2005
IntimateDistance
a pas de deux from the ballet Unreachable Places
Intimate Distance is an emotionally charged and technically demanding ballet duet created by Czech choreographer Jiří Bubeníček. The music for the piece was composed by his brother, composer and stage designer Otto Bubeníček.
Production Details
- First performance
- Bellevue Theatre, Copenhagen
- Later premiere
- Hamburg State Opera, Hamburg Ballet, as part of Unreachable Places
- Related ballet
- Unreachable Places
Creative Team
- Choreography
- Jiří Bubeníček
- Music
- Otto Bubeníček
- Original cast
- Otto Bubeníček, Marie-Agnès Gillot
About the Duet
The choreography explores the depth of human relationships, closeness, tension and the fragile space between two people. Thanks to its artistic strength and emotional intensity, Intimate Distance has become part of the repertoire of Les Ballets Bubeníček and has been performed at prestigious international ballet galas around the world.
The world premiere was created for the unique artistic partnership of Otto Bubeníček, Principal Dancer of Hamburg Ballet, and Marie-Agnès Gillot, Étoile of the Paris Opera Ballet.
The duet was first performed in Copenhagen at the Bellevue Theatre. It later became part of the ballet Unreachable Places and was premiered at the Hamburg State Opera with Hamburg Ballet, performed by Otto Bubeníček and Hélène Bouchet, Principal Dancer of Hamburg Ballet.
Intimate Distance is an adapted section from the ballet Unreachable Places. This shorter pas de deux version was prepared especially for gala evenings, where the dramatic world of the full ballet could be presented as an intimate concert piece for two dancers.
Otto Bubeníček also performed this duet for the last time on stage during his farewell appearance, together with freelance dancer Veronika Kornová, at a ballet gala at the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe.
Music
Hate 2 Love U - Single
Hate 2 Love U is a short music track by Otto Bubeníček connected to the musical world of Unreachable Places. The track carries the atmosphere of the ballet into a concentrated form for the pas de deux Intimate Distance, balancing intimacy, tension and emotional urgency.
- Composer
- Otto Bubeníček
- Related ballet
- Unreachable Places
- Related duet
- Intimate Distance
- Release type
- Single
Notable Performers
- Jiří Bubeníček & Marie-Agnès Gillot
- Jiří Bubeníček later took over the male role himself and performed the duet with the French étoile on many international stages, including prestigious tours in Japan.
- Jon Vallejo & Zarina Stahnke
- Principal dancers of Semperoper Ballett Dresden. In June 2026, they performed Intimate Distance in Prague at Prague on Point / Bubeníček International Ballet Gala at the Karlín Music Theatre. Zarina Stahnke is the recipient of the German theatre award Der Faust 2024.
- Elena Vostrotina
- Former Principal Dancer of Semperoper Ballett Dresden and Ballett Zürich. She is one of the leading interpreters of Jiří Bubeníček’s works and has performed Intimate Distance successfully on many international stages.
- Beatrice Knop & Dmitry Semionov
- Principal dancers of Staatsballett Berlin, who performed the duet at gala evenings, including performances in the Czech Republic.
- Katherina Markovskaja & Claudio Cangialosi
- Soloists who performed the duet successfully as part of tours and projects with Les Ballets Bubeníček.
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