MONA VANGSAAE

(1920 - 1983)
Royal Danish Ballet

BIOGRAHY

Mona Vangsaae was born in Copenhagen in 1920. She studied for Harald Lander with the ballet school of the Royal Danish Ballet and in Paris. She joined RDB in 1938 and danced with them until her retirement in 1962. She danced main parts in both the Bournonville and the international repertoire. She created Juliet in Frederic Ashton's Rome and Juliet in Copenhagen 1955. Her Juliet with Henning Kronstam as Romeo was one of her greatest successes. Other memorable roles were the coquette in Balanchine's La Somnanbule (1955), and the title roles in Cullberg's Miss Julie and The Moonreindeer (1957).

After she left RDB she staged Bournonville's Napoli, act III and Le Conservatoire for London Festival Ballet, and a Sylphide for Stuttgart Ballet. She was married to Frank Schaufuss and is mother of Peter Schaufuss.