Dance Choreographers

f you've ever watched a ballet or other dance performance, you have witnessed the work of a dance choreographer. Dance choreographers create original dances and develop new interpretations of existing dances. The works of choreographers highlight the extent of their love of and devotion to their particular styles of dance. Though not complete, the following list highlights some of the best dance choreographers of the past and present.

1.  George Balanchine

    

Early Life of George Balanchine

George Balanchine was born in St. Petersburg on Jan 22, 1904. His father was a noted Georgian composer. At the age of nine, Balanchine enrolled in the Imperial Ballet School. He graduated with honors, then enrolled in the Petrograd Conservatory. At the age of 18, he married Tamara Geva, a young dancer. Balanchine then became a principal dancer and choreographer of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes.

Paul Taylor

  
An American choreographer of the 20th century, Paul Taylor is considered by many to be the greatest living choreographer. After 60 years as Artistic Director of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, he blazed he established an institutional home for the art form in 2014: Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance. He continues to present modern dances of the past and present alongside his own works at Lincoln Center and other preeminent venues throughout the world. He also commissions a new generation of choreographers to make dances on his own company to ensure that modern dance flourishes long into the future.

Bob Fosse

 

One of the most influential men in jazz dance history, Bob Fosse created a unique dance style that is practiced in dance studios throughout the world. His amazing choreography continues to live on through several great Broadway musicals such as "Cabaret", "Damn Yankees" and "Chicago."

Alvin Ailey

Alvin Ailey was born in Texas in 1931. His mother, then only 17 years old, was forced to care for him alone after his father abandoned the family early on. A single mom during the Great Depression, Ailey's mother struggled to find work. Like many African Americans, she migrated with her son to California. Ailey developed an interest in dance when a friend introduced him to the Hollywood studio of Lester Horton. Horton, who's school was the first multi-racial dance school in the United States, became a major influence to Ailey, providing him with both artistic technique and a solid dance foundation. read more...