Roman Novitzky
Tänzer
Biographie
Born in Bratislava, Slovakia.
• 1995–2003 – Dance Conservatory of Eva Jacz, Bratislava
• 2003 – Joined Slovak National Theater as Demi-Soloist
• 2004/05 – Promoted to Soloist
• 2006/07 – Promoted to Principal Dancer
• 2009 - Joined The Stuttgart Ballet
• 2011/12 – Promoted to Demi-Soloist
• 2013/14 – Promoted to Soloist
• 2015/16 – Promoted to Principal Dancer of the Stuttgart Ballet
• Since September 2023 – Appointed to the newly created position of Artist in Residence at the Stuttgart Ballet
• Since September 2025 – Artist in Residence and Head of the Department of Photography and Video at the Stuttgart Ballet
His repertoire includes works by world-renowned choreographers such as John Cranko, George Balanchine, Kenneth MacMillan, Maurice Béjart, Glen Tetley, Hans van Manen, John Neumeier, Jiří Kylián, Wayne McGregor, Paul Lightfoot, and Jorma Elo, among others. Internationally acclaimed choreographers including Mauro Bigonzetti, Johan Inger, Edward Clug, Marco Goecke, Christian Spuck, and Demis Volpi have created roles specifically for him.
He has portrayed numerous leading and solo roles in ballets such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, La Sylphide, Caligula, Spartacus, The Wooden Prince, Don Juan, La Bayadère, The Nutcracker, Ivan the Terrible, Krabat, The Lady and the Fool, Song of the Earth, Requiem, Serenade, Don Quixote, The Lady of the Camellias, The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, and Onegin.
Roman Novitzky’s photographs have been published in international dance magazines, books, theatre programs, and German newspapers, as well as in advertising campaigns for the Stuttgart Ballet. In the summer of 2018, his first book, The Dancing View: Roman Novitzky’s Stuttgart Ballet, was published by Edition Cantz.
Since 2020, a calendar featuring his photographs from the Stuttgart Ballet studios has been published annually by the prestigious Weingarten Publisher. Both publications are available for purchase in the theatre shop.
In September 2022, Roman Novitzky was awarded the Prize of the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic for artistic excellence in classical and modern dance, as well as for his outstanding representation of Slovak ballet art at home and abroad. In March 2023, he won the choreography prize at the International Competition for the Erik Bruhn Prize.
Since 2012, Roman Novitzky has choreographed four works for the Noverre Society’s Young Choreographers Evening:
• 2012 – The Hours
• 2013 – Are You as Big as Me? — The piece was so successful that it was immediately added to the Stuttgart Ballet’s repertoire, where it has become a cult favorite. It has also been performed by numerous ballet companies and presented at many prestigious galas.
• 2014 – …wie zwei Finger an der Hand
• 2016 – Cello contra Bass — This work was also added to the Stuttgart Ballet’s repertoire.
Since 2018, he has created works for the Stuttgart Ballet as well as other companies and projects:
• 2018 – Under the Surface
• 2019 – Impuls — Awarded 3rd Prize at the prestigious World Stage Design competition (Calgary, 2022) in the category “Professional Performance Design” for scenography and lighting design by Yaron Abulafia.
• 2020 – Everybody Needs Some/Body — Awarded “Best Premiere 2020” in Dance Europe Critics’ Choice.
• 2021 – Solo for Tonatiuh, as part of the project “Creare para Crescere” • 2022 – A Dance/Jazz Fusion Vol. 3
• 2022 – Extravaganza — Created for the Slovak National Ballet as part of the evening Fashion Ballet 22
• 2022 – Reflection/s
• 2023 – A Dialog — Winner of the choreographic contest at the Erik Bruhn Prize International Competition in Toronto
• 2024 – The Place of Choice — His first major work for the opera house stage, set to newly composed music and performed with a live orchestra, as part of the double bill Novitzky/Dawson.
Between 2020 and 2024, Roman Novitzky contributed each year to the Stuttgarter Nachrichten charity initiative “Aktion Weihnachten,” donating proceeds from the sale of his photographs to support children in hospitals and people in need.
In 2023 SWR produced the documentary “Das zweite Leben des Roman Novitzky”, which explores his decision to conclude his active dance career and embark on a new professional path.