Sir Kenneth MacMillan (11 December 1929 – 29 October 1992) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He was artistic director of the Royal Ballet in London between 1970 and 1977.

Biography[link]

Early years[link]

MacMillan was born at Dunfermline, Scotland. He grew up in Great Yarmouth, where he studied with Phyllis Adams. Later he won a scholarship to the Sadler's Wells Ballet School, where he studied for a year before, in 1946, joining Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, now known as Birmingham Royal Ballet. Whilst studying, he met and gained the support of Ninette de Valois, something he was to enjoy wholeheartedly for the rest of his life. In 1948 he moved to the Sadler's Wells Ballet, but returned to the Theatre Ballet four years later.

Career[link]

MacMillan began choreographing for the company's choreographic group and two promising early works, Somnambulism (1953) and Laiderette (1954) led de Valois to commission a work from the 25-year-old MacMillan. Danses concertantes was first produced in January 1955. He continued to dance, but gradually gave it up in favour of his true vocation. A string of successful works followed including Solitaire (1956), The Burrow (1958), Le baiser de la fée and The Invitation (1960), The Rite of Spring (1962), La Création du monde (1964) The Song of the Earth and his first full-length work, Romeo and Juliet (1965). The year he choreographed Romeo and Juliet, which has become one of his best-loved pieces, he was appointed resident choreographer at The Royal Ballet.

MacMillan was the director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin ballet from 1966 to 1969, and was made director of The Royal Ballet in 1970. He continued to choreograph and produced a string of masterpieces: Valses nobles et sentimentales (1966), Anastasia (one-act version 1967, three-act version 1971), The Seven Deadly Sins (1973), Manon and Elite Syncopations (1974), Requiem (1976), Mayerling (1978), Isadora (1981), The Prince of the Pagodas (1989) and The Judas Tree (1992). In 1977, aged only 48, he retired as director and took up the position of principal choreographer for The Royal Ballet. He was knighted in 1983.

Personal life[link]

MacMillan died of a heart attack on 29 October 1992 while backstage at Covent Garden during a revival of his Mayerling. Jeremy Isaacs, the general director of the Royal Opera House, announced the death from the stage after the performance and asked the audience to "please rise and bow your heads and leave the theatre in silence".^[1] That same evening, Birmingham Royal Ballet was dancing his Romeo and Juliet in Birmingham. He is remembered as one of the great choreographers of the twentieth century who was unafraid of confronting controversial issues in his ballets (for example The Invitation and The Judas Tree). He often dwelled on the darker side of human nature and sexuality and some of his works centred on characters who would be considered outsiders in modern society. At the same time, ballets such as Elite Syncopations showed that he was capable of creating works of great wit and charm.

He was married to the painter and sculptor Deborah Williams, with whom he had a daughter Charlotte, a photographer, and both continue to oversee continuing productions of his work.

Choreography[link]

Although a talented dancer, MacMillan is best known on his choreography, and particularly on his work with the Royal Ballet. He also worked with the American Ballet Theatre (1956-7) and the Deutsche Oper, Berlin (1966–69). He succeeded Frederick Ashton as Director of the Royal Ballet in 1970 and resigned after seven years, frustrated at balancing the conflicting demands of creating ballets with administration. He continued as Principal Choreographer to the Royal Ballet until his death in 1992.

full-length[link]

• Romeo and Juliet — made on Lynn Seymour and Christopher Gable, but the premiere was danced by Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev (1965)
• Anastasia — made on Lynn Seymour
• Manon — made on Antoinette Sibley and Jennifer Penney (1974)
• Mayerling (1978)
• Isadora
• The Prince of the Pagodas — made on Darcey Bussell and Jonathan Cope (1989)

one-act[link]

• Danses Concertantes — commissioned by Dame Ninette de Valois (1955)
• Different Drummer
• The Invitation — made on Lynn Seymour and Christoper Gable (1960)
• The Rite of Spring — made on Monica Mason (1962)
• Elite Syncopations (1974)
• My Brother, My Sisters
• La Fin du Jour
• Valley of Shadows — made on Alessandra Ferri
• Gloria
• Noctambules (1956)
• Song of the Earth
• Solitaire
• Requiem
• Winter Dreams — based on Anton Chekhov's "Three Sisters"
• The Judas Tree — his last ballet, made on Viviana Durante and Irek Mukhamedov (1992)
• Concerto (1966)

