Antony Tudor

Antony Tudor ( born William Cook, born April 4, 1908 in London, † April 19, 1987 in New York ) was an English ballet dancer, choreographer and dance educator.

Tudor began his professional dance training in 1928 with Marie Rambert. Early on, he began to choreograph, with 23 he wrote for Rambert Dancer cross Garter'd, later Lysistrata, The Planets and other works, which were listed in the Mercury Theatre. Jardin aux Lilas followed and Dark Elegies, probably his best known and most demanding works. Together with other dancers from Rambert company, and his future life partner Hugh Laing founded Tudor 1938, the London Ballet. 1940 the company was invited to New York City to join the Ballet Theater (later American Ballet Theatre ). Tudor was ten years resident choreographer of the Ballet Theatre, where he led resurgence both older works and new works presented, including Pillar of Fire, Romeo and Juliet, Dim Lustre and Undertow.

After retiring as a dancer in 1950 Tudor led the Ballet School of the Metropolitan Opera and taught repeatedly at the Juilliard School. 1963 to 1964 he was artistic director of the Royal Swedish Ballet. He also choreographed for the New York City Ballet. In 1973 he became professor of ballet technique in the dance department of the University of California, but had to give up work because of serious heart problems. He returned in 1974 as Deputy Art Director to the American Ballet Theatre, where he produced his last great work, The Leaves are Fading and The Tiller in the Fields.

Tudor is the recipient of the medal for Creative Arts at Brandeis University, the Dance Magazine Awards, the Capezio Award, the trading Medallions of New York City and the Kennedy Center Honors and Dance / USA.

Along with George Balanchine is considered as one of the Antony Tudor Remixer of the ballet into a modern art form. His ballets are often an expression of psychological states, the choreographic language simultaneously characterized by simplicity and elegance.

Antony Tudor was an avowed Zen Buddhist. He died at his residence in the First Zen Institute of America.