Jean-Christophe Maillot (born 1960) is a French dancer and choreographer born in

Tours Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire. The commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabitants as of 2018 while the population of the whole metro ...

Early life and education

He studied at the dance conservatory in Tours before enrolling at the École supérieure de danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower, where

Rosella Hightower Rosella Hightower (January 10, 1920 – November 4, 2008) was an American ballerina and member of the Choctaw Nation who achieved fame in both the United States and Europe. Biography Rosella Hightower was born in Durwood, Carter County, Oklahoma ...

was his primary teacher.

Career

Maillot was invited by

John Neumeier John Neumeier (born February 24, 1939) is an American ballet dancer, choreographer, and director. He has been the director and chief choreographer of Hamburg Ballet since 1973. Five years later he founded the Hamburg Ballet School, which also in ...

to join the

Hamburg Ballet The Hamburg Ballet is a ballet company based in Hamburg, Germany. Since 1973, it has been directed by the American dancer and choreographer John Neumeier. In addition there is a ballet school, , established in 1978. The performances of the Hamb ...

in 1978, where he became a soloist and stayed until 1983, when an accident ended his career as a dancer. In 1983, he became the choreographer and

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

of the ''Ballet du Grand Théâtre'' in Tours. Since 1993, on the appointment of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, he has been the artistic director of

Les Ballets de Monte Carlo Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo (The Monte Carlo Ballet) is a classical ballet company established in 1985 by the Princess of Hanover in accordance with the wishes of her mother, Princess Grace of Monaco. It is the official national company of the ...

. He helped Princess Caroline design the bridesmaids costumes at the wedding of her brother. In 2000, 2012 and 2023 was a head of a jury at Prix de Lausanne ballet competitions.

Works

Works created for Les Ballets des Monte-Carlo: Bêtes Noires; Home, Sweet Home; Dov’è la Luna; Vers un Pays Sage; Roméo et Juliette; Recto Verso; L’Île; Cendrillon; Entrelacs; Oeil pour oeil; La Belle; D’une rive à l’autre; Miniatures; Le Songe; Altro Canto; Casse-Noisette Circus (2000). For the Bolshoi Theater, he created The Taming of The Shrew. * 1987 : ''Le Mandarin Merveilleux'' * 1989 : ''Über die Winterreise'' * 1989 : ''Du haut de ...'' * 1991 : ''L'enfant et les sortilèges'' * 1993 : ''Bêtes noires'' * 1993 : ''Lueurs d'amour'' * 1993 : ''Thème et quatre variation'' * 1994 : ''Home Sweet Home'' * 1994 : ''Dov'e la Luna'' * 1995 : ''Ubuaha'' * 1995 : ''Vers un pays sage'' * 1996 : ''Concert d'anges'' * 1996 : ''Roméo et Juliette'' * 1997 : ''Duo d'anges'' * 1997 : ''Recto verso'' * 1997 : ''In volo'' * 1998 : ''L'Île'' * 1999 : ''Cendrillon'' * 1999 : ''Casse-noisette circus'' * 2000 : ''Opus 40'' * 2000 : ''Entrelacs'' * 2001 : ''Œil pour œil'' * 2001 : ''La Belle'' * 2002 : ''Men's Dance'' * 2003 : ''D'une rive à l'autre'' * 2003 : ''Noces'' * 2004 : ''Miniatures'' * 2005 : ''Le Songe'' * 2006 : ''Altro canto I'' * 2007 : ''Faust'' * 2008 : ''Altro Canto II'' * 2009 : ''Schéhérazade'' * 2009 : ''Men's Dance for Women'' * 2009 : ''Fauves'' * 2010 : ''Daphnis et Chloé'' * 2011 : ''Opus 50'' * 2011 : ''Lac'' * 2013 : ''Choré'' * 2013 : ''Casse-Noisette Compagnie'' * 2014 : ''La Mégère Apprivoisée'' - Ballet du Théâtre Bolchoï * 2015 : ''Presque Rien'' * 2016 : ''Aleatorio'' * 2017 : ''La Mégère Apprivoisée''

Distinctions & awards

* 1977: Prix de Lausanne * 1992: Knighthood of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres * 1999: Officer of the Order of Cultural Merit of

Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...

* 2001: Nijinski Award for Best Choreography for the production of ''La Belle'' * 2002: Knighthood of the

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

* 2007:

Prix Benois de la Danse The Benois de la Danse is a ballet competition held annually in Moscow. Founded by the International Dance Association in 1991, it takes place each year on or around April 29 and it's judged by a jury. The members of this jury change every year and ...

Choreographer of the Year for "Faust" * 2015: Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters * 2018: Prix de Lausanne Life Time Achievement Award

Personal life

He and his wife, Valentine, have three children, born between 1986-1992. His daughter, Juliette Dol, is a French actress.

Footnotes

French male ballet dancers French choreographers 1960 births Prix Benois de la Danse winners Living people Prix de Lausanne winners Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Commanders of the Order of Cultural Merit (Monaco) {{France-dance-bio-stub