Benjamin Millepied

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Benjamin Millepied
Born (1977-06-10) June 10, 1977 (age 35)
Bordeaux, France
Occupation Choreographer, danseur, actor
Years active 2001–present
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Spouse(s) Natalie Portman (m. 2012)
Children Aleph Portman–Millepied
Current group Paris Opera Ballet
Former groups New York City Ballet
Website
Official website

Benjamin Millepied (born June 10, 1977)[1] is a French danseur and choreographer, perhaps most widely known for his work in the movie Black Swan which he starred in and choreographed. Millepied will be the new Director of Dance at the Paris Opera Ballet, starting in September 2014.

Contents

Early life [edit]

Millepied was born in Bordeaux, France and raised in Dakar, Senegal.[2] He is the youngest of three sons.[3] His ballet training started at the age of eight with his mother, Catherine Millepied-Flory, a former ballet dancer.[4][5] Between the ages of 13 and 16 he studied with Michel Rahn at the Conservatoire National in Lyon, France.

Career [edit]

In the summer of 1992 Millepied 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.[6] 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.[7] On 26 October 2011, it was announced that Millepied would retire from New York City's Ballet.[8][9]

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.[10][11][11][12] From 2006 to 2007, he was choreographer-in-residence at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York.

Millepied has commissioned and collaborated with several contemporary composers including David Lang, Nico Muhly, Thierry Escaich and Philip Glass.[12][13] The Jerome Robbins Trust and Foundation underwrites much of Millepied’s work and his circle of donors include philanthropists Anne Bass and Arlene Cooper.[14]

In 2001, Millepied's dancing was motion captured for the animated children's film Barbie in the Nutcracker, along with several other New York City Ballet dancers. His dancing was again captured for the 2003 Barbie film Barbie of Swan Lake. 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.[15] In 2010, he was the leading man in a short film co-directed by Asa Mader and starring Léa Seydoux, called Time Doesn’t Stand Still.[14]

L.A. Dance Project [edit]

In 2011, L.A. Dance Project, founded and directed by Millepied, was launched with a commission, expected to last two years, from Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Los Angeles Music Center. The company’s operating budget is about $1 million a year.[16] Millepied partnered with composer Nico Muhly, dancer Dimitri Chamblas, producer Charles Fabius and others to launch the group.[17] In 2012, L.A. Dance Project established a full-time residence at Los Angeles Theatre Center,[18] with the objective of presenting new works throughout the city. It was given the opportunity to perform at Disney Hall — a Music Center venue offered in recent history only to a select few dance companies with international reputations such as Merce Cunningham and Shen Wei Dance Arts. Millepied specifically wanted to perform at Disney Hall instead of Dorothy Chandler Pavilion or the Ahmanson Theater — venues where the Music Center normally presents dance.[19]

Later that year, the dance collective made its debut in with a performance in the galleries of the Museum of Contemporary Art, for which Millepied created a 30-minute, site-specific duet, Framework, to a narrated soundtrack by artist Mark Bradford.[20][21][22] The dance collective’s first program featured a Millepied premiere, with a score by Muhly and visual design by painter Christopher Wool. The program also includes a revival of Merce Cunningham’s 1964 Winterbranch, a movement exploration of falling bodies set to a mostly two-note score by La Monte Young, and William Forsythe’s Quintett, a 1993 study in loss and hope to avant-garde composer Gavin Bryar’s composition Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet.[17] Millepied also spent time working with middle school students in Los Angeles and made a video featuring the jookin’ dancer Lil Buck. Other collaborators include Rodarte, Barbara Kruger, and Alex Israel, a contemporary California painter and video artist.[16] L.A. Dance Project also commissioned a new work from Justin Peck, a dancer with City Ballet.

In 2012, Millepied's choreographed the musical Hands on a Hardbody, which debuted at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego. In 2013, L.A. Dance Project will embark on an international tour that will include stops in London, Paris, Edinburgh and Spoleto, Italy. The tour will feature performances of new and existing repertory pieces.[23]

From 2014, Millepied will reportedly take on the title of founding director and advisor at L.A. Dance Project, handing the leadership reins to another choreographer.[24]

Paris Opera Ballet [edit]

In January 2013, it was announced that Millepied will be the new Director of Dance at the Paris Opera Ballet, starting in September 2014.[25]

Recognition [edit]

In 2010, he was made Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Culture.

Personal life [edit]

Millepied met actress Natalie Portman on the set of Black Swan in early 2009 [26] and reportedly left his live-in girlfriend at the time, American Ballet Theatre dancer, now soloist, Isabella Boylston to pursue a relationship with the actress.[27] Portman gave birth to their child, a son named Aleph Portman-Millepied in June 2011, and they were married the 4 August 2012.[28][29]

Choreography [edit]

Year Title Venue Notes
2001 Passages Conservatoire National
2002 Clapping Music music by Steve Reich
Triple Duet Sadler's Wells Theatre music by J. S. Bach
2003 Double Aria Bay Street Theater
2004 On The Other Side Sadler's Wells Theatre
2005 24 Variations of a Theme By Paganini School of American Ballet
Circular Motion Florence Gould Hall
2006 Closer Joyce Theater music and live accompaniment by Philip Glass
Amoveo Paris Opera Ballet set designs by Paul Cox, costumes by Marc Jacobs
2009 Everything Doesn't Happen At Once Avery Fisher Hall music by David Lang
Quasi Una Fantasia New York City Ballet
Sarabande
2010 Plainspoken music by David Lang
Why am I not where you are Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts music by Thierry Escaich, scenery by Santiago Calatrava
One Thing Leads to Another Het National Ballet music by Nico Muhly, costumes by Rodarte
2011 Troika American Ballet Theatre
The Bartered Bride Metropolitan Opera
2012 Khovanshchina

