research, documentation, and presentation.

• Library

  A systematically organized collection of approximately 11,500 titles, including rare and illustrated editions and dedication copies.

• Art Collection

  About 11,000 objects including oil paintings, prints, sculptures, bronze busts, porcelain figures, terracotta plaques, and various photographic materials.

• Archive

  A cross-epoch document collection and documentation on dance personalities, including autographs, correspondence, life documents, work pieces, costumes, accessories, and varia.

• Catalogue Raisonné

  Working materials of John Neumeier for his more than 140 ballets, documenting conception, creation, and development, including original stage and costume designs and audiovisual media.

1. 1John Neumeier Stiftungjohnneumeier.org
2. 2A Cinderella Story — John Neumeier Stiftungjohnneumeier.org
3. 3A Cinderella Story — John Neumeier Stiftung (English)johnneumeier.org
4. 4West Side Story (Musical) — John Neumeier Stiftungjohnneumeier.org
5. 5Stiftung John Neumeier — Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Stiftung John Neumeier — Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org