John Clifford is an American producer, director, author, choreographer, and dancer. He was the founder and artistic director of the original Los Angeles Ballet (1974–85) and the chamber-sized touring ensemble, Ballet of Los Angeles (1988–91). Before that time, Clifford was a

principal dancer A principal dancer (often shortened to principal) is a dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company. A principal may be male or female. The position is similar to that of '' soloist''; however, p ...

and choreographer (8 ballets before age 26) with George Balanchine’s

New York City Ballet New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company' ...

(1966–74). Balanchine invited him back as a guest artist numerous times, and his last performances with the company were in 1980. Clifford was the artistic director of Robert Redford's

Sundance Institute Sundance Institute is a non-profit organization founded by Robert Redford committed to the growth of independent artists. The institute is driven by its programs that discover and support independent filmmakers, theatre artists and composers fr ...

Video/Choreographer Program and produced “Pas De Deux,” a video distributed by Video Artists International (VAI). His new for-profit dance company Los Angeles Dance Theater produced for Warner Bros Theatre Ventures, Inc. a dance version of Casablanca; CASABLANCA: The Dance. The production premiered on April 5, 2005 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. Mr. Clifford is a senior répétiteur for the George Balanchine Trust and has staged numerous Balanchine ballets for the world’s greatest companies, including the

Paris Opera Ballet The Paris Opera Ballet () is a French ballet company that is an integral part of the Paris Opera. It is the oldest national ballet company, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it. It is still regarded a ...

(9), the Bolshoi Ballet (3), the Mariinsky Ballet (2), the

San Francisco Ballet San Francisco Ballet is the oldest ballet company in the United States, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet under the leadership of ballet master Adolph Bolm. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Fra ...

(3), etc., and most of the ballet companies in the United States. As a choreographer, companies such as the Deutsche Oper Ballet, Zurich Ballet, Le Ballet de Monte Carlo, Ballet du Nord (France), Maggio Danza, Rome Opéra Ballet, and the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires produced an all-Clifford program in 1985. His autobiography; BALANCHINE’S APPRENTICE: From Hollywood to New York and Back, published by the University Press of Florida, has received rave reviews in the Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Library Journal.

References

External links

Los Angeles Dance Theater home page
Art of the Pas De Deux {{DEFAULTSORT:Clifford, John Living people Ballet choreographers New York City Ballet principal dancers American male ballet dancers Balanchine Trust repetiteurs Ballet masters 1947 births