Originated roles [edit]

Year Title Choreographer Notes
1997 Slavonic Dances Christopher Wheeldon Part of the Diamond Project
Brandenburg Jerome Robbins
La Stravaganza Angelin Preljocaj
1998 Les Noces Jerome Robbins
Concerti Armonici Peter Martins
1999 Swan Lake
2000 Prism Helgi Tómasson Part of the Diamond Project
2002 If By Chance Melissa Barak Part of the Diamond Project
Twilight Courante Stephen Baynes
Hallelujah Junction Peter Martins
2003 Guide to Strange Places
2004 Circle of Fifths Christopher d'Amboise
Musagète Boris Eifman
Octet Peter Martins

Featured roles [edit]

George Balanchine

August Bournonville

  • Bournonville Divertissements

Peter Martins

Jerome Robbins

Richard Tanner

  • Soirée

Christopher Wheeldon

Filmography [edit]

Year Film Role Notes
2001 Barbie in the Nutcracker New York City Ballet Dancer video
2003 Barbie of Swan Lake New York City Ballet Dancer video
2010 Black Swan David Moreau/The Prince
2011 Time Doesn't Stand Still Lui short film

See also [edit]

Reviews [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ (French) Vernay, Marie-Christine (27 October 2009). "Les mille et une vies de Benjamin Millepied (The Many Lives of Benjamin Millepied)". Libération (in French).  (English translation via Google)
  2. ^ a b "NYCB biography for Benjamin Millepied". New York City Ballet. Archived from the original on 2010-06-13. Retrieved 27 April 2010. 
  3. ^ "BENJAMIN MILLEPIED: LORD OF THE DANCE". Details. June 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  4. ^ BENJAMIN MILLEPIED - Biography
  5. ^ http://www.sudouest.fr/2011/02/09/la-danse-en-heritage-313630-2780.php
  6. ^ Milzoff, Rebecca (10 May 2009). "Regarding Benjamin Millepied". New York Magazine. 
  7. ^ NY Times, 6 Juneth, 2002
  8. ^ "Benjamin Millepied, 'Black Swan' choreographer, leaving City Ballet". LA Times Blogs. 26 October 2011.
  9. ^ "Millepied Retires From City Ballet". New York Times. 26 October 2011.
  10. ^ Herschthal, Eric (30 September 2009). "Everything Is Happening for Millepied". The New York Observer. 
  11. ^ a b Jowitt, Deborah (12 December 2008). "Benjamin Millepied Takes A Very Big Leap Forward". Village Voice. 
  12. ^ a b "Official Website Biography". Retrieved 30 August 2011. 
  13. ^ Milzoff, Rebecca (24 August 2007). "The Young and the Tireless". New York Magazine. 
  14. ^ a b Joshua David Stein (February 2, 2011), Benjamin Millepied Leaps Into the Spotlight New York Times.
  15. ^ Kourlas, Gia (December 2009). "On The Rise: Benjamin Millepied and Cory Stearns bring passion and intensity to New York's legendary ballet houses". Variety. Archived from the original on 2010-01-06. 
  16. ^ a b Brooks Barnes (October 18, 2012), Giant Steps for Dance in Los Angeles New York Times.
  17. ^ a b Laura Bleiberg (July 5, 2012), Benjamin Millepied and Music Center announce L.A. Dance Project Los Angeles Times.
  18. ^ David Ng (July 5, 2012), Benjamin Millepied finds home for L.A. Dance Project in downtown Los Angeles Times.
  19. ^ Susan Josephs (September 7, 2012), Benjamin Millepied gets moving in Los Angeles Los Angeles Times.
  20. ^ Laura Bleiberg (June 25, 2012), Benjamin Millepied collaborating with Mark Bradford at MOCA Los Angeles Times.
  21. ^ Lewis Segal (July 20, 2012), Review: Benjamin Millepied dances outside the 'Framework' at MOCA Los Angeles Times.
  22. ^ Jori Finkel (July 19, 2012), Making paint dance: Mark Bradford and Benjamin Millepied Los Angeles Times.
  23. ^ David Ng (January 24, 2013), Benjamin Millepied talks about leaving L.A. dance for Paris Los Angeles Times.
  24. ^ David Ng (January 24, 2013), Benjamin Millepied talks about leaving L.A. dance for Paris Los Angeles Times.
  25. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/24/arts/dance/benjamin-millepied-to-be-paris-opera-ballet-director.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&
  26. ^ Julie Jordan (27 December 2010). "Natalie Portman Is Engaged and Pregnant!". People. 
  27. ^ . OK! magazine. December 28, 2010 http://web.archive.org/web/20110105224327/http://www.okmagazine.com/2010/12/benjamin-millepied-leaves-prima-ballerina-girlfriend-for-natalie-portman/. Archived from the original on 2011-01-05.  Text "auLeaves Ballerina Isabella Boylston for Natalie Portman" ignored (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  28. ^ "Confirmed! Natalie Portman, Benjamin Millepied Married" Us Magazine. 28 February 2012.
  29. ^ "Jeweler Dishes on Natalie Portman, Benjamin Millepied’s ‘Wedding Rings’". People. 28 February 2012.

External links [edit]
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