References[link]

• "Official Kenneth MacMillan website". The MacMillan Estate. 2009. http://kennethmacmillan.com/. Retrieved 18 December 2009. 
• "History of The Royal Ballet: Kenneth MacMillan". Royal Opera House. 2008. http://info.royaloperahouse.org/ballet/index.cfm?ccs=473&cs=1004. Retrieved 13 August 2008. 
• Bruce Marriott (2002). "Kenneth MacMillan International Celebration". Ballet.co. http://www.ballet.co.uk/macmillan/. Retrieved 13 August 2008. 
• Susan Crow (2002). "Family Heirlooms". Ballet.co. http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_02/jul02/sc_family_heirlooms.htm. Retrieved 13 August 2008. 
• Jann Parry (2009). Different Drummer: The Life of Kenneth MacMillan. London, Faber. ISBN 978-0-571-24302-0

External links[link]

• Kenneth MacMillan at the Internet Broadway Database
• Kenneth MacMillan at the Internet Movie Database
• Biographer Jann Parry talking about Kenneth MacMillan's legacy in a video interview

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Polina Semionova, born in Moscow in 1984, is a classical ballet dancer and Principal with the Berlin State Opera.^[1] She is de facto prima ballerina and is one of the youngest dancers to achieve this particular kind of recognition.

Studying at the Bolshoi Ballet School in Moscow, Russia, she won awards in the top ballet competitions; including a gold medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition 2001, First Prize at the Vaganova-Prix Ballet Competition in St Petersburg 2002, and Junior Prize at the Nagoya (Japan) International Ballet Competition 2002.

Graduating in 2002, Semionova joined the Ballet Staatsoper Berlin as a principal upon the invitation of Vladimir Malakhov,^[2] becoming the youngest principal in the company's history at the age of 18. She toured Japan as Malakhov's partner, the reason he had invited her to be a principal in the company. He gave her the lead roles in The Nutcracker and La Bayadère during her first season, following with the role of Tatiana in Onegin, which became her favourite role.

In 2003, at the age of 19, Semionova performed with the English National Ballet in Swan Lake, receiving approving reviews from English critics. The following year she joined the California Ballet in their production of The Sleeping Beauty, again impressing critics despite what they termed a disappointing overall ballet.^[3]

Appearing in Herbert Grönemeyer's music video "Demo (Letzter Tag)", which was later uploaded to the popular video site YouTube, brought her into the public eye both in the dance community and to the general public.

Semionova is one of the featured artists on EuroArts DVD "Divine Dancers Live from Prague", in which she dances a pas-de-deux from the ballet "Manon".

Partners[link]

• Roberto Bolle, La Scala di Milano
• Vladimir Malakhov, Staatsoper Berlin, American Ballet Theatre, Vienna State Opera, Stuttgart Ballet, National Ballet of Canada
• Jose Manuel Carreno, American Ballet Theatre
• Evan McKie, Stuttgart Ballet
• Mathieu Ganio, Paris Opera Ballet
• Igor Zelensky, Mariinsky Ballet
• Jiri Jelinek, National Ballet of Canada

See also[link]

• List of Russian ballet dancers

References[link]

1. ^ Wilhelmsson, Jörgen. "Polina Semionova", The Ballerina Gallery. Accessed April 13, 2007.
2. ^ Alovert, Nina. On the rise: Polina Semionova: destiny's Ball-a young ballerina's journey from student to Cinderella, Dance Magazine, October 2004. Accessed April 13, 2007.
3. ^ Steinberg, Janice. California Ballet Company, Dance Magazine, March 5–6, 2005. Accessed April 13, 2007.

Igor Zelensky (also Igor Zelenski) is a Russian ballet dancer. He was born in Labinsk. He has been a principal at the Mariinsky Ballet since 1991. He graduated from the Tbilisi School of Ballet (class of Vakhtang Chabukiani) and trained at the Vaganova academy (class of Gennady Selutsky). He was a principal for five years at the New York City Ballet. He has a wide repertoire including Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and Siegfried in Swan Lake. He has performed around the world, including with the Royal Ballet in London, at La Scala in Milan, at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich and with the New York City Ballet.

See also[link]

• List of Russian ballet dancers

References[link]

• "Igor Zelensky". Mariinsky Ballet. http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/ballet/principals_dancers/premery/zelensky/. Retrieved 9 May 2010. 

