Who is Benjamin Millepied?

Who is Benjamin Millepied? The entertainment world knows Benjamin Millepied as a principal dancer at New York City Ballet^[2] and a ballet choreographer of international reputation.

Early life

Millepied was  born 10 June 1977 in Bordeaux, France^[2] and raised in Dakar, Senegal. His ballet training started at the age of eight with his mother, a former ballet dancer. Between the ages of 13 and 16 he studied with Michel Rahn at the Conservatoire National in Lyon, France.

Career

In the summer of 1992 he attended classes at the School of American Ballet (SAB) and returned to study full time in 1993, with a scholarship from the French Ministry (Bourse Lavoisier or Lavoisier Scholarship). At SAB's 1994 Spring Workshop he originated a principal role in Jerome Robbins' premiere of 2 and 3 Part Inventions and also received the Prix de Lausanne. Millepied joined New York City Ballet's corps de ballet in 1995, was promoted to soloist in 1998 and became principal dancer in 2002.^[2] Millepied is also a choreographer, creating dances for City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and his own company, Danses Concertantes.^[3][4] In 2009 he served as choreographer for Black Swan, a psychological thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky which stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis as ballet dancers in New York City.^[5] A couple of months into filming, Millepied found himself on the other side of the camera playing the part of Kunis's and Portman's dance partner. He didn't have very many lines, but when asked about acting he told Details "I really, really got into it...I was blown away—especially by Natalie, who was amazing to watch".^[6] Following the release of Black Swan the movie was parodied on Saturday Night Live with Taran Killam as Millepied.

Personal life

Millepied met actress Natalie Portman on the set of Black Swan in early 2009. It was reported that they had at least begun dating by New Year's Eve 2009. On December 27, 2010 it was revealed that Millepied and Natalie Portman were engaged and expecting a child in the summer of 2011. On June 14 it was announced Natalie had given birth to a baby boy.^[7]

Choreography

Conservatoire National Passages (2001) Clapping Music (2002), music by Steve Reich Danses Concertantes, Sadler's Wells, London Triple Duet (2002), music by J. S. Bach Bay Street Theater, Sag Harbor, NY Double Aria (2003), commissioned score: Double Aria for Violin Alone (2003) by Daniel Ott (b. 1975)

NYCB Spring Gala, 2005 Double Aria Florence Gould Hall, New York City Circular Motion (2005), music: Pieces of Reich for Two Pianos (2004) by Daniel Ott (b. 1975) Music for Pieces of Wood (1973) (arr. Daniel Ott) by Steve Reich Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, 2009 Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, NY, 2009 Everything Doesn't happen at once, music by David Lang

Originated roles

Christopher d'Amboise Circle of Fifths Melissa Barak If By Chance Stephen Baynes Twilight Courante Boris Eifman Musagète Peter Martins Concerti Armonici Guide to Strange Places Hallelujah Junction (NYCB premiere) Octet Swan Lake Benno Pas de Trois

Angelin Preljocaj La Stravaganza Jerome Robbins Brandenburg Les Noces Helgi Tómasson Prism Christopher Wheeldon Slavonic Dances

Featured roles

George Balanchine Agon Ballo della Regina Chaconne Coppélia Frantz Divertimento from Le Baiser de la fée Donizetti Variations The Nutcracker Harlequinade Harlequin Jewels Rubies A Midsummer Night's Dream Raymonda Variations La Sonnambula La Source Stars and Stripes Symphony in C Symphony in Three Movements Tarantella Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3 Theme and Variations Union Jack Valse-Fantaisie Western Symphony

August Bournonville Bournonville Divertissements Peter Martins Ash Fearful Symmetries Jeu de cartes Quartet for Strings The Sleeping Beauty Stabat Mater Swan Lake Siegfried Tschaikovsky Pas de Quatre Zakouski Jerome Robbins 2 and 3 Part Inventions Dances at a Gathering Fancy Free Fanfare The Four Seasons Interplay Piano Pieces West Side Story Suite Richard Tanner Soirée Christopher Wheeldon Carousel (A Dance) Mercurial Manoeuvres

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