Marek Dlouhy

by Skyla Dawn Luckey
Photo by Jason Jarin
Febuary 15, 2006

Marek Dlouhy, 25, is a man who gets around the world. The native of the Czech Republic grew up in Jicin about an hour from Prague. He came to the U.S. in 2000 to dance with Ballet Magnificat.

Dlouhy began dance at age 5, starting with gymnastics and Czech national folk dancing. He later switched to ballroom dancing and at age 15, he was accepted into the dance conservatory in Prague.

He studied ballet, modern dance and continued with his study of folk dancing, ultimately earning a degree in modern and folk dance from the conservatory.

Just before graduation, a casting director asked Dlouhy to dance in the movie, "A Knight's Tale," featuring Heath Ledger. At first, he turned it down due to his hectic schedule. However, just before filming the scene, one of the dancers became sick and had to drop out. Dlouhy then took his place and performed in the ballroom dancing scene.

Dlouhy toured with Xaris Dance, a contemporary dance company based in Kassel, Germany, for three years. He toured much of Europe during this time, including Germany, Austria, Spain, Hungary and Slovakia.After moving back and forth between the U.S. and Europe, Dlouhy returned to Mississippi. He is now a freshman at Belhaven College majoring in business.

"I was dancing all of the time, and I got into how you manage dance companies, organize tours, and always loved it," he says. He explains that many people who connect with dance don't know how to deal with the business part of it. But he loves it. "I love the business department at Belhaven College," he says with a smile.

Dlouhy dances with Belhaven when he can work it into his busy schedule. He sometimes teaches lessons at Ballet Magnificat, but mostly teaches private lessons. He owns a business as well.

DCZ Imports, the business he started three months ago, imports glass beads and handmade jewelry from the Czech Republic. DCZ Imports supplies a number of shops. "We also make necklaces, bracelets and sell them." He wants Mississippi to experience the beauty of his homeland.

In the future, Dlouhy would like to enlarge his business and dedicate more time to teaching dance lessons. "I would like to choreograph for a musical production (for) just my students." His goal is to get involved in dance production and management of a dance/theater arts institution or company.

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