Benjamin Millepied Quotes

United States, Dancer
June 10, 1977

Benjamin Millepied (born 10 June 1977) is a French dancer and choreographer, who has lived and worked in the United States after joining the New York City Ballet in 1995, where he became a soloist in 1998 and a principal in 2002. He also quickly started creating choreography for the company, and choreographed pieces for other major companies. He retired from NYCB in 2011.

Also known as Choreographer

Directing is very close to choreography; you deal with space, time, emotions, lighting, making beautiful images.

Benjamin Millepied
- Time
- Beautiful
- Space
'Swan Lake' is the most difficult thing to portray for a female ballet dancer; it really requires such specific qualities of articulation, agility, strength, and the arm work is something that takes a lot of training.

Benjamin Millepied
- Work
- Training
- Ballet

Most dancers have no awareness of how they look; half of them think they're fat. There is anorexia in the ballet world; there are those things.

Benjamin Millepied
- World
- Ballet
When you let go of your attention for a little while, do not think you may recover it whenever you please.

Benjamin Millepied
- Attention
- Please
- Recover
Nowadays I actually cook Italian-style food more than French heavy sauces. I make a good salad, some great roasted vegetables, grilled fish. I'm crazy about L.A. because at the farmers' market you find all kinds of wild mushrooms.

Benjamin Millepied
- Good
- Great
- Food
I did grow up in France, and even though I didn't go to the school or dance with the Paris Opera Ballet, I absorbed similar ideas in my training. I understand the scale of a big company. I danced for one for almost 20 years.

Benjamin Millepied
- Up
- School
- Dance
I was born in France. I grew up in Africa.

Benjamin Millepied
- Up
I am passionate about ballet.

Benjamin Millepied
- Ballet

I'm interested in films, in directing.

Benjamin Millepied