External links[link]

• Emma Pegler (5 May 2003). "Interview with Igor Zelensky". criticaldance. http://www.criticaldance.com/interviews/2003/CriticalDance.com-IgorZelenskyInterview.html. Retrieved 9 May 2010. 
• Jennifer Delaney (16 August 1998). "Interview with Igor Zelensky". ballet.co. http://www.ballet.co.uk/aug98/interview_igor_zelensky.htm. Retrieved 9 May 2010. 

Lynn Seymour
Born	Lynn Springbett (1939-03-08) 8 March 1939 (age 73) Wainwright, Alberta, Canada
Occupation	Ballet dancer

Lynn Seymour (born Wainwright; 8 March 1939) is a retired Canadian ballerina and choreographer.

She was born Lynn Springbett and studied ballet in Vancouver.

In 1953 she was auditioned by Sir Frederick Ashton and given a scholarship to the Sadler's Wells Ballet School. There she was in a class with Antoinette Sibley and Marcia Haydée :"perhaps the greatest constellation of talent ever seen in one classroom".^[1]

In 1956 she joined Covent Garden Opera Ballet, then moved to the Touring Royal Ballet in 1957 and a year later to the Royal Ballet as a soloist, becoming principal in 1959.

Her first created role was the Adolescent in Sir Kenneth MacMillan's The Burrow (1958), the first of many ballets on which she worked with the choreographer. Her lyrical technique and intense dramatic powers were developed through the wide range of roles which she created with him including the Girl in Invitation (1960), the Fiancée in Baiser de la fée (1960) and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (1965, though Fonteyn danced the role at the ballet's premiere).

These works established her as the leading dance-actress of her generation, but she also danced the classic roles including Odette-Odile (1958) Giselle and Aurora (both 1960), and created roles in Sir Frederick Ashton ballets including the Young Girl in The Two Pigeons (1961) in which she began a much praised partnership with Christopher Gable.

She was prima ballerina at Berlin Opera Ballet (1966–69) under MacMillan's direction and created the role of Anna Andersen in the one-act version of Anastasia (1967), after which she guested with various companies including London Festival Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, London Contemporary Dance Theatre and American Ballet Theatre.

In 1971 she returned to the Royal Ballet as principal guest ballerina (until 1978) with new MacMillan tempestous characters such as the Grand Duchess Anastasia in the three-act version (1971) and Mary Vetsera in Mayerling (1978) and created Ashton's Isadora in Five Brahms waltzes in a manner of Isadora Duncan (1975) and Natalia Petrovna in Ashton's A Month in the Country (1976).^[2]

In 1973 she made her first ballet for the Royal Ballet Choreographic Group : Night Ride (mus. Finnissy). Her other works include Gladly, Sadly, Badly, Madly for LCDT (mus. Davis, 1975), Wolfie for Rambert Dance Company (mus. Mozart, 1987) and Bastet for Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet (mus. Berkeley, 1988).

She was artistic director of Munich State Opera Ballet (1978–80),^[3] then she briefly returned to the Royal Ballet ^[4] before retiring and working subsequently as occasional coach at Covent Garden.^[5]

She has also appeared as an actress in the Herbert Ross 1987 movie Dancers ^[6] with Mikhail Baryshnikov and come back to the stage with Northern Ballet Theatre in Gillian Lynne's A Simple Man (1987), with Second Stride in Escape at Sea (1993) ^[7] and with Adventures in Motion Pictures in Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake (1996) and Cinderella (1997) in which she created the role of the Stepmother.^[8] In 1989, at the invitation of Peter Schaufuss, she came out of retirement to dance again the title role of MacMillan's Anastasia witn the English National Ballet in New York.^[9]

In 2006-07 she worked in Athens where she served as artistic director of the Greek National Ballet.

References[link]

1. ^ ballet.co - Legend
2. ^ Royal Ballet performance of Frederick Ashton's A month in the country with Anthony Dowell as Beliaev - recorded c.1980
3. ^ Giselle with Rudolf Nureyev and the Bavarian Ballet - 1979
4. ^ R&J bedroom pas de deux with David Wall - 1979
5. ^ Kenneth MacMillan - choreographer
6. ^ Lynn Seymour - actress on IMDb
7. ^ The Independent 1993
8. ^ Detailed performance directory on IMDb
9. ^ seymour english national ballet&st=cse&pagewanted=1 NYTimes archive

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Dame Monica Mason DBE (born 6 September 1941) is a ballet dancer and has been the director of The Royal Ballet, since 2002.

