Les Ballets Persans

Seven Beauties (1978, music: Kara Karaev), a one-act ballet based on Haft Peykar, the romantic epic of Nezami Ganjavi, a Persian 12th century poet.

Les Ballet Persans had its World Premiere on October 7, 2002, at Cirkus Theatre in the Royal Djurgården, a late 19th century theater venue in the historical part of Stockholm.

[2] The dance company was unwillingly drawn into a political conflict between Azerbaijan, Iran and Sweden during its world premiere production.

[15] The association, being linked to the movement of Seyyed Ja'far Pishevari,[16][17] made laud protests in the Media, provoked a verbal conflict between Azerbaijan, Sweden and Iran and tried to disturb the production by threatening the dance company and its participating artists and dancers.

[18][19] While the Azerbaijan National Association in Stockholm denied in the Iranian, Swedish and international Media any political agenda and connection to political sources in Baku,[14][20] its representative in the Azerbaijanian capital inflamed the Ministry of Culture and some radical nationalistic cultural figures against Les Ballets Persans and the initiated collaboration between Azeri and Iranian artists.

[22] As the protests were intensifying with anguish reaction of Azerbaijanian officials as result, Tomas Bolme the President of the International Federation of Actors (FIA)[23] along with representative of the Swedish Cultural Department, and Swedish prominent dance artists addressed letters of support in favor of Les Ballets Persans’ non-political and pure artistic intentions to Heydar Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan Republic and the country's Ministry of Culture.

A group of demonstrators (even few in number but aggressively loud) gathered in front of the venues in which Les Ballets Persans was performing.

The technically demanding pas de deux reflects the sorrow of Iranian women through the centuries: their beauty, femininity and untiring campaign for freedom and equality.

Hanging Gardens of Lost dreams (2008, music: Dastan Ensemble), a video and dance installation drama, was created in collaboration with photographer Rahim Karimi.

Other notable pieces in the company repertoire are Separation (2002), Divine Banquet (2002) and Rumi, Rumi (2008) which are contemporary interpretations of the ritual dance of Sama and concepts of Sufism, Scheherazade (2004) choreographed after Michel Fokine of Les Ballets Russes, and Golden Dreams'(2014) illustrating the famous and beloved piano piece of the late master composer and pianist Javad Maroufi, khābhā-ye talāee in a pas de deux.

[30] The majority of choreographies included in Les Ballets Persans’ repertoire are created by the company's principal choreographer Nima Kiann.

Since the establishment of Les Ballets Persans, a large number of nationalities from more than 32 countries representing all five continents have participated in company productions.

The Forum of Persian and Middle Eastern Dance offers scholarly papers, research material, theoretical articles and a collection of information and links.

The project aimed to engage young dancers at the start of their professional careers in the process of producing a ballet performance offering practice and experience, working with a thematic repertoire.

The organization is also arranging master classes in classical ballet for professional dancers in Sweden and abroad as a link to company tours and lectures/conferences given by the Nima Kiann.

The in-depth collaboration with prominent choreographers of Azerbaijan, reviving their forgotten works of the Soviet era, and national ballet companies of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, etc.

Ballet of Femme . A signature work of Les Ballets Persans. Choreography by Nima Kiann. Stockholm Concert Hall. 2003
Vis and Ramin . Choreography by Nima Kiann. Tirgan Festival. Harbourfront Centre, Toronto. 2011
Journey to the Land of Turquoise . National Ballet of Tajikistan performing the repertoire of Les Ballets Persans on its first appearance in the West after the fall of Soviet Union. Poster. 2012
Symphony of Elegy . Choreography by Nima Kiann for National Ballet of Tajikistan. Dushanbe Opera House. 2012