Robert Skafte: 'He was the sweetest, kindest person'
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The dance community is mourning the loss of Robert Skafte, who was killed on Friday while working at Oak Grove Grocery in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis. Skafte was 66. Before arriving in Minnesota, he danced with the Kansas City Ballet.
MPR News’ Todd Melby talked with Myron Johnson, founder of Ballet of the Dolls, about Skafte.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Myron Johnson: He really was a beautiful dancer. But he was a great, great actor. He separated himself from a lot of dancers who are equally as good at dancing, but [Skafte had an] ability to perform and act and be 100 percent present on the stage. He was just remarkable to watch.
Can you give me an example of a particular show he was in or character he played where he showed that?
Johnson: One of the more classical ones was “Giselle.” It was a disco version of “Giselle.” He was remarkable. No one has ever loved “Giselle” more than Robert. But I think what stood out was a show we did called “Hello Dalí,” which was about Salvador Dalí. He played Dalí both vocally and physically. It was a ballet but it was also scripted. And he was mind-blowing in every performance, he just transcended into a world he created all on his own.
What was Robert like as a person?
Johnson: He was so sensitive and kind to everyone. And [on the day he was killed], I went down to the store and met a lot of people that live on Oak Grove Street. And every single person I talked to said the same thing about Robert: he was the kindest, sweetest person. I met a guy who knew him. When Robert opened the store, one of the older guys who lives on Oak Grove would come every morning, and Robert would give him coffee and they would sit and talk. And this gentleman was beside himself, trying to imagine a world without him.
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