Zbigniew Strzałkowski – dancer, choreographer, teacher. He was born on 12 May 1929 in Radom, he died on 24 December 1993 in Warsaw. He studied at the ballet school of Jasiewicz-Stadnicka in Radom; he honed his skills, among others, as a participant of: the faculty of choreography/State Drama School (PWST) in Warsaw (ballet master section, 1956–1959), internship in Moscow (classical dance, 1958), methodological course in Warsaw (1963–1965), internship in London (contemporary and jazz dance, 1972). In 1949, he made his debut in Nowy (New) Theatre in Warsaw in Die Fledermaus by Strauss. Enlisted into the army in 1950–195, he danced in the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Polish Armed Forces, then he joined the Silesian Opera in Bytom. In 1954 he was employed by the Opera in Warsaw where he performed until 1977. In that time he was one of the principal ballet soloist of the theatre. As a teacher and choreographer, he collaborated with musical and drama theatre in Poland and abroad. He adapted, among others, Sztygar by Zeller in the Musical Theatre (Operetka) in Łódź (1997) and the Musical Theatre in Wrocław (1978), Rose of the Winds by Mokrousov (1977) and Charpillon by Hofstetter (1979) in the Musical Theatre in Lublin, Ashes and Diamonds based on Andrzejewski’s novel in the Kochanowski Theatre in Opole (1984). In 1964–1970 he was a teacher of the Warsaw Ballet School; he also collaborated with TVP. After retiring, he collaborated with the Polish Section of the Association to International Folk Dance. He promoted national and folk Polish dances all around the world.
Most important parts:
Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake), Albert (Giselle), Romeo (Romeo and Julia), Maur (Petrushka), Faun (The Afternoon of a Faun), Diabeł and Twardowski (Pan Twardowski), title role Harnaś, Pan Młody (Wesele w Ojcowie), Wacław (The Fountain of Bakhchisarai), Daniło ((The Stone Flower).
