Jiří Kylián receives an honorary distinction

On the occasion of the anniversary of the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia, Jiří Kylián, an eminent Czech choreographer, was conferred by Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic, with the Order of the White Lion, the country’s highest state honour. This prestigious recognition celebrates Kylián’s outstanding contributions to the global dance scene and his role in promoting Czech culture internationally.

A native of Prague, Jiří Kylián graduated from the Prague Dance Conservatory and later studied at the Royal Ballet School in London. He began his career with Stuttgart Ballet under the direction of John Cranko and later became a pivotal figure at Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) in The Hague, serving as both choreographer and subsequently artistic director for much of his career. While at NDT, he founded both the junior and senior companies, NDT 2 and NDT 3 – at the time, a unique constellation of a dancers life unprefaced in the world of dance.

Kylián’s extensive repertoire includes over ninety choreographies, which are performed by numerous companies worldwide. Throughout his career, he has received many prestigious awards, including the Laurence Olivier Award and the Order of Orange-Nassau. In 2019, he was inaugurated into the Académie des beaux-arts in Paris, marking the first time ‘choreography’ as an official category within this esteemed French academy—a testament to Kylián’s extraordinary status in the world of dance.