Painting of ballet dancers by Edgar Degas, 1872.

Classical Ballet is the most formal of the ballet styles, it adheres to traditional ballet technique. There are variations relating to area of origin, such as Russian ballet, French ballet, British ballet and Italian ballet. The Vaganova method, named after Agrippina Vaganova, the Cecchetti method, named after Enrico Cecchetti and the Bournonville method, named after Auguste Bournonville are Russian, Italian and Danish respectively and derive from the original French method.

Classical ballet is best known for its unique features and textures, such as pointe work, turn-out of the legs, and high extensions; its graceful, flowing, precise movements; and its ethereal qualities.

History of Ballet[link]

Theatre in ancient Greece.

Development as an art form[link]

Technique[link]

Marie Taglioni, a pioneer of pointework.

Ballet, especially classical ballet, puts great emphasis on the method and execution of movement.^[1] A distinctive feature of ballet is the continuous outward rotation of the thighs from the hip, referred to as "turnout". The foundation of the dance consists of five basic positions, all performed with the turnout. Young dancers receive a rigorous education in their school's method of dance, which begins when they are young and ends with graduation from high school. Students are required to learn the names, meanings, and precise technique of each movement they learn. Emphasis is put on building strength mostly in the lower body, particularly the legs, and the core (also called the center or the abdominals) as a strong core is necessary for all movements in ballet, especially turns, and on developing flexibility and strong feet for dancing en pointe.

Training[link]

There are at least seven styles of training in classical ballet, the most common being Vaganova method (Russian), Cecchetti method (Italian), Royal Ballet School and Royal Academy of Dance methods (English), and Balanchine method (American). The techniques found in classical ballet are a framework for many other styles of dance, including modern ballet and contemporary ballet.

Ballerina dancing en pointe

For women, the typical ballet class attire includes pink, blue, or flesh colored tights and a leotard (which can come in various colors and styles), with an optional short wrap-skirt. For men, the typical class attire includes tights along with a form-fitting shirt or leotard. Dancers wear soft technique shoes, often called flats during their classes. The female dancers usually wear pink or beige flats while the men wear black or white flats. Often, leg warmers (knitted tubes that vary in length from just long enough to cover the ankle to long enough to cover the entire leg) are worn during the early part of a class to protect the dancer's muscles until they become warm. During ballet class, it is usually required that women restrain their hair in a bun or other style which keeps the hair flat against the head and off the neck. The purpose of the customary dance class attire and hair style requirements is to allow the dancer freedom of movement and allow teachers to evaluate the alignment and technique of the dancer.

Once the foundation of basic technique has been laid, women begin to wear pointe shoes while men continue to wear soft shoes and learn more advanced jumps and turns. The age at which dancers start pointe work varies from student to student. Strength is paramount in being able to wear pointe shoes for extended periods of time. Premature wearing of pointe shoes or insufficient training can result in serious injuries and/or disabilities in later life. Generally speaking, many studios do not allow students to take pointe class until at least 11 years old, assuming she has reached adequate skill and strength for her level. Any younger than eleven, even with strong physique and technique, the bones in a student's feet will mold and conform to the pointe shoe and the girl's feet will likely be disfigured in structure.

Method[link]

Although there are regional variations, the 'rules' and movement vocabulary of ballet remain the same throughout the world. The different training techniques of ballet are designed to produce a different aesthetic quality from a student. This is particularly noticeable in the high extensions and dynamic turns of Russian ballet, whereas Italian ballet tends to be much more grounded, with a focus on fast intricate footwork . For example, the Tarantella is a well-known Italian folk dance, which is believed to have influenced Italian ballet.

The most notable ballet methods are named after their originator. For example, two prevailing systems from Russia are known as the Vaganova method after Agrippina Vaganova, and the Legat Method, after Nikolai Legat. The well-known Cecchetti method is based on technique developed and taught by the Italian dancer Enrico Cecchetti (1850–1928). Another European system, based on the teaching methods of the Frenchman Auguste Vestris, was that developed in Copenhagen by August Bournonville (1805–1879). The system is taught chiefly as a tradition in Bournonville's own country of Denmark.

