Michael Smuin (October 13, 1938 – April 23, 2007) was an American ballet dancer, choreographer and theatre director. He was co-founder and director of his own dance company, the Smuin Ballet in San Francisco.
Biography
Born in Missoula, Montana, Smuin was a
principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre and the San Francisco Ballet, for which he served as co-artistic director from 1973 through 1985. In 1994 he founded
Smuin Ballet.
[ He also choreographed for the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Washington Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Milwaukee Ballet.]
Smuin's Broadway theatre credits included Little Me (1962) as a dancer, Anything Goes (1987) as a choreographer, and Sophisticated Ladies (1981) and (1990) as choreographer and director. He also choreographed the 1995 West End production of Mack and Mabel.
Smuin's film credits included The Fantasticks, A Walk in the Clouds, The Joy Luck Club, The Cotton Club, and Rumble Fish.
Smuin collapsed and died of a heart attack while teaching company class in San Francisco.
Awards and nominations
- Awards
-
1984 Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography – Great Performances: Dance in America
-
1988 Tony Award for Best Choreography – Anything Goes
-
1988 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography – Anything Goes
- Nominations
-
1981 Tony Award for Best Choreography – Sophisticated Ladies
-
1981 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – Sophisticated Ladies
-
1981 Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography – Great Performances: Dance in America
External links
