Lar Lubovitch
Encyclopedia
Lar Lubovitch is an American choreographer and founded his own dance company, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company
in 1968. Based in New York City, he and the company have toured worldwide.
In addition to the company, Lar has also done creative work in ballet, ice-skating venues, and musical theater notably "Into the Woods
". He has played a key role in raising funds to fight AIDS
.
One of America's most versatile, popular and widely seen choreographers, Lar Lubovitch founded the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 1968 and as of 2005 had choreographed more than 100 dances for the company. Based in New York City, the company has performed in virtually all 50 American states as well as in more than 30 countries.
Starting in 1995, the company began focusing on creating dances in New York and teaching throughout the world. A prolific choreographer, during the recent 2004-05 year, Lubovitch created three new dances. The first, Love Stories, was a collaboration between the Lubovitch company and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (it premiered in Chicago in March 2005), the second, Do You Be, was created solely with the Lubovitch company in honor of Meredith Monk
and premiered in NYC in November 2004). The third, Elemental Brubeck, is a collaboration between the Lubovitch company and the San Francisco Ballet
(premiered in Paris in July 2005). Also in 2005 the Lubovitch company is collaborating with the Limón Dance Company in the creation of another new dance, and in early November the Lubovitch company stages its annual New York City season at the 850-seat Skirball Center on Washington Square
, in New York City.
Recent projects (as of 2005) have included: the Lubovitch company's world premiere of My Funny Valentine as part of the company's 2001 season in New York at City Center, and (the year before that) staging the world premiere of its acclaimed hit Men's Stories as part of the company's 2000 season in New York at the Orensanz Center for the Arts
. Recent projects also include the creation of a full-evening-length (3-act) ballet
composed by Elliot Goldenthal
based on Othello
in an unprecedented collaboration between the Lubovitch company and American Ballet Theatre
and San Francisco Ballet. Othello was broadcast nationwide on PBS's Great Performances
and nominated for an Emmy Award
.
Lubovitch works are included in the repertories of companies throughout the world, including (among others) the New York City Ballet
, American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet
, Royal Danish Ballet
, Stuttgart Ballet
, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
, Baryshnikov
's White Oak Dance Project
and Netherlands Dance Theater.
Lubovitch made his Broadway
debut in 1987 with the musical staging for the Stephen Sondheim
/ James Lapine
musical, Into the Woods
, for which he received a Tony Award
nomination. In 1993 he choreographed the highly praised dance sequences for the Broadway show The Red Shoes
. The final ballet from that show joined the repertories of American Ballet Theatre and the National Ballet of Canada
. For his work on that show, he received the 1993-94 Astaire Award from the Theater Development Fund. In 1996 he created the musical staging (and two new dances) for the Tony-Award-winning Broadway revival of The King and I
. Most recently he devised the musical staging for Walt Disney
's stage version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame
in Berlin. In 2004 he was honored with the Elan Award
for his outstanding choreography.
In addition to his work for stage, screen and television, Lubovitch has also made a notable contribution to the advancement of choreography in the field of ice dancing
. He has created dances for Olympic gold medalists John Curry
, Peggy Fleming
and Dorothy Hamill
and has choreographed a full-length ice-dancing version of The Sleeping Beauty, starring Olympic medalists Robin Cousins
and Rosalynn Sumners
. The ballet was broadcast throughout Great Britain and America. He also choreographed a TV project with Isabelle
and Paul Duchesnay
, who won the silver medal for France at the 1992 Olympics
. The show, based on The Planets
by Gustav Holst
, was broadcast by the A&E
TV-network in June 1995 and was nominated for an International Emmy Award, a Cable ACE Award and a Grammy Award
. Most recently he created two new ice dances for Paul Wylie
, a duet for Renée Roca
& Gorsha Sur
, and an ensemble piece for the Ice Theatre of New York
.
Born in Chicago, Lubovitch was educated at the University of Iowa
and the Juilliard School
in New York. His teachers at Juilliard included Antony Tudor
, José Limón
, Anna Sokolow
and Martha Graham
. He danced in numerous modern, ballet, jazz and ethnic companies before forming the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 1968.
