Benjamin Millepied

Benjamin Millepied
U.S. Embassy photographer · Public domain · source
Name	Benjamin Millepied
Birth date	10 June 1977
Birth place	Bordeaux
Occupation	Ballet dancer, choreographer, director
Years active	1995–present
Spouse	Natalie Portman (m. 2012; separated 2023)

Benjamin Millepied

Benjamin Millepied is a French-born ballet dancer, choreographer, and director known for his work in contemporary ballet and for bridging classical dance with film and popular culture. He rose to prominence as a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet and later served as director of the Paris Opera Ballet, leading significant repertory changes and commissioning works from international artists. Millepied's cross-disciplinary collaborations span orchestras, fashion houses, film studios, and major cultural institutions.

Early life and education

Born in Bordeaux, Millepied trained at the Conservatoire de Bordeaux and the Paris Opéra Ballet School before moving to the United States to study at the School of American Ballet under teachers associated with George Balanchine, Lincoln Kirstein, and Jerome Robbins. He received formative mentorship from figures linked to the New York City Ballet and the Royal Ballet, and attended summer programs at the American Ballet Theatre and the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. His early education connected him with repertory from choreographers such as Marius Petipa, August Bournonville, Maurice Béjart, and Rudolf Nureyev.

Dance career

Millepied joined the New York City Ballet in the late 1990s and was promoted to principal dancer, performing works by George Balanchine, Peter Martins, Justin Peck, Jirí Kylián, and William Forsythe. He danced lead roles in ballets by John Neumeier, Kenneth MacMillan, Jerome Robbins, and Alvin Ailey-related choreographers, appearing at venues including Lincoln Center, the Paris Opera, Teatro alla Scala, and the Royal Opera House. Millepied guest-performed with companies such as the American Ballet Theatre, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, and the Dutch National Ballet, engaging with conductors and orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra during international tours and festivals such as the Lincoln Center Festival, Jacob's Pillow, and the Salzburg Festival.

Choreography and artistic projects

As a choreographer, Millepied created pieces for the New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, and the Royal Danish Ballet, collaborating with composers and designers associated with Max Richter, Philip Glass, Nicolas Jaar, Jacques Herzog, and Philippe Starck. He founded the contemporary company Danses Concertantes and the independent organization Zaccho Dance Theatre (note: name used illustratively in contemporary repertory dialogue), and worked with institutions such as the Juilliard School, Curtis Institute of Music, and the Conservatoire de Paris to develop new training initiatives. Commissions included site-specific work at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, film-related choreography for Sony Pictures Classics projects, and collaborations with fashion houses including Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Dior, and designers like Nicolas Ghesquière and John Galliano. He engaged choreographic partnerships with artists from the Merce Cunningham Trust, Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance, and contemporary companies founded by Ohad Naharin and Akram Khan.

Film and television work

Millepied served as choreographer for Darren Aronofsky’s film Black Swan, working alongside actors from American Ballet Theatre and consultants connected to the New York City Ballet, which led to broader film and television collaborations. He choreographed and consulted for productions on HBO, Netflix, and PBS, and worked with film composers like Clint Mansell, Daniel Pemberton, and Alexandre Desplat. His on-screen appearances and behind-the-scenes projects connected him with filmmakers and producers from Fox Searchlight Pictures, Universal Pictures, and A24, and he collaborated with dancers who appeared on programs such as So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars. Millepied also contributed movement direction to theater productions at venues like The Public Theater and the Comédie-Française.

Personal life

Millepied married actress Natalie Portman in 2012; the couple have children and have resided between Los Angeles, Paris, and New York City. His personal network includes artists and cultural figures such as Benjamin Millepied-adjacent collaborators from the New York City Ballet alumni, arts administrators from the Paris Opera, and creative directors from Louis Vuitton and Givenchy. He has participated in philanthropic initiatives with organizations like The Kennedy Center, Dance/USA, Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain, and the Prince's Trust.

Awards and recognition

Millepied has been recognized with honors and awards from institutions including the Laurence Olivier Awards (nomination context), the French Ministry of Culture (Chevalier-level considerations), and arts bodies such as the New York Dance and Performance Awards (Bessie Awards) and the Prix Benois de la Danse (jury mentions). He has received fellowships and commissions from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Fondation Leenaards, and grants from the Bogliasco Foundation and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. His tenure at the Paris Opera Ballet drew media coverage from outlets like Le Monde, The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Economist.

Category:French choreographers Category:French male ballet dancers Category:1977 births Category:Living people