Benjamin Millepied

Benjamin Millepied
Born	June 10, 1977 (1977-06-10) (age 34) Bordeaux, France
Nationality	French
Field	Ballet
Training	Conservatoire National School of American Ballet
Influenced by	Jerome Robbins

Benjamin Millepied (born 10 June 1977)^[1] is a French danseur, best known for his work as choreographer in the movie Black Swan (in which he also plays a small role).

Early life

Millepied was born in Bordeaux, France and raised in Dakar, Senegal.^[2] He is the youngest and third child of three sons.^[3] His ballet training started at the age of eight with his mother, a former ballet dancer. Between the ages of 13 and 16 he studied with Michel Rahn at the Conservatoire National in Lyon, France.

Career

In the summer of 1992 he attended classes at the School of American Ballet (SAB) and returned to study full time in 1993, with a scholarship from the French Ministry (Bourse Lavoisier or Lavoisier Scholarship). Early in his career Millepied was mentored by famed choreographer Jerome Robbins, who took a strong interest in him. ^[4] At SAB's 1994 Spring Workshop he originated a principal role in Jerome Robbins' premiere of 2 and 3 Part Inventions and also received the Prix de Lausanne. Millepied joined New York City Ballet's corps de ballet in 1995, was promoted to soloist in 1998 ^[2] and became principal dancer in 2002.^[5] In 2010, he was made Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Culture. On October 26, 2011, it was announced that Millepied would retire from New York City's Ballet.^[6][7]

Millepied is also a choreographer, creating dances for City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, the School of American Ballet, the Metropolitan Opera, the Paris Opera Ballet, Ballet de Genève, American Ballet Theatre, and his own company, Danses Concertantes.^{[8][9][10][11]} From 2006 to 2007, he was choreographer-in-residence at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York.

Millepied's choreography is notable for its strong sense of musicality. He has said that first listening to Chopin's music was directly linked to him becoming a dancer. ^[12] In addition, Millepied has commissioned and collaborated with several contemporary composers including David Lang, Nico Muhly, Thierry Escaich and Philip Glass. ^[13][11]

In 2009 he served as choreographer for Black Swan, a psychological thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky which stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis as ballet dancers in New York City.^[14]

Personal life

Millepied met actress Natalie Portman on the set of Black Swan in early 2009 and left his live-in girlfriend at the time, American Ballet Theatre dancer, now soloist, Isabella Boylston to pursue a relationship with the actress. ^[15] On December 27, 2010 it was revealed that they were engaged and expecting a child in the summer of 2011. On June 14, 2011, it was announced that Portman had given birth to a baby boy named Aleph Portman-Millepied.^{[16] [17][18][19]}

Choreography

Conservatoire National Passages (2001) Clapping Music (2002), music by Steve Reich Danses Concertantes, Sadler's Wells, London Triple Duet (2002), music by J. S. Bach "On The Other Side" (2004) Bay Street Theater, Sag Harbor, NY Double Aria (2003), commissioned score: Double Aria for Violin Alone (2003) by Daniel Ott (b. 1975) School of American Ballet “28 Variations of an Theme By Paganini” (2005) Joyce Theater, New York “Closer” (2006), music and live accompaniment by Philip Glass Metropolitan Opera "The Bartered Bride" (2011) American Ballet Theatre "Everything doesn't happen at once" (2009) "Troika" (2011)

New York City Ballet, New York Double Aria" (2005) "Quasi Una Fantasia" (2009) “Sarabande” (2009) "Why Am I Not Where You Are" (2010), music by Thierry Escaich, scenery by Santiago Calatrava "Plainspoken" (2010), music by David Lang Florence Gould Hall, New York City Circular Motion (2005), music: Pieces of Reich for Two Pianos (2004) by Daniel Ott (b. 1975) Music for Pieces of Wood (1973) (arr. Daniel Ott) by Steve Reich Paris Opera Ballet, Paris "Amoveo" (2006), set designs by Paul Cox, costumes by Marc Jacobs Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, NY, 2009 Everything Doesn't happen at once, music by David Lang Lincoln Center, NY Why Am I Not Where You Are (2010), music by Thierry Escaich, scenic designs by Santiago Calatrava Het National Ballet "One things leads to another" (2010), music by Nico Muhly, costumes by Rodarte

Originated roles

Christopher d'Amboise Circle of Fifths Melissa Barak If By Chance Stephen Baynes Twilight Courante Boris Eifman Musagète Peter Martins Concerti Armonici Guide to Strange Places Hallelujah Junction (NYCB premiere) Octet Swan Lake Benno Pas de Trois

Angelin Preljocaj La Stravaganza Jerome Robbins Brandenburg Les Noces Helgi Tómasson Prism Christopher Wheeldon Slavonic Dances