Lubovitch's work is renowned for its musicality, rhapsodic style and sophisticated formal structures. His radiant, highly technical choreography and deeply humanistic voice have been acclaimed throughout the world.
Lar Lubovitch Dance Company
Lar Lubovitch Dance Company is a dance company based in New York City and founded by Lar Lubovitch in the late 1960s. They have performed at Carnegie Hall, and worldwide....
in 1968. Based in New York City, he and the company have toured worldwide.
In addition to the company, Lar has also done creative work in ballet, ice-skating venues, and musical theater notably "Into the Woods
Into the Woods
Into the Woods is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It debuted in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre in 1986, and premiered on Broadway in 1987. Bernadette Peters' performance as the Witch and Joanna Gleason's portrayal of the Baker's Wife brought acclaim...
". He has played a key role in raising funds to fight AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
.
One of America's most versatile, popular and widely seen choreographers, Lar Lubovitch founded the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 1968 and as of 2005 had choreographed more than 100 dances for the company. Based in New York City, the company has performed in virtually all 50 American states as well as in more than 30 countries.
Starting in 1995, the company began focusing on creating dances in New York and teaching throughout the world. A prolific choreographer, during the recent 2004-05 year, Lubovitch created three new dances. The first, Love Stories, was a collaboration between the Lubovitch company and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (it premiered in Chicago in March 2005), the second, Do You Be, was created solely with the Lubovitch company in honor of Meredith Monk
Meredith Monk
Meredith Jane Monk is an American composer, performer, director, vocalist, filmmaker, and choreographer. Since the 1960s, Monk has created multi-disciplinary works which combine music, theatre, and dance, recording extensively for ECM Records.-Life and work:Meredith Monk is primarily known for her...
and premiered in NYC in November 2004). The third, Elemental Brubeck, is a collaboration between the Lubovitch company and the San Francisco Ballet
San Francisco Ballet
The San Francisco Ballet is a ballet company, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, under the direction of Helgi Tomasson. SFB is the first professional ballet company in the United States...
(premiered in Paris in July 2005). Also in 2005 the Lubovitch company is collaborating with the Limón Dance Company in the creation of another new dance, and in early November the Lubovitch company stages its annual New York City season at the 850-seat Skirball Center on Washington Square
Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park is one of the best-known of New York City's 1,900 public parks. At 9.75 acres , it is a landmark in the Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village, as well as a meeting place and center for cultural activity...
, in New York City.
Recent projects (as of 2005) have included: the Lubovitch company's world premiere of My Funny Valentine as part of the company's 2001 season in New York at City Center, and (the year before that) staging the world premiere of its acclaimed hit Men's Stories as part of the company's 2000 season in New York at the Orensanz Center for the Arts
Angel Orensanz Center
The Angel Orensanz Center is located at 172 Norfolk Street on the Lower East Side of New York City, New York...
. Recent projects also include the creation of a full-evening-length (3-act) ballet
Othello (Ballet Score)
Othello is an orchestral score composed by Elliot Goldenthal for Lar Lubovitch's production of the ballet in 1998 and released commercially on the Varèse Sarabande label...
composed by Elliot Goldenthal
Elliot Goldenthal
Elliot Goldenthal is an American composer of contemporary classical music. He was a student of Aaron Copland and John Corigliano, and is best known for his distinctive style and ability to blend various musical styles and techniques in original and inventive ways...
based on Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
in an unprecedented collaboration between the Lubovitch company and American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
and San Francisco Ballet. Othello was broadcast nationwide on PBS's Great Performances
Great Performances
Great Performances, a television series devoted to the performing arts, has been telecast on Public Broadcasting Service public television since 1972...
and nominated for an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
.
Lubovitch works are included in the repertories of companies throughout the world, including (among others) the New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
, American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet
Paris Opera Ballet
The Paris Opera Ballet is the oldest national ballet company in the world, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it...
