Sir Kenneth MacMillan, although a dancer himself, is widely regarded for his contributions to choreography. Born in Dunfermline, Scotland on the 11th December 1929 to a working class family, Macmillan grew up in Great Yarmouth and took up dancing at the age of 12. Naturally gifted he moved to London when he was just 15 years old after being accepted by the Sadler's Wells Ballet.
Debilitating stage fright kept MacMillan from the success he deserved as a dancer but in working as a choreographer he found a niche for his talents. The first two pieces he choreographed immediately stood out as being innovative and got him noticed these were 1953's Somnambulism and Laiderette performed the following year. By 1955 MacMillan had been well and truly spotted and was choreographing pieces for the Sadler's Wells Ballet working under the legendary Sir Frederick Ashton.
MacMillan went on to choreograph several short works for Sadler's Wells Ballet that were well received and gained him much respect. These included The Burrow (1958), The Invitation (1960), The Rite of Spring (1962) to name just a few. He was made the resident choreographer for Sadler's Wells in 1965.
In 1965 Macmillan achieved great success with his first full-length work, Romeo and Juliet. Performed in three acts, the ballet is considered to be one of his best-loved pieces and shortly after choreographing Romeo and Juliet Macmillan was made the resident choreographer for The Royal Ballet. After a fall out with The Royal Ballet in 1966 over his work Song of the Earth, Macmillan left to work as director of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin where he stayed from 1966-69.
Macmillan returned to the Royal Ballet as director in 1970 succeeding Sir Frederick Ashton where he continued to produce and choreograph another string of widely acclaimed ballets that include Anastasia in 1971, The Seven Deadly sins in 1973, Manon in 1974, Requiem in 1976, Isadora in 1981 and his final piece in 1992, just before his death, The Judas Tree. He resigned as director of the Royal Ballet in 1977 however but continued to work as their resident choreographer - the role he preferred and felt more comfortable with.
Kenneth MacMillan died of a heart attack in 1992. He left behind him an entire legacy of inspiring dance creations and will be remembered for his contributions to 20th Century choreography. His work divides opinion as he often confronted controversial issues and gritty realism within his works however it cannot be denied that this innovative and creative choreographer shaped the future for further exploration in the world of ballet and dance.
Debilitating stage fright kept MacMillan from the success he deserved as a dancer but in working as a choreographer he found a niche for his talents. The first two pieces he choreographed immediately stood out as being innovative and got him noticed these were 1953's Somnambulism and Laiderette performed the following year. By 1955 MacMillan had been well and truly spotted and was choreographing pieces for the Sadler's Wells Ballet working under the legendary Sir Frederick Ashton.
MacMillan went on to choreograph several short works for Sadler's Wells Ballet that were well received and gained him much respect. These included The Burrow (1958), The Invitation (1960), The Rite of Spring (1962) to name just a few. He was made the resident choreographer for Sadler's Wells in 1965.
In 1965 Macmillan achieved great success with his first full-length work, Romeo and Juliet. Performed in three acts, the ballet is considered to be one of his best-loved pieces and shortly after choreographing Romeo and Juliet Macmillan was made the resident choreographer for The Royal Ballet. After a fall out with The Royal Ballet in 1966 over his work Song of the Earth, Macmillan left to work as director of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin where he stayed from 1966-69.
Macmillan returned to the Royal Ballet as director in 1970 succeeding Sir Frederick Ashton where he continued to produce and choreograph another string of widely acclaimed ballets that include Anastasia in 1971, The Seven Deadly sins in 1973, Manon in 1974, Requiem in 1976, Isadora in 1981 and his final piece in 1992, just before his death, The Judas Tree. He resigned as director of the Royal Ballet in 1977 however but continued to work as their resident choreographer - the role he preferred and felt more comfortable with.
Kenneth MacMillan died of a heart attack in 1992. He left behind him an entire legacy of inspiring dance creations and will be remembered for his contributions to 20th Century choreography. His work divides opinion as he often confronted controversial issues and gritty realism within his works however it cannot be denied that this innovative and creative choreographer shaped the future for further exploration in the world of ballet and dance.
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