Britain’s leading modern dance creator, Russell Maliphant, has had an interesting and illustrious career, and doesn’t look like quitting any time soon, which is good news for fans of his work.
Born 1961 in Ottawa, Canada Maliphant began on his dance journey at age 10 when he studied ballet in Cheltenham, going on at the age of 16 to further his studies at the Royal Ballet School, graduating to Sadler’s Wells Ballet Company.
1988 – Left Sadler’s Wells to pursue a career as an independent dancer but found that he was not able to do all that he had hoped due to financial constraints. Works with choreographers as a performer at Laurie Booth Company, Michael Clark Company and DV8 Physical Theatre.
1994 – Began collaborating with lighting designer Michael Hulls to create productions that explore the interaction of light with the movement of the dancers, a creative work relationship that has continued to this day
1996 – Formed his own company The Russell Maliphant Company, teaching and choreographing for his own group of dancers, producing works for national and international dance companies
1991 – Began to study anatomy, physiology and biomechanics
1994 – Became a qualified Rolfing practitioner
2000 – Received an Arts Council Fellowship
2002 – Received the Time Out Live award for outstanding collaboration for his work Sheer
2003 – Received a South Bank Show dance award for the piece Choice
2003 – Created Broken Fall for Sylvie Guillem and Ballet Boyz.
– Broken Fall premiers at the Royal Opera House
– Broken Fall receives an Olivier award for best new dance production
– Working with the famous Sylvie Guillem is credited with giving Maliphant a much needed boost in recognition of his talent as a choreographer and creator of modern dance pieces
2004 – Broken Fall restaged as part of the Rise and Fall program, which included three Maliphant works.
– Received the Critics’ Circle National Dance award for best modern choreography
2005 – Became an Associate Artist of Sadler’s Wells
– Begins creating the duet PUSH upon the suggestion of Sylvie and eventually agrees to not only choreograph but dance, something he had been moving away from in order to concentrate on choreography and teaching
2006 – PUSH premiers at Sadler’s Wells, receives a South Bank Show award and an Olivier award
2009 – Creates part one of Afterlight for In the Spirit of Diaghilev, Sadler’s Wells’ celebration of Les Ballets Russes.
2010 – Creates parts two and three of Afterlight and begins touring with all 3 parts as a full evening.
2011 – Awarded honorary doctorate of arts from Plymouth University
2012 – The Rodin Project opens at Paris’s Théâtre National de Chaillot which later is adapted for film and re-titled ‘Erebus’.
2015 – Conceal / Reveal, a collaborative effort with Michael Hulls, goes on stage with wife Dana Fouras returning to dance after 10 years away raising the couple’s 3 children
Recently – Maliphant works performs at The Coronet Print Room, Notting Hill, featuring pieces ‘Wall (The Rodin Project)’, ‘One Part II’, ‘Two’ and ‘Afterlight (Part One)’
Future – Looks bright as Maliphant goes from strength to strength, building on his knowledge, skill and passion of creating unique modern dance pieces combining dance moves with lighting.