, Royal Danish Ballet
Royal Danish Ballet
The Royal Danish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, it originates from 1748, when the Royal Danish Theatre was founded, and was finally organized in 1771 in response to the great popularity of French and Italian styles of dance...
, Stuttgart Ballet
Stuttgart Ballet
Stuttgart Ballet was the first major German ballet company. It rose to fame in the 1960s under Artistic Director John Cranko. The company, which is renowned for presentations of full-length narrative ballets including Romeo and Juliet, Eugene Onegin, The Taming of the Shrew, John Neumeier's Die...
, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is a modern dance company based in New York, New York. It was founded in 1958 by choreographer and dancer Alvin Ailey...
, Baryshnikov
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov is a Soviet and American dancer, choreographer, and actor, often cited alongside Vaslav Nijinsky and Rudolf Nureyev as one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century. After a promising start in the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, he defected to Canada in 1974...
's White Oak Dance Project
White Oak Dance Project
The White Oak Dance Project was a dance company founded in 1990 by Mikhail Baryshnikov and Mark Morris to be the touring arm of the Baryshnikov Dance Foundation....
and Netherlands Dance Theater.
Lubovitch made his Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut in 1987 with the musical staging for the Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
/ James Lapine
James Lapine
James Lapine is an American stage director and librettist. He has won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical three times, for Into the Woods, Falsettos, and Passion. He has frequently collaborated with Stephen Sondheim and William Finn.-Biography:Lapine was born in Mansfield, Ohio and graduated...
musical, Into the Woods
Into the Woods
Into the Woods is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It debuted in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre in 1986, and premiered on Broadway in 1987. Bernadette Peters' performance as the Witch and Joanna Gleason's portrayal of the Baker's Wife brought acclaim...
, for which he received a Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
nomination. In 1993 he choreographed the highly praised dance sequences for the Broadway show The Red Shoes
The Red Shoes (musical)
The Red Shoes is a musical with a book by Marsha Norman, lyrics by Norman and Bob Merrill and music by Jule Styne...
. The final ballet from that show joined the repertories of American Ballet Theatre and the National Ballet of Canada
National Ballet of Canada
The National Ballet of Canada is Canada's largest ballet troupe. It was founded by Celia Franca in 1951 and is based in Toronto, Ontario. Based upon the unity of Canadian trained dancers in the tradition and style of England's Royal Ballet, The National is regarded as one of the premier classical...
. For his work on that show, he received the 1993-94 Astaire Award from the Theater Development Fund. In 1996 he created the musical staging (and two new dances) for the Tony-Award-winning Broadway revival of The King and I
The King and I
The King and I is a stage musical, the fifth by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The work is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon and derives from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, who became governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in...
. Most recently he devised the musical staging for Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
's stage version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is a novel by Victor Hugo published in 1831. The French title refers to the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, on which the story is centered.-Background:...
in Berlin. In 2004 he was honored with the Elan Award
Elan Award
The Elan Award is presented annually to an established choreographer. The awards ceremony, which has been often held at the Fashion Institute of Technology, also serves as an opportunity for up-and-coming choreographers to present original work....
for his outstanding choreography.
In addition to his work for stage, screen and television, Lubovitch has also made a notable contribution to the advancement of choreography in the field of ice dancing
Ice dancing
Ice dancing is a form of figure skating which draws from the world of ballroom dancing. It was first competed at the World Figure Skating Championships in 1952, but did not become a Winter Olympic Games medal sport until 1976....
. He has created dances for Olympic gold medalists John Curry
John Curry
John Anthony Curry, OBE was a British figure skater. He was the 1976 Olympic and World Champion. He was famous for combining ballet and modern dance influences into his skating.-Early life:...