Technique[link]

Ballet, mostly classical, puts a great amount of emphasis on the execution of movement and the method.^[1]

The feature of ballet is the outward rotation of the thighs from the hip. The foundation of the dance is of five basic positions, all performed with the turnout. Most young dancers receive a very strict and rigorous education in their school's method of the dance, which begins when they are young and ends with graduation from high school. Students are required to learn all the names, meanings (most), and last but not least precise technique of each movement which they learn. Emphasis is the building or putting on building strength mostly in the lower body (particularly the legs and the core which are also called the center or the abdominals) as a strong core is necessary for many movements in ballet mostly turns, and on developing flexibility and strong feet for dancing en pointe.

Illusion of flight[link]

To perform the more demanding routines, a ballet dancer appears to defy the laws of physics. Basic physics and understanding of human perception provide insight into this. A high level of physical fitness is required.

For example, during the grand jeté, the dancer may appear to hover. Physically, his/her center of mass describes a parabola, as does any projectile. Observors have limited ability to reckon center of mass when a projectile changes its configuration in flight. To do this the dancer extends their arms and legs, which camouflages the fall and leads the audience to perceive the dancer is floating.^[2][3][4]

A Pas de Chat (step of the cat) creates a similar illusion. The dancer starts from a plié, then during the ascending phase of the step, quickly lifts each knee in succession with hips turned out, so that for a moment both feet are in the air at the same time, passing each other. For a moment, the dancer appears suspended in air.

The landing must be performed carefully, the dancer bends at the knees (plies) and rolls the foot from toe to heel. For artistic as well as safety reasons this technique must be taught by a qualified instructor.^[5][6][7]

See also[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ballet

• The Sergeyev Collection
• Ballet styles
  • Classical ballet
  • Contemporary ballet
  • Neoclassical ballet
• Ballet technique
  • Royal Academy of Dance, English method and examination board
  • French ballet
  • Russian Vaganova method
  • Italian Cecchetti method
• En pointe
• Glossary of ballet
• Ballet (music)
• Ballet company

References[link]

Notes[link]

Sources[link]

• Anderson, Jack (1992). Ballet & Modern Dance: A Concise History (2nd ed. ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton Book Company, Publishers. ISBN 0-87127-172-9. 
• Bland, Alexander (1976). A History of Ballet and Dance in the Western World. New York: Praeger Publishers. ISBN 0-275-53740-4. 
• Chantrell, Glynnis, ed. (2002). The Oxford Essential Dictionary of Word Histories. New York: Berkley Books. ISBN 0-425-19098-6. 
• Kirstein, Lincoln; Stuart, Muriel (1952). The Classic Ballet. New York: Alfred A Knopf. 
• Lee, Carol (2002). Ballet In Western Culture: A History of its Origins and Evolution. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-94256-X. 

External links[link]

• Physics of Dance
• Beginner's Guide to BalletPDF (3.47 MiB)
• Andros on Ballet

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

Gelsey Kirkland (born 29 December 1952, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) is an American ballerina. Kirkland joined the New York City Ballet in 1968 at age fifteen, at the invitation of George Balanchine. She was promoted to soloist in 1969 and principal in 1972. She went on to create leading roles in many of the great twentieth century ballets by Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and Antony Tudor including Balanchine's revival of The Firebird, Robbins' Goldberg Variations, and Tudor's The Leaves are Fading.

She is perhaps most famous to the general public for dancing the role of "Clara" in Baryshnikov's 1977 televised production of The Nutcracker. She left the ABT in 1984.

Books[link]

In 1986, Gelsey Kirkland had published Dancing On My Grave, co-written by her then husband Greg Lawrence, a startling memoir chronicling her artistic transformation from George Balanchine's "baby ballerina" to one of the most acclaimed ballerinas in her generation. The book describes in detail her struggles with her domestic family problems, anorexia, bulimia, drug addiction, her quest for artistic perfection, and her complicated love affair with ballet superstar Mikhail Baryshnikov and numerous other men, most of which she encountered in the ballet world.

Her second autobiography published in 1990 titled The Shape Of Love, dealt with her move to England to dance with the Royal Ballet, her attempts to get a fresh start with her first husband, and her return to American Ballet Theatre with a clean slate and a renewed outlook on life.

After these two intensely graphic autobiographies, she and her husband/co-writer collaborated on one more book--a children's book called "The Little Ballerina and Her Dancing Horse" in 1993.

Current career[link]

She currently lives in New York, with her second husband, choreographer and teacher, Michael Chernov, who was also with ABT. In 2006, she was awarded the Dance Magazine Award. (For years, they lived in Australia.)

