Legacy
Recreation of the Iranian National Ballet
Against all odds, Nima Kiann revived a long-silenced national treasure. Discover how one man’s unwavering mission brought the Iranian National Ballet Company back to life after decades of cultural erasure and historical injustice.
Cultural Disintegration After the Revolution
The 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran initiated a sweeping and immediate transformation of the nation’s cultural, social, and artistic landscape. In the wake of this upheaval, institutions once emblematic of modernity, progress, and artistic excellence under the Pahlavi monarchy were systematically dismantled. Among the most grievous losses was the Iranian National Ballet Company (INBC), a premier ensemble that had embodied a sophisticated synthesis of classical ballet and Iranian artistic sensibilities. The dissolution of the company not only terminated an esteemed institution but also signaled the beginning of a cultural amnesia.
Dance as an art form, stripped of legitimacy, was expunged from public life. What had once represented national pride and cosmopolitan refinement was now deemed incompatible with the ideological values of the new regime. Former dancers and choreographers were left with limited options: exile, career abandonment, or enforced silence. The collapse of Iran’s professional dance infrastructure created a void in which the legacy of institutionalized ballet seemed doomed to oblivion.
A Serendipitous Encounter: The Spark of a Mission
From cultural ruins, a mission was born to resurrect a lost legacy, not just for the past, but for the future.Nima Kiann
What began as an incidental curiosity rapidly evolved into a scholarly and personal commitment to uncover, preserve, and ultimately reconstruct a nearly obliterated cultural institution. With no archives to consult and few reliable sources to draw upon, Kiann began a painstaking search for scattered evidence of the company’s existence—tracking down former members, gathering fragmented documentation, and piecing together a narrative that had all but disappeared from national memory.
Reconstructing a Forgotten Institution
Kiann’s project to resurrect the Iranian National Ballet was not an act of mere homage—it was a deliberate intervention in the fabric of Iranian cultural identity. The lack of institutional support and public awareness rendered the mission uniquely challenging. Moreover, Kiann encountered skepticism and even resistance. In an era when dance was still a taboo subject in Iranian discourse, his efforts to revive the national company appeared unrealistic, if not quixotic.
Nevertheless, he pursued this vision with relentless resolve. Operating without institutional backing, Kiann assumed the roles of archivist, oral historian, advocate, and cultural strategist. His goal was not simply to restore a name, but to re-establish the symbolic and artistic presence of ballet as part of Iran’s legitimate cultural heritage. He saw clearly that the obliteration of cultural memory was not just a loss of the past, but a fundamental hindrance to national continuity and renewal.
From Vision to Reality: Founding Les Ballets Persans
In 2001, after years of solitary effort, Kiann officially founded Les Ballets Persans as the historical successor of the Iranian National Ballet Company. Though the new company was created in exile, its mission was rooted in historical fidelity and cultural authenticity. Les Ballets Persans was not a replica, but a reimagination—continuing the legacy of its predecessor while responding to the conditions of displacement, diaspora, and historical rupture.
This revival extended beyond choreography and performance. It reintroduced the language of ballet into Iranian diasporic consciousness and reconnected an entire generation with a facet of their cultural identity that had been forcibly denied to them. The company’s existence stood as a living archive, a performative act of cultural resistance, and a dynamic vehicle for education and inspiration.
Honoring the Founders of Iranian Ballet
Any endeavor to revive the Iranian National Ballet must necessarily be grounded in recognition of those whose vision and labor first gave it life. The creation and elevation of this pioneering institution were made possible through the dedication of three seminal figures: Nejad Ahmadzadeh, Haideh Ahmadzadeh, and Ali Pourfarrokh.
Nejad Ahmadzadeh, as the founder and managing director of the Iranian National Ballet Company, was instrumental in laying the administrative and structural foundations of Iran’s national dance institution. His leadership was marked by a visionary commitment to institutionalizing ballet as a state-supported art form and integrating it into the broader cultural identity of modern Iran.
Haideh Ahmadzadeh, the company’s prima ballerina and resident choreographer, played a dual role of both artistic excellence and pedagogical influence. Her choreographic contributions were pivotal in shaping a repertoire that fused classical technique with Iranian themes, and her presence on stage set an unparalleled standard for Iranian ballet performance.
Ali Pourfarrokh, who later became the company’s second artistic director, brought fresh dynamism and innovation to the company’s creative direction. His tenure was characterized by the introduction of new stylistic approaches and a deepened commitment to artistic excellence, which further established the Iranian National Ballet as a distinguished ensemble on the international stage.
Nima Kiann’s revival effort not only continues the legacy of these artistic pioneers but also seeks to immortalize their contributions through scholarship, memory, and ongoing artistic work. Their collective achievements form the cornerstone upon which the future of Iranian institutional dance must be rebuilt.
A Legacy of Cultural Reclamation
Today, Nima Kiann’s recreation of the Iranian National Ballet Company is regarded as a seminal achievement in the history of Iranian performing arts. It represents more than an artistic revival; it is a restoration of cultural dignity and historical continuity. In defying historical erasure and institutional silence, Kiann’s work stands as a profound act of reclamation.
His achievement exemplifies how personal conviction can overcome systemic suppression, and how individual agency can reanimate a heritage once thought irretrievable. The re-establishment of the Iranian National Ballet Company through Les Ballets Persans is not only a tribute to the past—it is a beacon for the future, signaling that even in exile, cultural memory can endure, evolve, and flourish.