Stefan Wenta – born 31 August 1929 in Gdańsk, died 18 August 2022 in Los Angeles. Polish dancer, choreographer and teacher active in the United States of America.
He was educated at the Liceum Choreograficzne (Choreography College) in Gdańsk.
Wenta commenced his dance career in 1950 in the ballet group affiliated with Opera Śląska (Silesian Opera). In 1951-1952, he performed as a guest soloist at the Opera in Wrocław. Between 1952 and 1957, he worked as a soloist in the ballet group of the Opera in Warsaw and as a teacher at the State Secondary Ballet School (Państwowa Średnia Szkoła Baletowa) in Warsaw. He won a scholarship to study in Paris, where he found employment at the Theatre d’Art du Ballet. With the company he extensively toured Africa, Asia and Europe. After moving to California in 1960, he founded his own troupe, the Wenta Ballet of Los Angeles, as well as his own dance studio. He was active as a teacher until late in his life. In 1960, Stefan Wenta also started work for the Western Ballet in Los Angeles. Simultaneously, he collaborated with Teatr Syrena in Warsaw and Teatr Muzyczny in Gdynia. In 1970, he became one of the founders of the Modjeska Club – a public benefit non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting Polish culture in California.
His most notable roles include Ma Lichen (The Red Poppy choreographed by Z. Patkowski), Franz (Coppélia, choreographed by L. Wójcikowski), Torreador (Spanish Suite, choreographed by L. Wójcikowski), Romeo, Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet, choreographed by J. Gogół), Satan (Faust, choreographed by S. Miszczyk) and Devil (Pan Twardowski, choreographed by S. Miszczyk). He also appeared in One Last Dance, a film directed by L. Niemi (2003), as Orest.
He directed and choreographed Wielki Świat performed at Teatr Muzyczny in Gdynia and choreographed the ballet Les Petits Riens (1976, music by W.A. Mozart).
He also made choreography for the movies: Logan’s Run (directed by M. Anderson, 1976), In Like Flint (directed by G. Douglas, 1967), Fantastic Voyage (directed by R. Fleischer, 1966) and Reds (directed by W. Beatty, 1981).
Wenta was a member of the Artistic Council of the Modjeska Club in 1973-1978, when its president was Leonidas Dudarev-Ossetinsky and its advisers included Stanisław Szukalski and Stefanie Powers.
In 2010, the Modjeska Club awarded Stefan Wenta for his contribution to Polish culture and his overall work as a choreographer. The award ceremony featured a premiere of his choreography titled Fantazja na tematy polskie (Fantasy on Polish Airs) performed by the Luminario Ballet from Los Angeles.