She is currently teaching at STEPS on Broadway, and has recently choreographed (with Chernov and ABT artistic director Kevin McKenzie) a new production of Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty, in which, after a more than twenty years absence from the stage, she danced the role of "Carabosse, the Wicked Fairy". In 2010, Ms. Kirkland and Mr Chernov established the Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet (GKACB), where they serve as co-Artistic Directors.^[1]

Trivia[link]

• Dear friend of Anthony Dowell.
• She appeared as guest artist with the Royal Ballet 1980-86.
• Danced with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev, Peter Martins, Edward Villella, Anthony Dowell, Stephen Jeffries, Patrick Bissell and Peter Schafuss.
• Her father was Jack Kirkland, a renowned playwright who penned the Broadway adaptations of Tobacco Road and Tortilla Flat. ^[2]
• She applied for the position of Artistic Director of a major ballet company in Ireland, she declined in favor of teaching directly. She eventually went on to found her own company.
• Her older sister Johnna also studied at the School of American Ballet and danced with the New York City Ballet.

^[3] Johnna gave up ballet in 1983, two years after breaking her foot (a career-ending injury) and because the company she was then dancing with (the Los Angeles Ballet, which she co-founded) ceased to pay the dancers' salaries. Last heard, she was still living in L.A. but now making artisan floor cloths and place mats. Although she retired rather early, videos of her dance performances are available for free to download on the internet.

• Among her injuries throughout her career, Gelsey Kirkland broke her foot, had a hairline fracture, and her feet swelled up due to lack of proper circulation from pointework.
• She was featured on the 1 May 1978 cover of Time. ^[4]
• Balanchine rechoreographed his version of Stravinsky's The Firebird specifically for her.^[5]

References[link]

1. ^ faculty, GKACB
2. ^ http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=6543
3. ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,919577,00.html
4. ^ http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19780501,00.html
5. ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,919577-1,00.html

Further reading[link]

• Kirkland, Gelsey, and Greg Lawrence. Dancing on My Grave. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1986 (ISBN 0-385-19964-3).

• Kirkland, Gelsey, and Greg Lawrence. The Shape of Love: The Story of Dancing on My Grave Continues. New York, New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1990 (ISBN 0-385-24918-7).

External links[link]

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

Matthew Bourne
Melbourne, Australia, 2006
Born	(1960-01-13) 13 January 1960 (age 52) Walthamstow, London, England
Occupation	Theatre director, choreographer, dancer
Website
http://www.new-adventures.net

Matthew Bourne OBE (born 13 January 1960) is a British choreographer. His work includes contemporary dance and musical theatre. He has received multiple awards and award nominations, including the Laurence Olivier Award, Tony Award and Drama Desk Award, and he has also received several Honorary Doctorates of Arts from UK universities.

Biography[link]

Matthew Bourne was born in Hackney, London in 1960. He went to William Fitt and Sir George Monoux School in Walthamstow, London. From the ages of 14 to 16 he was an avid autograph hunter, attending most West End opening nights and waiting outside Stage Doors and top London Hotels. In 1978 he left full-time education and worked in various jobs at the BBC (filing clerk), Keith Prowse Theatre Agents (selling theatre tickets) and The National Theatre (bookshop and ushering). Despite having never done a dance class, he ran and directed various amateur Dance Companies in his teenage years. In 1982 he enrolled at the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance (now simply Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance) in Deptford, southeast London, where he was awarded a B.A. in Dance Theatre. For his final year (1986) he danced with the Laban Centre's Transitions Dance Company. After graduation he formed the dance company Adventures In Motion Pictures with fellow directors, and friends, Emma Gladstone and David Massingham. He has worked as a professional choreographer and director since 1987, becoming sole artistic director of AMP in 1991 and New Adventures in 2002. He now lives in Islington, London and Brighton, East Sussex.

Choreographer[link]

Matthew Bourne is widely hailed as the UK’s most popular and successful Choreographer/Director. He is the creator of the world’s longest running ballet production, a five-time Olivier Award winner, and the only British director to have won the Best Direction of a Musical and Best Choreography. Bourne has been said to be the most audience conscious artist. Bourne does not go into detail about his works because he wants the audience to have their own interpretations of his works.

Bourne started training as a dancer at the comparatively late age of 22. He studied Dance Theatre and Choreography at Laban) graduating in 1985 but spending a further year with the college’s performance company Transitions. Bourne danced professionally for 14 years creating many roles in his own work. In 1999 he gave his final performance playing The Private Secretary in the Broadway production of Swan Lake.

