Reid Anderson

Reid Bryce Anderson (born 1 April 1949) is a Canadian ballet dancer, ballet director and artistic director. He danced with the Stuttgart Ballet before returning as artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada in 1987. He returned to the Stuttgart Ballet as artistic director in 1996 and stepped down in 2018.

Biography Early life and training

Reid Anderson was born at New Westminster, British Columbia on 1 April 1949. He received his dance training at Dolores Kirkwood Academy and transferred to the Banff Centre.

Dance career Anderson began his dance career at the Royal Opera Ballet but was unhappy as a performer. In 1969, Anderson joined the Stuttgart Ballet as they were preparing for a two-week performance schedule in New York. His first piece with the company was Onegin. He became the director, and eventually artistic director, of the National Ballet of Canada in 1989. Anderson sustained the company during a tough economic recession by choreographing traditional ballet pieces and bringing Canadian and international choreographers to create new contemporary pieces. He occasionally danced in various character roles during these productions.

Return to Stuttgart Anderson returned to Stuttgart Ballet in 1996 as artistic director. He organised the company's tour to New York in 1998. He won the 2006 (German Dance Prize) in recognition of his work to improve dance in Germany, and in 2009 won the Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg.