Michal Caban, Dune Choreographer

Michal Caban brings to Frank Herbert's Dune the pizazz of his renowned Czech dance troupe, The Ballet Unit Cramp, which he founded with his brother, Simon, twenty years ago.

Michal Caban graduated from the Prague School of Economics, Foreign Trade Branch, while Simon graduated from the School of Applied Arts, Architecure and Stage Design. The brothers founded the Ballet Unit Cramp while at university.

In addition to choreography, Michal Caban's background spans producing and directing various films and television programs, music videoes, fashion shows, commercial and theater projects. Caban directed and choreographed the Czech Grammy Award for Popular Music program this year and is slated to do so for next year's program, as well.

For the feature film Amadeus, directed by Milos Forman, The Ballet Unit Cramp worked with Twyla Tharp for the Don Giovanni scene. Michal and Simon Caban directed their first feature film in 1992, called Don Gio, an expressive musical based on Mozart's opera Don Giovanni. The Ballet Unit Cramp is a member of the underground theater troupe that survived the Communist era, the Prague Five. That theater group filmed a compilation in 1988, in which the Caban brothers choreographed a stimulating dance segment titled "Colors."

The Cabans also have worked for the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival for five years, creating the style of the year; in 1999 they created the sensual opening trailer for the festival.