Mats Ek, Anders Ek, Niklas Ek, Ana Laguna, Malin Ek
Birgit Ragnhild Cullberg (3 August 1908 – 8 September 1999) was a Swedish choreographer. The daughter of bank manager Carl Cullberg and Elna Westerström, Cullberg was born in Nyköping and married from 1942 to 1949 to actor Anders Ek. She was the mother of Niklas Ek, Mats Ek, and Malin Ek.
Cullberg studied ballet under Kurt Jooss-Leeder and Lilian Karina and at The Royal Ballet, London (1952–1957). In 1960, Cullberg was appointed director and choreographer at the Stockholm City Theatre. Some of her choreographies were premiered at the Royal Opera in Stockholm.
Cullberg gained international recognition by founding the Cullberg Ballet in the 1960s. On her retiring in 1985, her son Mats Ek took over the ballet company. The Swedish Arts Grants Committee instituted the Cullberg scholarship in her honour, and she was awarded an honorary professorship at Stockholm University, where she had studied when she was young. She also received the French honour Commendeur des Arts et Lettres and the Italian honour Cavaliere Ufficiale.
Selected choreography
Vägen till Klockrike
Miss Julie
The Moon Reindeer
The Lady from the Sea
Filmography
Miscellaneous
1984
Abbalett (TV Movie) (choreographer)
1980
Fröken Julie (TV Movie) (choreographer)
1971
Review (TV Series documentary) (choreographer - 1 episode)
- Adam and Eve - A Birgit Cullberg Ballet for Television (1971) - (choreographer)
1970
Rött vin i gröna glas (TV Short) (choreographer)
1966
Ungersvennen och de sex prinsessorna (TV Movie) (choreographer)
1966
Zodiac (TV Series) (choreographer - 1 episode)
- Gemini (1966) - (choreographer: Adam and Eve)
1963
Lady vid havet (TV Movie) (choreography)
1961
Den elaka drottningen (TV Movie) (choreographer)
1961
Snehvide og de syv dværge (TV Movie) (choreography)
1959
Fröken Julie (TV Movie) (choreographer)
1954
Medea (Documentary) (choreographer)
1950
Ung och kär (choreographer)
1949
Post på hjul (Documentary short) (choreographer)
Director
1984
Abbalett (TV Movie)
1982
Pulcinella och Pimpinella (TV Movie)
1980
Fröken Julie (TV Movie)
1970
Rött vin i gröna glas (TV Short)
1966
Ungersvennen och de sex prinsessorna (TV Movie)
1963
Romeo och Julia (TV Movie)
1959
Fröken Julie (TV Movie)
1954
Medea (Documentary)
Actress
1984
Abbalett (TV Movie) as
Daydreaming cleaning lady (segment "Money Money Money")
1982
Mamma as
Gerd som gammal
1980
Fröken Julie (TV Movie) as
Woman in painting (uncredited)
1950
Ung och kär as
Ballet-master (uncredited)
1946
Three Dances (Short) as
Cleopatra
1942
General von Döbeln as
Woman at the pub in Wismar (uncredited)
Writer
1980
Fröken Julie (TV Movie) (ballet adaptation)
1954
Medea (Documentary) (scenario)
1946
Three Dances (Short) (creator)
Self
1987
Artister i fält (TV Special documentary) as
Self
1985
Här är ditt liv (TV Series) as
Self
- Birgit Cullberg (1985) - Self
1971
Review (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Adam and Eve - A Birgit Cullberg Ballet for Television (1971) - Self
1965
Balettens historia och estetik (TV Mini Series documentary) as