Adventures in Motion Pictures[link]

Matthew Bourne was the artistic director of his first company, Adventures In Motion Pictures, from 1987 until 2002. During those 15 years AMP became the UK’s most innovative and popular dance/theatre company, creating an enormous new audience for dance with its groundbreaking work both at home and internationally (works include: - Spitfire, The Infernal Galop, Town and Country, Deadly Serious, Nutcracker!, Highland Fling, Swan Lake, Cinderella and The Car Man).

New Adventures[link]

In 2002 Bourne launched his latest company, New Adventures, with two highly successful productions. Play Without Words premiered as part of the National Theatre’s Transformations Season and went on to win Best Entertainment and Choreography at that year's Olivier Awards. It then embarked on a World Tour and premiered in New York, Los Angeles and Moscow in 2005. Matthew Bourne’s revised Nutcracker! also premiered at Sadler’s Wells in 2002 and became an instant popular hit with audiences and critics, returning the following year for a second sell-out season. It became the first ballet to be screened by BBC1 in over 20 years and then also embarked on a world tour.

New Adventures acclaimed revival of one of Bourne’s most popular works, the “Romantic wee ballet”, Highland Fling and Bourne’s 10th Anniversary production of Swan Lake have also reached new audiences through extensive International touring, including seasons in Asia, Australia, Russia, Europe and the USA. New Adventures has continued to revive Bourne's work, including The Car Man in 2007 and Nutcracker! in 2008.

In 2005, New Adventures presented its most ambitious project to date. Matthew Bourne’s production of Edward Scissorhands, based on Tim Burton’s classic film, received its world premiere at Sadlers Wells Theatre. After breaking box office records over an 11-week season, the production toured the UK, before international debuts in Asia and a 6 month tour of the USA. The unprecedented success of New Adventures relationship with Sadler's Wells Theatre was recognised in 2006 by the invitation to become Resident Company. Matthew Bourne is also a Resident Artist at Sadlers Wells.

Bourne has also created choreography for several major revivals of classic musicals including Cameron Mackintosh’s productions of Oliver! (1994) and My Fair Lady (Olivier Award 2002) as well as the National Theatre’s revival of South Pacific (2001). In 2004 Bourne Co-Directed (with Richard Eyre) and Choreographed (with Stephen Mear) the West End and Broadway hit musical Mary Poppins, for which he won an Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer.

He has collaborated on projects with leading directors, Trevor Nunn, Richard Eyre, Sam Mendes, Yukio Ninagawa and John Caird and has created dances and roles for such wide-ranging performers as Jonathan Pryce, Lynn Seymour, Dawn French, Adam Cooper, Julie Walters, Rowan Atkinson and Michael Sheen.

His film work includes television productions of his stage work including Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake (Emmy nomination), The Car Man and Nutcracker! and original work such as the John Betjamin-inspired Late Flowering Lust with Sir Nigel Hawthorne and his own AMP Company in 1993.

Bourne was the subject of a South Bank Show in 1997 and in 1999 he presented Channel 4’s Dance 4 Series. The channel 4 documentary Bourne To Dance, which he also presented, was broadcast on Christmas Day 2001. His production of Swan Lake is featured in Stephen Daldry’s hit film Billy Elliot.

Bourne choreographed his own version of "Swan Lake". In the traditional "Swan Lake" the prince falls in love with a female swan. In Bourne's version of "Swan Lake" the beloved falls in love with a male swan. His interpretation of "Swan Lake" stirred up controversy because many said it was the gay version of "Swan Lake" He took a risk with "Swan Lake" because it was risky and something his audience would not be used to. As Bourne points out, "It's more to do with dancing than with sexuality. A male dancer, whether gay or straight, fits into a relationship with a female partner very happily. It's something you're taught, and it fits, it feels right, the lifting and all that stuff. Getting away from that, making a convincing love duet, a romantic, sexual duet, for two men that is comfortable to do and comfortable to watch-I dont know if you can. I've never seen it done." ^[1]

His latest hit show for New Adventures, Dorian Gray, based on Oscar Wilde’s gothic masterpiece, premiered at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival, and became the most successful dance production in the Festival’s 62-year history. Later in 2008 he co-directed and choreographed Cameron Mackintosh’s latest revival of Oliver! with Rowan Atkinson, which is currently playing at London’s Drury Lane Theatre. In 2010, New Adventures Performed an adaptation of William Golding's Lord of the Flies, it was put together in 3 weeks of rehearsing, and was performed in The Theatre Royal in Glasgow.

