Independent Works
Born in Lisbon, Rui Horta began dancing at age 17 at the Ballet Gulbenkian. After abandoning a degree in Physical Education he moved to New York where he studied, taught and worked as a performer for several years before returning to Portugal. Upon his return he directed the Lisbon Dance Company, becoming a major force in developing a new generation of Portuguese dance. Later, with the support of the Service Acarte he created the works 'Line' and 'Interiors'. With these two pieces he began touring in Europe. It was with these works he came to the attention of Dieter Buroch and was invited to start SOAP in Künstlerhaus Mousonturm in Frankfurt.
With SOAP he created six programs, which toured extensively throughout the world in some of the most important festivals and venues, such as: Steps in Zurich, The Turning World in Place Theater, Festival International de Nouvelle Danse, Dancin 'City in Copenhagen, International Theater Festival in Tokyo, Tanz im August, Berlin; Vooruit in Gent, Belgium; The Joyce Theater in New York, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto; Moskojew Theater in Moscow; Maison de la Danse, Lyon, as well as the Theatre de la Ville in Paris who co-produced his work over a decade.
From 1998 to 2000, Rui Horta worked in Munich, as resident choreographer at Muffathalle. For this new project created, Bones and Oceans, and two new group works, 'Blindspot' 'Zeitraum'. During that period he was also an associate artist with the Maison de la Culture de Bourges.
In August 2000 he returned to Portugal (Montemor-o-Novo), where he established a multidisciplinary center for research and creation, 'o espaço do tempo' ('the space of time') which has given the liberty of time to create for numerous artists, both Portuguese and international.
The works 'SETUP' and 'SCOPE' created between 2005 and 2008 toured extensively throughout Europe, ending a trilogy that began with 'Pixel', questioning the traditional space of the theater.
During the 2009/10 season was Associate Artist at the Centro Cultural de Belem, Lisbon, where he premiered three new works 'Talk Show', 'Tears of Saladin' and 'Local Geographic' which are still currently touring.
Other Work
Outside of his independent work Rui Horta has work extensively on a variety other projects from teaching to Opera direction and creations for some of the world's leading dance companies.
Mr Horta's major ongoing project is the Artistic Direction of O Espaço do Tempo, his centre for artistic residencies which he established in 2000.
He has collaborated regularly with the Goethe-Institut in international projects such as workshops in lighting design in Budapest and
Choreographic courses in Moscow, Madrid, Gent, Salvador da Bahia, etc...
Mr Horta has directed several projects for advanced training, such as SiWiC in Zurich, The Coaching Project 2000 in Düsseldorf, and HILL. He was a visiting professor at some of the most important dance schools, such as the Laban Dance Centre, the Conservatoire National de Paris, the Conservatoire National de Lyon, London School of Contemporary Dance, Steps and Perridance in New York.
Created works for numerous companies such as the renowned Cullberg Ballet, Ballet Gulbenkian, Nederlands Danstheater, Opera de Marseille, Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, Icelandic Dance Company, Scottish Dance Theatre, Ballet Götheborg among others.
2001 he directed the film, 'Rugas'(wrinkles).
2003 co-staged Olakala with the Society of French New Circus Les Arts Sauts and in 2006, together with John Paul Santos staged at the Avignon Festival, the work of new circus 'Contigo'.
His opera work includes the 1997, staging of 'The Rakes Progress', Stravinsky's opera at the Theater Basel. He has collaborated with the Remix Ensemble for Casa da Musica in Porto. August 2010 he staged the opera by John Adams, "The Flowering Tree," at the Gulbenkian Foundation and in December 2010 the most recent opera by Luis Tinoco, 'Paint me'.
January 2009 he premiered Zoetrope at the National Theatre in Port, a work that is a collaboration with the band Micro Audio Waves.
Mr Horta is also highly sought after for his lighting and stage design work.
Awards and Prizes
In the course of his career Rui Horta has been honoured with a variety of awards and prizes
In1992 Mr Horta won the top award at the Rencontres Internationales de Bagnolet Chorégraphiques and the Bonnie Bird Award
1999 he received the 'German Producers Prize', awarded every two years by a panel of 14 theater producers, for his remarkable work in the independent dance scene in Germany.
In 2005 he was awarded the Almada Prize by the Ministry of Culture
as well as the ACARTE award for the work 'Pixel'.
In 2008 he was awarded the Cross of an Officer of the Order of Infante D. Henry for his contribution to the performing arts in Portugal.
In May 2011 the French Ministry of Culture awarded him the rank of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in honour of 'the brilliant and exemplary career of one of the pioneers of Portuguese contemporary dance'
He has also received numerous press awards.