Featured roles

George Balanchine Agon Ballo della Regina Chaconne Coppélia Frantz Divertimento from Le Baiser de la fée Donizetti Variations The Nutcracker Harlequinade Harlequin Jewels Rubies A Midsummer Night's Dream Raymonda Variations La Sonnambula La Source Stars and Stripes Symphony in C Symphony in Three Movements Tarantella Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3 Theme and Variations Union Jack Valse-Fantaisie Western Symphony

August Bournonville Bournonville Divertissements Peter Martins Ash Fearful Symmetries Jeu de cartes Quartet for Strings The Sleeping Beauty Stabat Mater Swan Lake Siegfried Tschaikovsky Pas de Quatre Zakouski Jerome Robbins 2 and 3 Part Inventions Dances at a Gathering Fancy Free Fanfare The Four Seasons Interplay Piano Pieces West Side Story Suite Richard Tanner Soirée Christopher Wheeldon Carousel (A Dance) Mercurial Manoeuvres

See also

• Black Swan dance double controversy

Reviews

• Macaulay, Alastair (14 May 2009). "Dance Review: World Premieres, Balanchine and the Tutu Deconstructed". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/arts/dance/15gala.html. 

References

1. ^ (French) Vernay, Marie-Christine (27 October 2009). "Les mille et une vies de Benjamin Millepied (The Many Lives of Benjamin Millepied)". Libération. http://www.liberation.fr/culture/0101599511-les-mille-et-une-vies-de-benjamin-millepied.  (English translation via Google)
2. ^ ^{a b} "NYCB biography for Benjamin Millepied". New York City Ballet. http://www.nycballet.com/company/personnel/artistic/millepied.html. Retrieved 27 April 2010. 
3. ^ "BENJAMIN MILLEPIED: LORD OF THE DANCE". Details. June 2010. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
4. ^ Milzoff, Rebecca (10 May 2009). "Regarding Benjamin Millepied". New York Magazine. http://nymag.com/arts/classicaldance/dance/features/56590/. 
5. ^ NY Times, June 6^th, 2002
6. ^ "Benjamin Millepied, 'Black Swan' choreographer, leaving City Ballet". LA Times Blogs. October 26, 2011.
7. ^ "Millepied Retires From City Ballet". New York Times. October 26, 2011.
8. ^ Herschthal, Eric (30 September 2009). "Everything Is Happening for Millepied". The New York Observer. http://www.observer.com/2009/theater/everything-happening-millepied. 
9. ^ Jowitt, Deborah (12 December 2008). "Benjamin Millepied Takes A Very Big Leap Forward". Village Voice. http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-12-10/dance/benjamin-millepied-takes-a-very-big-leap-forward/. 
10. ^ Jowitt, Deborah (12 December 2008). "Benjamin Millepied Takes A Very Big Leap Forward". Village Voice. http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-12-10/dance/benjamin-millepied-takes-a-very-big-leap-forward/. 
11. ^ ^{a b} "Official Website Biography". http://www.benjaminmillepied.com/bio/. Retrieved 30 August 2011. 
12. ^ Milzoff, Rebecca (24 August 2008). "The View From a Thousand Feet". New York Magazine. http://nymag.com/guides/fallpreview/2008/classicaldance/49474/. 
13. ^ Milzoff, Rebecca (24 August 2007). "The Young and the Tireless". New York Magazine. http://nymag.com/guides/fallpreview/2007/classicaldance/36591/. 
14. ^ Kourlas, Gia (December 2009). "On The Rise: Benjamin Millepied and Cory Stearns bring passion and intensity to New York's legendary ballet houses". Vogue. http://www.vogue.com/feature/2009_December_On_The_Rise/. 
15. ^ . OK! magazine. December 28, 2010. http://www.okmagazine.com/2010/12/benjamin-millepied-leaves-prima-ballerina-girlfriend-for-natalie-portman/. 
16. ^ Julie Jordan (December 27, 2010). "Natalie Portman Is Engaged and Pregnant!". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20453228,00.html. 
17. ^ "Natalie Portman gives birth to a baby boy" OnTheRedCarpet. June 14, 2011.
18. ^ "Natalie Portman Gives Birth To a Son". MSNBC. June 14, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
19. ^ "It's a Boy for Natalie Portman!". People. June 14, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2011.

External links

• Official website
• Facebook Page
• NYCB website
• Milzoff, Rebecca (10 May 2009). "Regarding Benjamin Millepied". New York Magazine. http://nymag.com/arts/classicaldance/dance/features/56590/. 
• Wheelock, Katherine (June 2010). "Benjamin Millepied: Lord of the Dance". Details. http://www.details.com/celebrities-entertainment/men-of-the-moment/201006/benjamin-millepied-nyc-ballet-choreographer-natalie-portman-boyfriend. 

Persondata
Name	Millepied, Benjamin
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	10 June 1977
Place of birth	Bordeaux, France
Date of death
Place of death