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The 2004 winner is Peter Wright
The nominations:
John Ashford, Robert Cohan, Peter Wright.
More information about each artist is illustrated below:
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John Ashford
John Ashford CBE was the first Theatre Editor at Time Out magazine, and has been Manager of the Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court, and the Director of the Theatre at the ICA. In 1987 he was appointed Director of the Place Theatre by Robin Howard. He has established the theatre as Britain’s busiest dance venue, promoting the early works of companies including DV8, Adventures in Motion Pictures and Random Dance. He introduced the first London performances, among others, of Wim Vandekeybus, Sasha Waltz and Rui Horta.
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Robert Cohan
Robert Cohan CBE was co-founder of The Place and London Contemporary Dance School with Robin Howard and, subsequently, Artistic Director of London Contemporary Dance Theatre, thus laying the foundations for the popular explosion of modern dance that occurred in the Seventies. As choreographer, teacher, director and dancer Cohan has made a profound contribution to the development of modern dance in Britain. Among the many choreographers who developed under his aegis are Robert North, Darshan Singh Bhuller and Siobhan Davies. His many dance works include Cell, Masque of Separation, Waterless Method of Swimming Instruction, Nympheas, Stabat Mater and Forest. Cohan celebrates his eightieth birthday in 2005.
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Peter Wright
Sir Peter Wright’s contribution to ballet culture is manifold. His versions of classics such as Coppélia, Giselle, The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake, stand out for a combination of historical accuracy and dramatic immediacy; his exploration of past traditions is thus constantly enlivened by a refined sense of theatre, through which the classics come successfully to life. A former dancer of Ballets Jooss, Associate Director of the Royal Ballet and Director of the Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet/Birmingham Royal Ballet, he has also been instrumental in preserving, continuing and promoting British choreography. His work has inspired generations of dancers, dance practitioners, dance writers and dance historians, making them appreciate in full what “theatre” dance truly is. .
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Picture credits
Christopher Bruce © Bill Cooper,
John Ashford © The Place,
Robert Cohan © Robert Cohan,
Peter Wright © Richard Farley.
All text is © copyright of the Critics' Circle / National Dance Awards.
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