Reflections

Born in Bordeaux France, Benjamin Millepied began his dance training at the age of eight with his mother Catherine, a former modern dancer. From age thirteen to sixteen he attended the Conservatoire National de Lyon, studying classical ballet under Michel Rahn. In the summer of 1992, Millepied made his first appearance in New York City, for a summer program at the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet. The following year, he became a full-time student at the school, having received the 'Bourse Lavoisier', a scholarship award from the French Ministry of Culture.

In the 1994 School of American Ballet Spring Workshop, Millepied originated a principal role in Jerome Robbins' 2 & 3 Part Inventions set to music by J.S Bach. That same year, he was awarded the 'Prix de Lausanne'. In his last year at SAB, Millepied received the Mae L. Wien Award for Outstanding Promise and was invited to become a member of New York City Ballet. In the Spring of 2001, he was promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer. In 2004 and 2005, Millepied directed the Morriss Center Dance Workshop in Bridgehampton, New York. From 2006 to 2007, he was choreographer-in-residence at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York. In 2007, Millepied received the United States Artists Wynn Fellowship. In 2010, he was made Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Culture. Millepied's repertoire includes featured roles in George Balanchine's Agon, Ballo Della Regina, Coppélia, 'Divertimento" from Le Baiser De La Fée, The Nutcracker, Harlequinade, Rubies, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Raymonda Variations, La Source, Stars and Stripes, Symphony in C, Tarantella, Tschaikovsky Pas De Deux, Theme and Variations, Valse-Fantasie; in Jerome Robbins' 2 & 3 Part Inventions, Dances at a Gathering, Fancy Free, A Suite of Dances, In The Night, The Four Seasons, Dybbuk, Interplay, Piano Pieces and West Side Story Suite; in Susan Stroman's Double Feature and Christopher Wheeldon's Carousel (A Dance)and Mercurial Manoeuvres; and in Peter Martins' Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty.

Additionally, Millepied originated roles in many works, including: Jerome Robbins' Brandenburg, Les Noces (revival), and Dybbuk (revival); Peter Martins' Hallelujah Junction; Angelin Preljocaj's La Stravaganza; Mauro Bigonzetti's Vespro and In Vento; and Alexei Ratmanski's Concerto DSCH. In 1999 and 2002 he appeared in featured roles with the New York City Ballet for the nationally televised Live From Lincoln Center broadcast. In 2010, Millepied choreographed and starred in Darren Aronofsky's feature film Black Swan. That year, Benjamin also directed his first short film featuring Lea Seydoux and a score by Angelo Badalamenti. In 2011, Millepied directed 5 short films set to Philip Glass new violin works, commissioned by Timothy Fain.

Benjamin is currently working on a new series of short films produced by the online network Danceon. Recently, the Los Angeles Music Center and Millepied announced the creation of LA Dance Project.

Presenter

L.A Dance Project

L.A Dance Project is a program of events founded by renowned choreographer and dancer Benjamin Millepied. Its premiere performances commissioned by Glorya Kaufman presents Dance at the Music Center are scheduled for September 22 and 23, 2012 at Walt Disney Concert Hall at the Music Center. Millepied founded L.A Dance Project as an art collective together with composer Nico Muhly, art consultant Matthieu Humery, producer Charles Fabius and film producer Dimitri Chamblas.

L.A Dance Project's goal is to create new work and to revive seminal collaborations from the past. Programs will include full-length evenings in traditional theater venues as well as various modular performances in nontraditional environments.

Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts - Opera House

Dates: Jun. 14, 2014-Jun. 15, 2014

Price: VIP/400/350/300/240/120/100/80 RMB