The German Dance Film Institute Bremen congratulates Ulrich Roehm on his anniversary with the specially produced film “A Life for Dance”. The festive event and the video were echoed in the specialised press. Here you can read excerpts from Online Merkur and tanz.at.

“What you want to ignite in others must burn within you.” Who else would this quote from St Augustine be more fitting than Ulrich Roehm – although the fire for dance has been burning in his heart for decades and he has ignited the joy of dance in many other people. No one else has brought dance to the world like him and subsequently brought the dance world to Essen. And no one else has done as much for dance and dance education as he has and, thanks to his constant persistence, has made many things possible. It is impossible to name everything that Ulrich Roehm has initiated, founded and established in his extensive work.

Almost to the day – he was born on 14 September 1933 – Ulrich Roehm celebrated his 90th birthday last Saturday with a big party in his hometown of Essen. Numerous friends, companions, dancers such as Birgit Keil and Vladimir Klos as well as dignitaries and representatives of the media and his family joined the celebrations.

Ulrich Roehm opened the festive gathering with a short speech and the film “Ulrich Roehm. A Life in Dance” was shown as a world premiere and spanned a wonderful arc over his private and professional life. Among the guests were the former President of the German Bundestag, Prof. Dr Norbert Lammert, and the Lord Mayor of Essen, Thomas Kufen, both of whom also gave speeches – as did Michael Freundt, Managing Director of Dachverband Tanz Deutschland e. V., who brought a message from the Board of Directors to mark the milestone birthday. There were also video congratulations from the Royal Academy of Dance in London. In a short interview, Heide-Marie Härtel then asked unprecedented questions of the jubilarian, who is not only celebrating this memorable birthday this year, but also a number of other anniversaries.”

Ira Werbowsky

Excerpt from an article in Online Merkur – Die internationale Kulturplattform. From 21 September 2023

“A film by Heidemarie Härtel was at the centre of the 90th birthday ceremony, which told the story of her personal and professional career in a loving and informative compilation of archive material and interviews. The touching impressions that the film left on all those present were then deepened in a discussion.”

Edith Wolf Perez in her article Ulrich Roehm on his 90th birthday on tanz.at