Matthew Bourne has twice been nominated as Best Director at the Olivier Awards, and his achievements in choreography have been recognised with over 30 international awards, including the Evening Standard Award, The South Bank Show Award, Time Out Award and the Astaire Award for Dance on Broadway. In the 2001 New Years Honours, Bourne was awarded an OBE for Services to Dance and in 2003 he was the recipient of the prestigious Hamburg Shakespeare Prize for the Arts. In 2007 he was awarded Honorary Doctorates from Leicester, Bedford and the Open Universities. In 2008 he was the recipient of a Special Award from the TMA (Theatrical Managers Association) for services to UK touring.

Work[link]

• 1989: "As You Like It" (RSC)
• 1989: "Show Boat" (musical - Malmo - Sweden)
• 1990: "Children Of Eden" (musical)
• 1991: Town and Country
• 1992: Deadly Serious
• 1992: Percy of Fitzrovia
• 1992: "Nutcracker!"
• 1992: Infernal Galop (reworked)
• 1993: Drip: a Narcissistic Love Story(BBC TV)
• 1993: "Late Flowering Lust" (BBC TV)
• 1994: Highland Fling
• 1994: "Oliver!"
• 1995: Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake
• 1997: Cinderella
• 1998: "Swan Lake" Broadway
• 2000: Matthew Bourne's The Car Man
• 2001: "My Fair Lady" (musical)
• 2001: "South Pacific" (musical)
• 2002: Nutcracker! - New Production
• 2002: Play Without Words
• 2004: Mary Poppins
• 2005: Edward Scissorhands
• 2008: Dorian Gray
• 2009: "Oliver!" (Major Revival)
• 2010: "Cinderella"
• 2011: "Lord of the Flies"
• 2012: "Sleeping Beauty"

Awards and nominations[link]

Awards

• 1999 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Director of a Musical – Swan Lake
• 1999 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Choreography – Swan Lake
• 1999 Tony Award Best Choreography – Swan Lake
• 1999 Tony Award Best Direction of a Musical – Swan Lake
• 2000 Evening Standard Award for Musical Event – The Car Man
• 2005 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Original Choreography – Mary Poppins
• 2007 Drama Desk Award Unique Theatrical Experience – Edward Scissorhands
• 2007 Honorary Doctor of Arts from De Montfort University, Leicester.
• 2010 Honorary Doctor of Arts from Plymouth University.

Nominations

• 2010 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreography - Oliver!
• 2000 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance – The Car Man
• 2005 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Director of a Musical – Play Without Words
• 2005 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Choreography – Play Without Words
• 2007 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Choreography – Edward Scissorhands
• 2007 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Choreography – Mary Poppins
• 2007 Tony Award Best Choreography – Mary Poppins

References[link]

1. ^ "Swans' Way; Why Matthew Bourne's dances are different." The New Yorker VV (2007): 40-46. NewYorker.com. 28 Sept. 2011 <http://www.lexisnexis.com/Inacui2api/delivery/PrintDoc.do?JobHandle=2825>.

Further reading[link]

• Macaulay, Alastair (ed.) (1999). Matthew Bourne and His Adventures in Motion Pictures: In Conversation with Alastair Macaulay. London: Faber and Faber. ISBN 0-571-19706-X. 

External links[link]

• Matthew Bourne at the Internet Broadway Database
• Matthew Bourne at the Internet Movie Database
• Official website of 's company, New Adventures
• Official website of Friends of New Adventures
• Official website of the Edward Scissorhands North American tour
• Cunningham, John (2000-09-16). "The Guardian profile: Matthew Bourne: Coming on in leaps and bounds". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/saturday_review/story/0,,368961,00.html. 
• Mackrell, Judith (2002-11-19). "Up close and personal: The man behind Adventures in Motion Pictures tells Judith Mackrell why he is giving up on glitz and going back to basics". The Guardian. http://arts.guardian.co.uk/christmas2002/story/0,,853101,00.html. .
• "Spotlight on Matthew Bourne". BBC Blast. Archived from the original on 2008-04-06. http://web.archive.org/web/20080406061119/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blast/dance/people/matthew_bourne.shtml. Retrieved 2007-10-09.  – an interview with Matthew Bourne with advice for teenagers.
• Video on YouTube of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake

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