Reid Bryce Anderson (born 1 April 1949) is a Canadian ballet dancer, ballet director and artistic director. He danced with theStuttgart Ballet before returning asartistic director of theNational Ballet of Canada in 1987. He returned to the Stuttgart Ballet as artistic director in 1996 and stepped down in 2018.[1]
Reid Anderson was born atNew Westminster, British Columbia on 1 April 1949.[2] He received his dance training at Dolores Kirkwood Academy and transferred to theBanff Centre.[2] He then went to London in 1967 to study at theRoyal Ballet School.[3]
Anderson began his dance career at the Royal Opera Ballet but was unhappy as a performer. In 1969, Anderson joined theStuttgart Ballet as they were preparing for a two-week performance schedule in New York. His first piece with the company wasOnegin.[3] Shortly afterwards he became aprincipal dancer and was theirballet master from 1982 to 1986.[2]
In 1987, Anderson became co-artistic director ofBallet British Columbia, and later became the sole director. He was known for introducing a contemporary image to the company and increasing its reputation across Canada.[2]
Anderson staged a remount ofOnegin with theNational Ballet of Canada.[4] He became the director, and eventually artistic director, of the National Ballet of Canada in 1989. Anderson sustained the company during atough economic recession[5] by choreographing traditional ballet pieces and bringing Canadian and international choreographers to create new contemporary pieces. He occasionally danced in various character roles during these productions.[2]
In 1994, he proposed that the board of directors promoteChan-hon Goh as the company's firstChinese Canadianprincipal dancer.[4] He left the National Ballet of Canada in 1995, citing continued funding cuts from the government.[5][3] Anderson had trainedEric Gauthier, who joined him as a member of his ensemble when he became Director of theStuttgart Ballet.[6]
Anderson returned toStuttgart Ballet in 1996 as artistic director. He organised the company's tour to New York in 1998.[2] After 22 Years, Reid Anderson Stepped Down from Stuttgart Ballet in 2018.
In 1995, the Stuttgart Ballet awarded Anderson the John Cranko Award.[7] He won the 2006Deutscher Tanzpreis (German Dance Prize) in recognition of his work to improve dance in Germany, and in 2009 won theOrder of Merit of Baden-Württemberg.[2]
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