John Neumeier was born in 1942 in Milwaukee, Wis-
consin, U.S.A., where he also received his first dance
training. He went on to study ballet both in Copen-
hagen and at the Royal Ballet School in London. He
acquired a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Lit-
erature and Theater Studies from Marquette Uni-
versity in Wisconsin, where he created his first
choreographic works. In 1963, John Cranko engaged
him at the Stuttgart Ballet, where he progressed to
solo dancer.
In 1969, Ulrich Erfurth appointed Neumeier as Direc-
tor of Ballet in Frankfurt. Since 1973, John Neumeier
has been Artistic Director and Chief Choreographer
of The Hamburg Ballet, since 1996 he has been “Bal-
lettintendant” (General Manager). The Hamburg Ballet became one of the
leading ballet companies in the German dance scene and soon received in-
ternational recognition.
As a choreographer, Neumeier has continually focused on the preservation
of ballet tradition, while giving his works a modern dramatic framework. His
commitment to this end has manifested itself particularly in his revised ver-
sions of the classical “Story Ballets.” For his choreographies on symphonies
by Gustav Mahler he has received particular acclaim throughout the world.
In 1975, Neumeier brought The Hamburg Ballet Festival into being a climax
and end to each season. In 1978, John Neumeier founded The School of The
Hamburg Ballet. In 1989, the school, together with the company, moved into
its own “Ballettzentrum” (ballet center) provided by the city of Hamburg. Its
facilities include nine studios and a boarding school for over 30 students.
Today, more than 80% of the company’s dancers are graduates from the
school.
His latest creations for The Hamburg Ballet, “Purgatorio”
and “Liliom,” pre-
miered in 2011.
John Neumeier has worked as guest choreographer with many companies,
including The Royal Ballet in London, The Vienna, Munich and Dresden State
Operas, The Stuttgart Ballet (for which he has created several works), The
Royal Danish Ballet, The Paris Opéra Ballet, The Tokyo Ballet, The American
Ballet Theatre in New York, The National Ballet of Canada, The Ballet of the
Mariinsky Theater, Moscow Bolshoi and Stanislavsky Ballet and the San Fran-
cisco Ballet among others.
John Neumeier is holder of the Order of the Federal Republic of Germany.
In 2003, he was appointed to the rank of “Knight of the Legion of Honor” by
French President Jacques Chirac. In 2006, he received the “Nijinsky Award”
for Lifetime Achievement, in 2007 the “Herbert von Karajan Music Prize.” In
2007,
he was made an honorary citizen of the city of Hamburg. In 2008, he
was awarded his second “German Dance Prize” on the occasion of their 25
th
jubilee. Recently, in November 2012, he accepted the Order of Friendship of
the Russian Federation.
In February 2006, John Neumeier established the John Neumeier Foundation
with the aim of bringing together his collection of dance and ballet related
objects and his vast oeuvre. The John Neumeier Foundation will maintain and
secure for the city of Hamburg his life’s work.
In 2011, Neumeier founded Germany’s National Youth Ballet. The company of
oung dancers is based at the Ballettzentrum in Hamburg.
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ABOUT JOHN NEUMEIER
