Gerd Neggo (9 November 1891 â€" 1 September 1974) was an Estonian
dancer, dance teacher and choreographer. She studied the musical
response methods of É. Jaques-Dalcroze, trained under Rudolf von
Laban in Hamburg, Germany, and in 1924 established her own dance
studio at Tallinn, Estonia, and promoted modern dance and mime based
on classical ballet. During the Soviet occupation of Estonia, she and
her husband Paul Olak migrated to Sweden. Her contributions to the
cultural heritage of Estonia, as the founder of modern dance and mime
in her country, is recognised via a scholarship, awarded annually
since 2011.Gerd Neggo was born in Kuressaare, Estonia, in 1891. She
initially studied the Émile Jaques-Dalcroze methodology in Stockholm,
then studied modern dance and mime under Rudolf von Laban, a Hungarian
with an education in classical ballet, in his dance studio in
Hamburg.After specializing in the art of modern dance, Neggo returned
to Tallinn and established her own dance school in 1924. Here, she
started teaching students adopting Laban's modern dance technique. She
organized many solo and group dances, including pantomimes. She and
her group held performances at the Estonian Drama Theatre in plays for
children and young people with modern dance interludes, promoting
intellectual, expressive, and creative development. Among the many
famous artists who trained in her school were Ida Urbel (1900â€"83;
she later founded the Vanemuine dance company in 1935 and was its
director until 1973); H. Tohvelman; E. Oltrop; and A. Kalmet.In 1925,
she married Paul Olak, a theatre manager, journalist and dramaturge.
In 1944, following the Soviet occupation and annexation of Estonia,
she and her husband migrated to Sweden, initially staying in refugee
camps, and sought job opportunities through correspondence with other
Estonians living in Swedish camps. They were instrumental in creating
a cultural life for Estonians living in the camps. Olak died in
December 1949. In 1952 she performed with other Estonian expatriates
at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm. Neggo died in Stockholm in
1974.
dancer, dance teacher and choreographer. She studied the musical
response methods of É. Jaques-Dalcroze, trained under Rudolf von
Laban in Hamburg, Germany, and in 1924 established her own dance
studio at Tallinn, Estonia, and promoted modern dance and mime based
on classical ballet. During the Soviet occupation of Estonia, she and
her husband Paul Olak migrated to Sweden. Her contributions to the
cultural heritage of Estonia, as the founder of modern dance and mime
in her country, is recognised via a scholarship, awarded annually
since 2011.Gerd Neggo was born in Kuressaare, Estonia, in 1891. She
initially studied the Émile Jaques-Dalcroze methodology in Stockholm,
then studied modern dance and mime under Rudolf von Laban, a Hungarian
with an education in classical ballet, in his dance studio in
Hamburg.After specializing in the art of modern dance, Neggo returned
to Tallinn and established her own dance school in 1924. Here, she
started teaching students adopting Laban's modern dance technique. She
organized many solo and group dances, including pantomimes. She and
her group held performances at the Estonian Drama Theatre in plays for
children and young people with modern dance interludes, promoting
intellectual, expressive, and creative development. Among the many
famous artists who trained in her school were Ida Urbel (1900â€"83;
she later founded the Vanemuine dance company in 1935 and was its
director until 1973); H. Tohvelman; E. Oltrop; and A. Kalmet.In 1925,
she married Paul Olak, a theatre manager, journalist and dramaturge.
In 1944, following the Soviet occupation and annexation of Estonia,
she and her husband migrated to Sweden, initially staying in refugee
camps, and sought job opportunities through correspondence with other
Estonians living in Swedish camps. They were instrumental in creating
a cultural life for Estonians living in the camps. Olak died in
December 1949. In 1952 she performed with other Estonian expatriates
at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm. Neggo died in Stockholm in
1974.
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