Clotilde Margarete Anna Edle von der Planitz[1] (5 November 1892 – 11 January 1974), known professionally as Clotilde von Derp, was a German expressionist dancer, an early exponent of modern dance.[2] Her career was spent essentially dancing together with her husband Alexander Sakharoff with whom she enjoyed a long-lasting relationship.[3]
Born in Berlin, Clotilde was the daughter of Major Hans Edler von der Planitz (1863–1932) from Berlin and Margarete von Muschwitz (1868–1955). She was a member of the German lower nobility. On 25 January 1919, she married Alexander Sakharoff, a Russian dancer, teacher and choreographer.[2]
CareerEdit
As a child in Munich, Clotilde dreamt of becoming a violinist but from an early age she discovered how talented she was as a dancer. After receiving ballet lessons from Julie Bergmann and Anna Ornelli from the Munich Opera, she gave her first performance on 25 April 1910 at the Hotel Union, using the stage name Clotilde von Derp. The audience were enthralled by her striking beauty and youthful grace. Max Reinhardt presented her in the title role in his pantomime Sumurûn which proved a great success while on tour in London.[2] A photo of her by Rudolf Dührkoop was exhibited in 1913 at the Royal Photographic Society. Clotilde was a member of the radical Blaue Reiter Circle[4][5] which had been started by Wassily Kandinsky in 1911.[6]
Among her admirers were artists such as Rainer Maria Rilke and Yvan Goll. For his Swiss dance presentations, Alexej von Jawlensky gave her make-up resembling his abstract portraits. From 1913, Clotilde appeared with the Russian dancer Alexander Sacharoff with whom she moved to Switzerland during the First World War.[2] Both Sacharoff and Clotilde were known for their crossdressing costumes.[3] Clotilde's femininity was said to be accentuated by the male attire. Her costumes took on an ancient Greek look which she used in Danseuse de Delphes in 1916. Her style was said to be elegant and more modern than that achieved by Isadora Duncan. Their outrageous costumes included wigs made from silver and gold coloured metal, with hats and outfits decorated with flowers and wax fruit.[3]
The two married in 1919 and, with the financial support of Edith Rockefeller, appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in New York but without any great success.[3]
They lived in Paris until the Second World War using the name "Les Sakharoff".[2] Their 1921 poster by George Barbier to advertise their work was seen as showing a "mutually complementary androgynous couple" "united in dance" joined together in an act of "artistic creation."[4]
Sacharoff and von Derp toured widely, visiting China and Japan, which was so successful that they returned again in 1934. The couple and their extravagant costumes visited both North and South America.
von Derp and Sacharoff moved to Spain when France was invaded by Germany. They returned to South America making a new base in Buenos Aires until 1949. They toured Italy the following year and took up an invitation to teach in Rome by Guido Chigi-Saracini. They taught at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena for Saracini and they also opened their own dance school in Rome.
von Derp and Sakharoff stopped dancing together in 1956. They both continued to live in Rome until their deaths.[3] Clotilde gave and sold many of their writings and costumes, that still remained, to museums and auctions. She eventually sold the iconic 1909 painting of her husband by Alexander Jawlensky. In 1997 the German Dance Archive Cologne purchased many remaining items and they have 65 costumes, hundreds of set and costume designs and 500 photographs.[7]
AssessmentEdit
Unlike her husband, Clotilde had a taste for modern music, frequently choosing melancholic music by contemporaries such as Max Reger, Florent Schmitt and Stravinsky. Her haunting eyes and delicate smiles gave the impression she took pleasure in displaying her finely-costumed voluptuous body, even when she reached her forties. She was particularly effective in interpreting Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune. Hans Brandenbourg maintained her ballet technique was superior to that of Alexander although he did not consider her a virtuoso. Clotilde also moved more independently of the music, dancing to the impression it created in her mind rather than to the rhythm.[3]
ReferencesEdit
^Regarding personal names: Edle was a title before 1919, but now is regarded as part of the surname. It is translated as a noble (one). Before the August 1919 abolition of nobility as a legal class, titles preceded the full name when given (Graf Helmuth James von Moltke). Since 1919, these titles, along with any nobiliary prefix (von, zu, etc.), can be used, but are regarded as a dependent part of the surname, and thus come after any given names (Helmuth James Graf von Moltke). Titles and all dependent parts of surnames are ignored in alphabetical sorting. The masculine form is Edler.
