Steffi Scherzer

Prima Ballerina, Director of the Zurich Dance Academy (taZ)
Teaches Classical Dance, Pointe Work, Repertoire

Steffi Scherzer was born in Stollberg. She received her training as a ballet dancer at the State Ballet School Berlin before joining the German State Opera Berlin in 1975. She embarked on her career as a soloist in 1978, and was subsequently appointed leading soloist in 1986 and Prima Ballerina in 1987.

Prizes and Awards

Steffi Scherzer has won various major prizes and awards at both national and international ballet competitions: her honours include the bronze medal in Varna, Bulgaria (1978), the Special Award for “Individual Excellent Performance” in Osaka, Japan (1980), first prize at the German National Ballet Competition (1981), and the German Art Critics Award. She has been presented with the Critics Award of the Berliner Zeitung on several occasions, among others for her performance of Eve in The Creation of the World (1976/77), her rendition of Bellastriga in Tom Schilling’s Abraxas (1981/82), her interpretation of Aristide in Stefan Lux’s choreography of Das verschenkte Weinen (1985/86), and for the leading role in Giselle (Egon Bischoff).

Choreographies and Roles

Steffi Scherzer has danced almost all leading parts and title roles in the classical and modern repertoire, including The Nutcracker, Giselle, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Dox Quixote, Coppélia, Romeo and Juliet, Bayadère, Paquita, Undine, Spartacus, and Carmina Burana. Various renowned Russian ballet masters, including Galina Ulanowa, Galina Kusnezowa, and Naima Baltatschejewa, had a crucial influence on her career, and so did longstanding professional collaboration with the unsurpassed Rudolf Nurejew and Patrice Bart.

Her Balanchine repertoire includes the Symphony in C, Violin Concerto, La Valse, The Four Temperaments, Themes with Variations, Apollon Musagète, and Tchaikovsky’s Pas de Deux.

Maurice Béjart created the role of Rose for her in the world premiere of his “À Propos de Shéhérazade”; she also appeared in “La Nuit.”

Roland Petit choreographed the Pas de Deux “Crime passionelle” for her in his “Dix ou Eros et la Mort.”

She appeared as the fairy Zeila in the world premiere of Pierre Lacotte’s romantic ballet “Le Lac des Fées.”

Steffi Scherzer has danced in both Patrice Bart’s Don Quixote and his acclaimed versions of Swan Lake and Giselle. In Verdiana, he created the leading role especially for her.

Her repertoire also includes Michail Fokin’s “The Dying Swan” and William Forsythe’s “Love Songs” and “Steptext.”

In Patrice Bart’s 1988 television and cinema version of Swan Lake, directed by Daniel Barenboim, she appeared in the demanding double role of Odette/Odile alongside Oliver Matz. Uwe Scholz directed her in the leading role in Mozart’s piano concerto “Jeune Homme.” She also appeared together with Oliver Matz in the Grand Pas de Deux in the France 3 television sceening of Don Quixote. 

Guest Appearances

Steffi Scherzer has made many numerous appearances, among others in Leipzig, Dresden, the Berlin Comic Opera (where she featured in Tom Schilling’s Swan Lake and danced the title role in his “Hoffmanns Erzählungen”); she appeared as Giselle at the German Opera on the Rhine in Dusseldorf and was invited to appear in the Bavarian State Ballet’s production of the Symphony in C in Munich. She has made further guest appearances in Marseille and Nancy. 

Roland Petit invited her to tour Japan in his version of The Sleeping Beauty, and Marcia Haydée rehearsed John Cranko’s choreography of Onegin with her. Oliver Matz and her were invited to the 1997 World Ballet Festival in Japan to perform Uwe Scholz’s version of Mozart’s piano concerto. Together with Oliver Matz, Steffi Scherzer has made numerous guests appearances abroad, among others in Cuba, Hungary, the former Yugoslavia, Japan, Spain, Italy, the former Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia, Libya, Egypt, Poland, France, China, Finland, Brasil, Greece, and Cyprus.

Bidding Farewell to the Stage and Embracing New Challenges

Upon retiring from her active stage career in 2003, Steffi Scherzer was appointed Honorary Member of the German State Opera in honour of her distinguished artistic career. She is now fully committed to promoting artistic talent. Her students are among the award winners at international ballet competitions, including Varna, Berlin, and Spoleto. She began teaching Classical Dance at the Zurich School of Music, Dance and Drama (HMT) in 2004.

Following the establishment of the Zurich University of the Arts in 2007, Steffi Scherzer was appointed Head of the Zurich Dance Academy taZ. Students in this programme graduate with a State Diploma in Stage Dance.