Known for his striking blend of theatricality, musicality, and humanism in formally structured modern dance, Czech-born choreographer Dušan Týnek owes much of his training and inspiration to Judson Church luminary Aileen Passloff as well as Merce Cunningham who personally tutored him for several years while Týnek served as an understudy for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Týnek went on to perform and tour with a number of New York City-based modern dance companies – most notably Lucinda Childs Dance Company and Douglas Dunn and Dancers – and Dance Works Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Since founding his own eight-member company - Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre - in 2002, Týnek has created over a dozen major dances and held four critically-acclaimed (and some sold-out) seasons in NYC at The Kitchen, Joyce SoHo, Ailey Citigroup Theater, and Dance Theater Workshop (which Jennifer Dunning of the New York Times named one of New York City’s top 5 dance performances of 2006). 

In addition to New York, Týnek has also presented his work in Massachusetts, Florida, North Carolina, the Netherlands, and in festivals in Poland and Russia. He has also taught modern dance and ballet in New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, the Czech Republic, Poland and Russia.

Mr. Týnek was born in Czechoslovakia and came to the U.S. in 1992 to and received his B.A. from Bard College, with a concentration in dance performance and composition. Týnek spent several formative years under the tutelage of Merce Cunningham, both on a Merit Scholarship and the prestigious Chris Komar Scholarship personally awarded and financed by Mr. Cunningham. Týnek became an understudy for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in 1999, and as a member of the Repertory Group, he studied closely with Mr. Cunningham and performed company repertory throughout the Northeastern U.S., including Lincoln Center. In 2000, Týnek joined the Lucinda Childs Dance Company for its 25th Anniversary Season. The Lucinda Childs Dance Company presented its work throughout Europe including performances in Lisbon, Palermo, the Montpellier Dance Festival, the Vienna Tanz Festival, and seasons at both the Theatre de la Ville in Paris, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. From 2001-2002, Týnek performed with Dance Works Rotterdam (Netherlands). The company toured extensively throughout the Netherlands and Switzerland and collaborated with the Leine en Roebana Company in Amsterdam.

As a choreographer, Týnek first presented his work in New York City at the Merce Cunningham Studio in 1999. While at Dance Works Rotterdam, Týnek choreographed “Wardrobe Spectre” for performance by the company in 2002. This served as inspiration to focus more intensely on his own choreography and Týnek returned to New York City in 2002 to found Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre - (DT)2. Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre made its world premiere with “Debut” at the Kitchen in December 2003 and followed up with “Camera Illuminata” at the Joyce SoHo in December 2004, both of which met with critical acclaim and sold-out performances. The company’s third NYC season was held at Dance Theater Workshop in July 2006 which featured the two premieres – ScENes and Košile. These two works were also presented as part of the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Festival at the Ailey Citigroup Theater in March 2007, along with the premiere of Fleur-de-Lis. The company has held residencies at Bard College, the Windhover Center for the Performing Arts in Rockport, MA, and the Kaatsbaan International Center for Dance (Tivoli, NY). In June – July 2007, the company toured Russia and Central Europe, teaching workshops and presenting its program “String(s) Theory”.

Týnek relies upon dancers who have a high degree of proficiency in both ballet and modern technique and who are able to perform with precision and clarity, while conveying a nuanced sense of themselves as individual performers. Týnek’s choreography is ultimately concerned with innovating the modern dance vocabulary with a studied emphasis not only on form, but also on the powerful narrative qualities that can be expressed through the use of body language, gesture and movement. Brian McCormick of the Gay City News aptly described Týnek’s work as “formally structured dance, physical and musical, it relies on ballet technique to ground its dramatic and emotional humanist undercurrents. Theatrical flourishes and non-verbal narrative suggestions keep the action interesting … Czech-born Týnek is a skilled craftsman with precise materials and tools at his disposal.” Other major press such as The New York Times, Village Voice, Danceview Times, and The Dance Insider have agreed that the strength of Týnek’s company and choreography lies in his “poetic theatricality”, “exhilarating partnering” and “fascinating choreographic vocabulary and imagination.”