^ abcdeFrank-Manuel Peter. "Sacharoff, Clotilde (Pseudonym Clotilde von Derp, eigentlich Clotilde Margarete Anna Edle von der Planitz)". Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German). p. 323. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
^ abcdefToepler, Karl (1997). Empire of Ecstasy: Nudity and Movement in German Body Culture, 1910–1935. University of California. pp. 219–222.
^ abLodder, Christina; Kokkori, Maria; Mileeva, Maria (2013). Utopian reality : reconstructing culture in revolutionary Russia and beyond. Leiden: Brill. pp. 33–35. ISBN978-90-04-26322-2.
^Clotilde von Derp, National Media Museum, retrieved 18 February 2014
^Blaue Reiter, Oxford Reference, retrieved 18 February 2014
^The Sacharoffs: Two dancers within the Blaue Reiter circle, sk-kultur.de, retrieved 19 February 2014
SourcesEdit
Brandenburg, Hans (25 February 2012). Der Moderne Tanz... Nabu Press. ISBN978-1-275-88041-2.
Stroud, Timothy; Terraroli, Valerio (2006). The Artistic Culture Between the Wars 1920-1945: ART of the 20th Century. Rizzoli. ISBN978-88-7624-804-7.
Toepfer, Karl Eric (1997). Empire of Ecstasy: Nudity and Movement in German Body Culture, 1910-1935. University of California Press. ISBN978-0-520-91827-6.
Veroli, Patrizia; Bowlt, John E.; Sakharoff, Alexandre; Convento dei Cappuccini (Argenta, Italy) (1991). I Sakharoff, un mito della danza: fra teatro e avanguardie artistiche (in Italian). Edizioni Bora. ISBN978-88-85345-09-6.
External linksEdit
Media related to Clothilde von Derp at Wikimedia Commons
September 02, 2023
clotilde, derp, clotilde, margarete, anna, edle, planitz, november, 1892, january, 1974, known, professionally, german, expressionist, dancer, early, exponent, modern, dance, career, spent, essentially, dancing, together, with, husband, alexander, sakharoff, w. Clotilde Margarete Anna Edle von der Planitz 1 5 November 1892 11 January 1974 known professionally as Clotilde von Derp was a German expressionist dancer an early exponent of modern dance 2 Her career was spent essentially dancing together with her husband Alexander Sakharoff with whom she enjoyed a long lasting relationship 3 Clotilde von DerpClotilde von Derp in 1910BornClotilde Margarete Anna Edle von der Planitz 1892 11 05 5 November 1892Berlin German EmpireDied11 January 1974 1974 01 11 aged 81 Rome ItalyOther namesClotilde SacharoffOccupationExpressionist dancerYears active1910 1956SpouseAlexander Sakharoff m 1919 died 1963 wbr Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Assessment 4 References 5 Sources 6 External linksEarly life EditBorn in Berlin Clotilde was the daughter of Major Hans Edler von der Planitz 1863 1932 from Berlin and Margarete von Muschwitz 1868 1955 She was a member of the German lower nobility On 25 January 1919 she married Alexander Sakharoff a Russian dancer teacher and choreographer 2 Career EditAs a child in Munich Clotilde dreamt of becoming a violinist but from an early age she discovered how talented she was as a dancer After receiving ballet lessons from Julie Bergmann and Anna Ornelli from the Munich Opera she gave her first performance on 25 April 1910 at the Hotel Union using the stage name Clotilde von Derp The audience were enthralled by her striking beauty and youthful grace Max Reinhardt presented her in the title role in his pantomime Sumurun which proved a great success while on tour in London 2 A photo of her by Rudolf Duhrkoop was exhibited in 1913 at the Royal Photographic Society Clotilde was a member of the radical Blaue Reiter Circle 4 5 which had been started by Wassily Kandinsky in 1911 6 nbsp Alexander Sakharoff and Clotilde von Derp by George Barbier 1921Among her admirers were artists such as Rainer Maria Rilke and Yvan Goll For his Swiss dance presentations Alexej von Jawlensky gave her make up resembling his abstract portraits From 1913 Clotilde appeared with the Russian dancer Alexander Sacharoff with whom she moved to Switzerland during the First World War 2 Both Sacharoff and Clotilde were known for their crossdressing costumes 3 Clotilde s femininity was said to be accentuated by the male attire Her costumes took on an ancient Greek look which she used in Danseuse de Delphes in 1916 Her style was said to be elegant and more modern than that achieved by Isadora Duncan Their outrageous costumes included wigs made from silver and gold coloured metal with hats