Christopher Wheeldon

Christopher Wheeldon
Christopher Wheeldon
Born March 22, 1973 (1973-03-22) (age 38)
Yeovil, Somerset
Nationality English
Field Ballet
Training Royal Ballet School
Works After the Rain · An American in Paris · Carnival of the Animals · Carousel (A Dance) · DGV: Danse à Grande Vitesse · Estancia · Evenfall · Liturgy · Morphoses · The Nightingale and the Rose · Polyphonia · Rococo Variations · Scènes de Ballet · Slavonic Dances · La Stravaganza · Variations Sérieuses ·
Awards Prix de Lausanne

Christopher Wheeldon (born 22 March 1973 in Yeovil, Somerset, England) is an international choreographer of contemporary ballet. Born in Somerset, England, to an engineer and a physical therapist, Wheeldon began training to be a ballet dancer at the age of 8. He attended the Royal Ballet School between the ages of 11 and 18. In 1991, Wheeldon joined the Royal Ballet, London; and in that same year, he won the Gold Medal at the Prix de Lausanne competition. In 1993, at the age of 19, Wheeldon moved to New York City to join the New York City Ballet. Wheeldon was named Soloist in 1998 [1]

Wheeldon began choreographing for the New York City Ballet in 1997, while continuing his career as a dancer. He retired as a dancer in 2000 in order to focus on his choreography.

In 2001, Wheeldon became the New York City Ballet resident choreographer and first resident artist. He was productive in this position, choreographing a number of much lauded works for the troupe. He quickly developed a reputation as a talented choreographer, and several other eminent ballet companies, such as the San Francisco Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet, and the Royal Ballet, London have commissioned dances from him. As of May, 2003, Wheeldon had composed at least 23 works.

In November 2006 Wheeldon announced the formation of Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company, a transatlantic company with a US base at New York City Center and in the UK at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London. In its first season, the company performed in Vail, London and New York.[2] Wheeldon completed his tenure as Resident Choreographer of New York City Ballet in February 2008.[1] In 2009 the City Parks Foundation commissioned Wheeldon and contemporary singer/songwriter Martha Wainwright to create a new work. The piece, entitled "Tears of St. Lawrence," premiered at Central Park SummerStage on August 14 and 15. The fifteen minute ballet, choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon and Edwaard Liang, featured twelve dancers accompanied by live music and song by Wainwright, who sang while intermingling with the dancers. In February, 2010, resigned from Morphoses, which will continue to produce ballets without his name.[3]

An Emmy award winning fly-on-the-wall TV documentary "Strictly Bolshoi" followed Christopher as he became the first Englishman to be invited to create a new work for the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet.

In 2011, Wheeldon premiered a full-length ballet "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" at the Royal Ballet, Covent Garden. This was the first full-length ballet created at the Royal Ballet for over 20 years, and was jointly commissioned with the National Ballet of Canada. The work's premiere was on February 28 2011 (with Royal Ballet principal Lauren Cuthbertson in the lead role) and featured a brand new score by Joby Talbot.[4]

In the June/July 2009 issue of The Advocate, Wheeldon was featured on a list of artists who made the "Forty Under 40" list.[5]

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