Mark Baldwin (choreographer)

Mark Baldwin was born in Fiji and raised and educated in New Zealand. His interest in the arts led him to pursue a degree in Fine Art at the University of Auckland, something which has influenced his approach to creativity ever since. Mark danced with Royal New Zealand Ballet before joining Rambert Dance Company (then Ballet Rambert) in 1979. He performed with Rambert for ten years (1979-80, 1983-92) and used the opportunity to develop his choreographic skills.

On leaving Rambert Dance Company he was appointed Resident Choreographer at Sadler's Wells, London, where he established the Mark Baldwin Dance Company (1993-2001). His status as a leading choreographer was affirmed with the creation of over 40 works for the Mark Baldwin Dance Company and other major dance companies including: The Royal Ballet, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Berlin State Opera House, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Scottish Ballet (where he was also Resident Choreographer in 1996), London City Ballet and Rambert Dance Company.

Mark has received numerous awards, including the Bonnie Bird Choreographic Award (1992), the 1995 Time Out Award for Dance, and the South Bank Show Award for The Bird Sings With Its Fingers (2001). He received the French Grand Prix Award for Film (1996), for Echo, a collaboration with visual artist Anish Kapoor and composer Brian Elias, and in 2002, the Dance Artist Fellowship for Outstanding Contribution to Dance.

In December 2002, Mark returned to Rambert Dance Company as Artistic Director. His vision since then has been to commission works that encourage collaboration with other artforms. To date Mark has commissioned new works by numerous British and international choreographers. Since being with the Company as Artistic Director, Rambert Dance Company have won awards including: In 2010, the Company won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance, in recognition of the previous years' repertoire; In 2011, the Company won the Critics' Circle National Dance Award for Outstanding Company.

In May 2005, Mark premièred Constant Speed, his first work for Rambert since becoming Artistic Director. The work won him the TMA Theatre Award for Achievement in Dance.

His restaging of Michael Clark's Swamp won an Olivier Award. In 2006 Mark choreographed The Wedding for the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and collaborated with Amanda Eyles to rework Andrée Howard's 1939 work Lady into Fox.

In 2008 he created Eternal Light, and in 2009, The Comedy of Change.

External links

• Rambert Dance Company's website Rambert Dance Company's website (http://www.rambert.org.uk/)