and outfits decorated with flowers and wax fruit 3 The two married in 1919 and with the financial support of Edith Rockefeller appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in New York but without any great success 3 They lived in Paris until the Second World War using the name Les Sakharoff 2 Their 1921 poster by George Barbier to advertise their work was seen as showing a mutually complementary androgynous couple united in dance joined together in an act of artistic creation 4 nbsp von Derp photographed in 1928 by Hugo ErfurthSacharoff and von Derp toured widely visiting China and Japan which was so successful that they returned again in 1934 The couple and their extravagant costumes visited both North and South America von Derp and Sacharoff moved to Spain when France was invaded by Germany They returned to South America making a new base in Buenos Aires until 1949 They toured Italy the following year and took up an invitation to teach in Rome by Guido Chigi Saracini They taught at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena for Saracini and they also opened their own dance school in Rome von Derp and Sakharoff stopped dancing together in 1956 They both continued to live in Rome until their deaths 3 Clotilde gave and sold many of their writings and costumes that still remained to museums and auctions She eventually sold the iconic 1909 painting of her husband by Alexander Jawlensky In 1997 the German Dance Archive Cologne purchased many remaining items and they have 65 costumes hundreds of set and costume designs and 500 photographs 7 Assessment EditUnlike her husband Clotilde had a taste for modern music frequently choosing melancholic music by contemporaries such as Max Reger Florent Schmitt and Stravinsky Her haunting eyes and delicate smiles gave the impression she took pleasure in displaying her finely costumed voluptuous body even when she reached her forties She was particularly effective in interpreting Debussy s Prelude a l apres midi d un faune Hans Brandenbourg maintained her ballet technique was superior to that of Alexander although he did not consider her a virtuoso Clotilde also moved more independently of the music dancing to the impression it created in her mind rather than to the rhythm 3 References Edit Regarding personal names Edle was a title before 1919 but now is regarded as part of the surname It is translated as a noble one Before the August 1919 abolition of nobility as a legal class titles preceded the full name when given Graf Helmuth James von Moltke Since 1919 these titles along with any nobiliary prefix von zu etc can be used but are regarded as a dependent part of the surname and thus come after any given names Helmuth James Graf von Moltke Titles and all dependent parts of surnames are ignored in alphabetical sorting The masculine form is Edler a b c d e Frank Manuel Peter Sacharoff Clotilde Pseudonym Clotilde von Derp eigentlich Clotilde Margarete Anna Edle von der Planitz Neue Deutsche Biographie in German p 323 Retrieved 17 February 2014 a b c d e f Toepler Karl 1997 Empire of Ecstasy Nudity and Movement in German Body Culture 1910 1935 University of California pp 219 222 a b Lodder Christina Kokkori Maria Mileeva Maria 2013 Utopian reality reconstructing culture in revolutionary Russia and beyond Leiden Brill pp 33 35 ISBN 978 90 04 26322 2 Clotilde von Derp National Media Museum retrieved 18 February 2014 Blaue Reiter Oxford Reference retrieved 18 February 2014 The Sacharoffs Two dancers within the Blaue Reiter circle sk kultur de retrieved 19 February 2014Sources EditBrandenburg Hans 25 February 2012 Der Moderne Tanz Nabu Press ISBN 978 1 275 88041 2 Stroud Timothy Terraroli Valerio 2006 The Artistic Culture Between the Wars 1920 1945 ART of the 20th Century Rizzoli ISBN 978 88 7624 804 7 Toepfer Karl Eric 1997 Empire of Ecstasy Nudity and Movement in German Body Culture 1910 1935 University of California Press ISBN 978 0 520 91827 6 Veroli Patrizia Bowlt John E Sakharoff Alexandre Convento dei Cappuccini Argenta Italy 1991 I Sakharoff un mito della danza fra teatro e avanguardie artistiche in Italian Edizioni Bora ISBN 978 88 85345 09 6 External links Edit nbsp Media related to Clothilde von Derp at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Clotilde von Derp amp oldid 1151922282, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
