 | Thisbiography of a living personneeds additionalcitations forverification. Please help by addingreliable sources.Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced orpoorly sourcedmust be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentiallylibelous. Find sources: "Ben Stevenson" dancer – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(October 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Ben StevensonOBE (born 4 April 1936), is a former ballet dancer with Britain'sRoyal Ballet andEnglish National Ballet, co-director ofNational Ballet of Washington, D.C. (1971–1974), artistic director of Chicago Ballet (1974-1975), artistic director ofHouston Ballet (1976–2003), and artistic director ofTexas Ballet Theater (2003–2022).
A native ofPortsmouth, England, Stevenson received his dance training at theArts Educational School in London. Upon his graduation, he was awarded the prestigiousAdeline Genée Gold Medal, the highest award give to a dancer by theRoyal Academy of Dancing.
At the age of 18, Stevenson was invited to join the Sadler's WellsRoyal Ballet by DameNinette de Valois. A few years later,Anton Dolin invited him to dance with theLondon Festival Ballet, where, as a principal dancer, he performed leading roles in all the classics.[1][2]
In 1967, the English National Ballet asked him to stage his first ballet, the highly successful production of The Sleeping Beauty, which starred DameMargot Fonteyn. A year after staging the ballet in England, Stevenson arrived in the United States, lending his vast talents and experience to productions across the country. At the request ofRebekah Harkness, he journeyed to New York where he assumed the position of Artistic Director of theHarkness Ballet.
After choreographingCinderella in 1970 for theNational Ballet of Washington, D.C., he joined the company in 1971 as co-director withFrederic Franklin. That same year, he staged a new production ofThe Sleeping Beauty in observance of the inaugural season of theJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.[1]
After a brief association with Ruth Page'sChicago Ballet, in 1976, Stevenson was appointed artistic director of theHouston Ballet, which he developed into one of the world's top 20 ballet companies according to a number of sources.[3][4] During his tenure, he expanded the company's repertory by acquiring the works of the world's most respected choreographers, commissioning new works, staging the classics and choreographing original works.
During this time as artistic director of America's fifth-biggest ballet company, and whenBarbara Bush was a trustee of the company, in 1978 Stevenson visitedBeijing and offered the Chinese dancer,Li Cunxin a six-week scholarship to America[5] and later on his defection, offered him a position with the company. Cunxin returned where he danced at the gala at Stevenson's retirement after 27 years with the Houston Ballet.[5]
Stevenson has been called "a master of the traditional story ballet."[6] He's choreographed in Paris and Beijing, the National Ballet at the Kennedy Center, the Joffrey Ballet in New York, and La Scala in Milan, among other locations. He worked withMargot Fonteyn, one of the 20th century's great ballerinas. He taughtJane Seymour dance when the Hollywood star was 13.[6]
In 2003, he was named Director Emeritus ofHouston Ballet and the company's academy was renamed theBen Stevenson Academy.[7]
In July 2003, Stevenson accepted the position of artistic director ofTexas Ballet Theater inFort Worth.[8] As the longest-serving artistic director in Texas Ballet Theater history, Stevenson has been instrumental in elevatingTexas Ballet Theater (TBT) from a regional troupe to an internationally acclaimed ensemble.[9]
In 2022, Stevenson was named Artistic Director Laureate in recognition of his lengthy tenure. Stevenson was succeeded as Artistic Director by Tim O'Keefe.[8]
In theBruce Beresford 2009 filmMao's Last Dancer, Stevenson was portrayed by Canadian actorBruce Greenwood.[10]
Stevenson has received numerous awards for his choreography, including three gold medals at theVarna International Ballet Competitions of 1972,[11] 1982, and 1986. In addition, he has staged his ballets for theHarkness Ballet,English National Ballet,American Ballet Theatre, theParis Opera Ballet,La Scala inMilan,Rome Opera House, theMunich State Opera Ballet, TheJoffrey Ballet,London City Ballet,Ballet de Santiago,The Perm State P. I. Tchaikovsky Opera and Ballet Theatre and for many companies in the United States.[1]
For his contributions to international dance, Mr. Stevenson was named anOfficer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) byQueen Elizabeth II in December 1999. In April 2000, he was presented with theDance Magazine Award. In 2018, Stevenson was acknowledged by the Chinese government as one of the most influential Foreign Experts in the past 40 years since China initiated its policy on Reform and Opening Up.[citation needed]
His 'Three Preludes,' which the Chicago Ballet will dance, won first prize for modern choreography at the 1972 International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria.