Early life[link]

Monica Margaret Mason was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1941. A talented dancer, she moved to Britain at the age of 14 to join the Royal Ballet School.

Royal Ballet[link]

At the age of 16 Mason joined the Royal Ballet as the Company's youngest member, and became a principal dancer in 1968. She worked closely with the choreographer Sir Kenneth MacMillan, who created the roles of Lescaut's Mistress in Manon, Calliope Rag in Elite Syncopations, Summer in The Four Seasons and the Midwife in Rituals for her.

Mason was also given the role of the Chosen Maiden in The Rite of Spring that had been originally created by Diaghilev for Lydia Sokolova in the 1920s. Her last leading role was as Nursey in Isadora by Kenneth MacMillan, in 1981, although she continued to appear in mime roles as a guest artist with the Royal Ballet for some time after that.

Administrator[link]

Following her retirement as a principal dancer, Mason continued to work for the Royal Ballet company and in 1984 she was appointed Principal Répétiteur to the company. In 1991 she became Assistant Director of the company under Sir Anthony Dowell. Following the company's move to its new headquarters at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden, Mason replaced Dowell's successor, Ross Stretton, as Director in late 2002.^[1] She recently announced her retirement and will leave The Royal Ballet in August 2012^[2]

Damehood[link]

Mason was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2002. In the 2008 Birthday Honours she was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) .

References[link]

External links[link]

• Londondance.com
• Royal Ballet official site

v t e Ballet General information ballets companies glossary history music timeline Ballet terminology Ballet d'action Barre Ballet blanc Comic ballet Contemporary ballet Ballets de cour Demi-soloist Divertissement Narrative ballet Neoclassical ballet Opéra-ballet Pas de deux Pas de quatre Pas de trois Pièce d'occasion Pointe shoes Romantic ballet Turnout Tutu Variation Ballet by genre character classical contemporary neoclassical Ballet by region British French Italian Russian Dancers American British French Russian Technique Balanchine Bournonville Cecchetti Royal Academy Vaganova Ballet apparel dance belt leotard pointe shoes slippers tights tutu unitard Schools The National Ballet School of Canada Stuttgart Ballet Cuban National Ballet School Elmhurst School for Dance English National Ballet School Moscow State Academy of Choreography Royal Ballet School School of American Ballet La Scala Theatre Ballet School Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet Royal Winnipeg Ballet Companies American Ballet Theatre Anaheim Ballet Atlanta Ballet Ballet Manila Ballet Philippines Barcelona Ballet Berlin State Ballet Birmingham Royal Ballet Bolshoi Ballet Boston Ballet Cairo Opera Ballet Company Cape Town City Ballet Carolina Ballet Cincinnati Ballet Cuban National Ballet Dayton Ballet Donetsk Ballet Dutch National Ballet English National Ballet Finnish National Ballet Georgian National Ballet Greek National Opera Guangzhou Ballet Hamburg Ballet Hong Kong Ballet Houston Ballet Iaşi Romanian National Opera Iranian National Ballet Company Joffrey Ballet K-ballet Kiev Ballet Korea National Ballet Company La Scala Theatre Ballet Les Ballets de Monte Carlo Les Grands Ballets Canadiens Los Angeles Ballet Mariinsky Ballet Moldova National Opera Ballet National Ballet of Canada National Ballet of China National Ballet Theater of Puerto Rico National Opera and Ballet National Theatre Munich New Jersey Ballet New York City Ballet Norwegian National Opera and Ballet Oklahoma City Ballet Oregon Ballet Theatre Pacific Northwest Ballet Paris Opera Ballet Philippine Ballet Theatre Polish National Ballet Queensland Ballet Royal Danish Ballet Royal New Zealand Ballet Royal Swedish Ballet Royal Winnipeg Ballet San Francisco Ballet Scottish Ballet Shanghai Ballet Company Spanish National Dance Company Stuttgart Ballet The Australian Ballet The Royal Ballet Tokyo Ballet Tulsa Ballet Universal Ballet West Australian Ballet Ballet portal Did you know? today's news today's article today's biography today's picture recent news 2009 2008