Sylvie Guillem

Acting

Born: 1965-02-25
From: Paris, France
Gender: Female
Popularity: 0.1

Biography

Born in February of 1965, French ballerina Sylvie Guillem originally trained to be a gymnast before enrolling in the Paris Opera Ballet School at age 11. At 16, she was promoted into the Company and a year later, after winning the Varna International Ballet Competition, Guillem became an Etoile of the company after her first performance of Swan Lake. She went on to create a lead role for William Forsythe's modern ballet In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated in 1987, before shocking her fellow Company members, particularly Rudolf Nureyev, and leaving the Paris Opera Ballet Company to become the principal guest artist at the Royal Ballet. Guillem was often criticized for her high extensions, which were said to disturb the line of classical form. However, Guillem viewed her extreme flexibility as an asset that helped develop her reputation as a world class dancer and solidify her influential style as a pioneer of contemporary ballet.

Awards & Nominations9 won · 0 nominated

🏆 Won

Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres

2019
🏆 Won

Praemium Imperiale

2015
🏆 Won

Society of London Theatre Special Award

2015
🏆 Won

South Bank Sky Arts Award

2015
🏆 Won

Commander of the National Order of Merit

2014
🏆 Won

Officer of the Legion of Honour

2008
🏆 Won

Commander of the Order of the British Empire

2003
🏆 Won

Officer of the National Order of Merit

1999
🏆 Won

Knight of the Legion of Honour

1994