Peter Martins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Martins
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Martins at the opening night of the 2009 Metropolitan Opera
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| Born | 27 October 1946 Copenhagen, Denmark
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| Occupation | Dancer, choreographer |
| Spouse(s) | Darci Kistler (m. 1991) Lise la Cour (first marriage) |
| Children | Talicia Tove Martins Nilas Martins |
Peter Martins (born 27 October 1946) is a famous Danish former ballet dancer and choreographer. He was a top dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet and the New York City Ballet. At the New York City Ballet, he became a ballet master in 1981, working alongside legends like George Balanchine.
Peter Martins stopped dancing in 1983. He then became a main leader for the New York City Ballet. From 1990 until 2018, he was in charge of all the artistic decisions for the company.
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Early life of Peter Martins
Peter Martins was born and grew up in Copenhagen, Denmark. His father, Børge Martins, was an engineer, and his mother, Tove Christa Ornberg, was a pianist.
His aunt and uncle, Leif and Elna Ornberg, were dancers with the Royal Danish Ballet. They started teaching him ballroom dancing when he was just five years old. Peter's older sisters first tried out for the Royal Ballet of Denmark. They didn't get in, but when Peter was asked to "point his foot," he did it very well and was accepted into the school.
Peter Martins's Career in Ballet
Martins began his ballet training in 1953 with the Royal Danish Ballet. He joined the main group of dancers in 1965. By 1967, he was promoted to a soloist, meaning he performed dances by himself.
In 1970, Martins left Denmark to become a principal dancer (a lead dancer) with the New York City Ballet (NYCB). He had already performed with them as a guest dancer since 1967. Martins danced many different roles. He is especially known for his main role in Apollo and as the Cavalier in Balanchine's Nutcracker. In 1978, a documentary called Peter Martins: A Dancer was made about him.
Martins often danced with Suzanne Farrell, another famous ballerina. Later, her time with the NYCB ended in 1993. She then started her own dance company.
Leading the New York City Ballet
Peter Martins stopped dancing in 1983. He became a co-leader of the New York City Ballet with Jerome Robbins. In 1990, he became the sole Balletmaster-in-Chief. George Balanchine, a very important ballet figure, had chosen Martins to take over after him.
Early in his time as a leader, some people felt Martins was changing Balanchine's original style too much. Martins also led the School of American Ballet. This school trains most of the dancers for the New York City Ballet. He was in charge of the artistic direction of City Ballet until January 2018.
Peter Martins as a Choreographer
Martins regularly created new ballets for both companies he worked with. His first piece was Calcium Light Night in 1977. It was set to music by Charles Ives and received good reviews.
He choreographed many other ballets, including Octet and Friandises. He also created full-length ballets like The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and Romeo + Juliet. Martins even choreographed the Barbie movies Barbie in the Nutcracker and Barbie of Swan Lake. In 2000, Martins helped start the New York Choreographic Institute. This institute helps new choreographers develop their skills.
Awards and Other Work
Peter Martins received many awards for his work in dance. In 1977, he won a Dance Magazine Award. He also received an Award for Arts and Culture from the City of New York in 1981.
In 1983, he was given the title of Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog in Denmark. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 1984 for his choreography. Martins also received a Liberty Award in 1986. He was nominated for a Tony Award in 1986 for his choreography in the musical Song & Dance.
Martins was a big supporter of new and modern music. He often worked with composer John Adams. His own story, Far From Denmark, was published in 1982. In 1980, the Danish American Society named him Man of the Year. He also created an exercise program called NYCB Workout, which came out as a book in 1997. Peter Martins was honored by being added to the National Museum of Dance's Hall of Fame in 2008.
Personal Life
Peter Martins had a long relationship with Heather Watts, who was also a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet.
He was married to Lise la Cour, a ballerina he danced with in Denmark. They had a son named Nilas. After their divorce, Peter moved to America to dance with the New York City Ballet. His son, Nilas, later followed him to New York and also became a dancer with the New York City Ballet.
In 1991, Peter Martins married Darci Kistler, who was also a principal ballerina with the New York City Ballet. They have one daughter together, Talicia Tove Martins, born in 1996. His son, Nilas Martins, also became a member of the NYCB before he retired.
See also
In Spanish: Peter Martins para niños
