Tonight, 60 Minutes will profile the life of one of the most talented choreographers in the business, Christopher Wheeldon. The English ballet artist won a Tony last year for his work on the hit Broadway show, “An American in Paris”, and tonight, we will learn more about the upbringing that led to him becoming one of the world’s greatest ballet choreographers.
Read on to learn more about him.
1. He Began Training as a Ballet Dancer at Age 8
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Wheeldon was born in Yeovil, Somerset. His parents were an engineer and a physical therapist, and started Wheeldon in ballet classes at the East Coker Ballet School at the ripe age of eight. Between ages 11 and 18, he attended the Royal Ballet School, and by 1991, Wheeldon had joined the Royal Ballet in London.
The impressive dancer’s accomplishments don’t end there– Wheeldon was also awarded the Gold Medal at Prix de Lausanne, an international dancing competition for young adults age 15 to 18.
Eventually, he realized he wanted a change of scenery, and therefore moved to New York in 1993. Once in the Big Apple, Wheeldon joined the New York City ballet, where he was named Soloist in 1998. After a few years of dancing with the NYCB, Wheeldon decided to focus his attention on choreography. He retired as a dancer in 2008, and became the resident choreographer of NYCB one year later.
2. He Won a Tony for ‘An American in Paris’
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Since retiring sixteen years ago, Wheeldon has choreographed more than 30 productions; according to Notable Biography, he’s worked on so many that he’s lost count of the exact number.
Perhaps his most notable accomplishment is the Tony Award for Best Choreography for the hit Broadway musical, An American in Paris, which Wheeldon also directed. In his acceptance speech, Wheeldon states, “What an amazing honor and what a wild and joyful ride this has been…Without music, there is no dance, and the ‘American in Paris’ music team is… absolutely remarkable. Every moment, every moment, in this show, is born from the music of the Gershwins.”
4. He Moved to America Because He Bought a Hoover Vacuum
Sure, this one’s weird– but it is, in fact, true. While Wheeldon was laying on the couch with a bag of frozen peas, recovering from an ankle injury, he came across a commercial for Hoover vacuums. According to Notable Biographies, the commercial promised a free plane ticket to NYC for anyone who purchased a Hoover vacuum. Wheeldon jumped at the opportunity– he bought a vacuum and claimed his plane ticket. Notable Biographies writes, “He visited the New York City Ballet (NYCB) during his trip and participated in a couple of classes as a guest. Even before leaving the city to return home, Wheeldon was invited to become a member of their company.”
Wheeldon has been likened to legendary choreographers like George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, and though he was a talented dancer, he always felt that choreography was the path chosen for him. In 2000, NYCB’s director, Peter Martins, invited Wheeldon to be the organization’s first artist in resident– the position was, in fact, created just for Wheeldon. At just 28-years-old, the hopeful choreographer excitedly accepted the offer.
4. He Was Given $1 Million to Choreograph for the Pennsylvania Ballet
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In 2004, Wheeldon was given a whopping sum of $1 million to choreograph a ballet of his choice for the Pennsylvania Ballet– he eventually settled on Swan Lake, which was one of his favorites. Though the opportunity seemed somewhat overwhelming at first, Wheeldon’s creation received wonderful reviews.
In one review, Janet Anderson of the Philadelphia City Paper wrote, “The choreographer managed the impossible, keeping all the classic’s famous moments and yet creating something magnificently, even wildly, original for Pennsylvania Ballet. ”
5. His Husband is a Yoga Instructor
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In 2013, Wheeldon married yoga instructor, Ross Rayburn. The ceremony took place on Fire Island, where the couple met. Rayburn started practicing yoga in 1997, and became a certified Anusara Yoga Teacher in 2003. By 2004, he had opened up a studio called Yogainsideout in LA.
Rayburn has taught in over 100 different cities in 24 countries, according to his website. The site reads, “Ross is known for teaching some of the most sophisticated aspects of yoga with passion, humor and clarity and is renown for his knowledge and skill in helping people with physical injuries. He has focused on yoga therapeutics for the last 10 years and has worked with a number of professional athletes and dancers.”