, Peggy Fleming
Peggy Fleming
Peggy Gail Fleming is an American figure skater. She is the 1968 Olympic Champion in Ladies' singles and a three-time World Champion...
and Dorothy Hamill
Dorothy Hamill
Dorothy Stuart Hamill is an American figure skater. She is the 1976 Olympic champion in Ladies' Singles and 1976 World Champion.-Early life:...
and has choreographed a full-length ice-dancing version of The Sleeping Beauty, starring Olympic medalists Robin Cousins
Robin Cousins
Robert "Robin" Cousins is a British retired competitive figure skater. He is the 1980 Olympic Champion, the 1980 European champion, a three-time World medalist and four-time British national champion. He later starred in ice shows and also produced his own...
and Rosalynn Sumners
Rosalynn Sumners
Rosalynn Diane Sumners is an American ladies' singles figure skater. She was the World Junior champion in 1980, the U.S...
. The ballet was broadcast throughout Great Britain and America. He also choreographed a TV project with Isabelle
Isabelle Duchesnay
Isabelle Duchesnay is an ice dancer who competed for both Canada and France. She and her brother Paul Duchesnay were successful ice dance partners in figure skating, winning a world championship in 1991 and an Olympic silver medal in 1992.Raised in Canada, the Duchesnays started skating at an...
and Paul Duchesnay
Paul Duchesnay
Paul Duchesnay was an ice dancer who competed for both Canada and France. He and his sister Isabelle Duchesnay were a successful pair in the sport, winning a world championship in 1991 and an Olympic silver medal in 1992.Raised in Canada, the Duchesnays started skating at an early age...
, who won the silver medal for France at the 1992 Olympics
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
. The show, based on The Planets
The Planets
The Planets, Op. 32, is a seven-movement orchestral suite by the English composer Gustav Holst, written between 1914 and 1916. Each movement of the suite is named after a planet of the Solar System and its corresponding astrological character as defined by Holst...
by Gustav Holst
Gustav Holst
Gustav Theodore Holst was an English composer. He is most famous for his orchestral suite The Planets....
, was broadcast by the A&E
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
TV-network in June 1995 and was nominated for an International Emmy Award, a Cable ACE Award and a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
. Most recently he created two new ice dances for Paul Wylie
Paul Wylie
Paul Stanton Wylie is an American figure skater and 1992 Olympic silver medalist.-Biography:Born in Dallas, Texas, Wylie began skating at the age of three. At age eleven, his family moved to Denver, Colorado, where he began to train with Carlo Fassi...
, a duet for Renée Roca
Renee Roca
Renée Roca is an American ice dancer and choreographer. She is a three-time U.S. national champion with different partners. Competing with partner Donald Adair, she is the 1986 U.S. national champion. She later teamed up with Russian skater Gorsha Sur, with whom she is the 1993 and 1995 U.S...
& Gorsha Sur
Gorsha Sur
Georgi 'Gorsha' Sur is a former ice dancer who represented the United States and the Soviet Union. With Svetlana Liapina for the Soviet Union, he is a two-time World Junior medalist. With Renée Roca for the U.S., he is a two-time U.S...
, and an ensemble piece for the Ice Theatre of New York
Ice Theatre of New York
The Ice Theatre of New York is a professional figure skating group that performs modern dance choreography on ice. It was founded in 1984 by Moira North, and is currently based at the Chelsea Piers rink complex in New York City. David Liu was appointed Co-Artistic Director for the 2007-2008 season...
.
Born in Chicago, Lubovitch was educated at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
and the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
in New York. His teachers at Juilliard included Antony Tudor
Antony Tudor
Antony Tudor was an English ballet choreographer, teacher and dancer.-Biography:Tudor, born William Cook, discovered dance accidentally. He began dancing professionally with Marie Rambert in 1928, becoming general assistant for her Ballet Club the next year...
, José Limón
José Limón
José Arcadio Limón was a pioneer in the field of modern dance and choreography. In 1928, at age 20, he moved to New York City where he studied under Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman. In 1946, Limón founded the José Limón Dance Company...
, Anna Sokolow
Anna Sokolow
Anna Sokolow was a Jewish American dancer and choreographer.-Training:...
and Martha Graham
Martha Graham
Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...
. He danced in numerous modern, ballet, jazz and ethnic companies before forming the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 1968.
Lubovitch's work is renowned for its musicality, rhapsodic style and sophisticated formal structures. His radiant, highly technical choreography and deeply humanistic voice have been acclaimed throughout the world.