Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1972-1992 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
One business card, two compliments slips, 21 pages of photocopies, one invoice, one handwritten note, three handwritten faxes, one typed fax with handwritten annotation, 29 typed letters, one handwritten letter, four envelopes, one typed report, one set of minutes with annual accounts, two pages of Benesh Movement Notation, a five page list and one printed programme
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Kenneth MacMillan was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, and began ballet classes in Retford, England, in 1940. He joined the Sadler's Wells Ballet School in 1944 and later the Sadler's Wells Ballet but gave up dancing for choreography partly due to crippling stage fright. His first choreographic work was Somnambulism, created for the Sadler's Wells Ballet Choreographic Group in 1953 and he created works for both Royal Ballet companies throughout his career. He created significant works for The Stuttgart Ballet and his works are danced by ballet companies world-wide. He has also created work for television and cinema.
Kenneth MacMillan was Director of the Deutsche Oper Ballet in Berlin from 1966 to 1969, Artistic Director of The Royal Ballet from 1970 to 1977 and its Principal Chroreographer from 1977 until his death. He was also Associate Director of American Ballet Theatre from 1984 to 1989, and Artistic Associate of the Houston Ballet from 1989 to 1992.
Kenneth MacMillan was knighted in 1983, and he received honorary degrees from the University of Edinburgh (1976) and the Royal College of Art (1992). His awards include the Evening Standard Ballet Award (1979); Society of West End Theatre Ballet Award, 1980 and 1983; and, posthumously, the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production in 1993 for The Judas Tree; the Society of London Theatre Special Award in 1993; and the Tony Award for Best Choreography in 1994 for Carousel
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Scope and content
Kenneth MacMillan understood the importance of Benesh Movement Notation in recording his choreographic work and supported the work of the Institute of Choreology. He was a member of the Council of Management from 1973 and Vice President from 1981 becoming President in 1988. The material in this file includes correspondence with officers of the Institute including Directors Monica Parker and Andrew Ward, Librarian Irmgard Berry, Chairmen Nicholas Dromgoole and Roger Bramble, Secretary Francis Yeoh and Assistant/Technical Director Adrian Grater, as well as with John Sainsbury, the Arts Council, and the Director of The Julliard School Muriel Topaz. Topics covered include arrangements for securing rights in choreographic scores, the removal of Arts Council Funding and the need for fund raising including Gala Performances by The Royal Ballet and Ballet Rambert, efforts to create a Resource Centre for Dance, and publicising the Institute and Benesh Movement Notation through films and publications
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Allied materials area
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Notes area
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Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- MacMillan, Kenneth (Subject)
- The Institute of Choreology (Subject)
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Archivist's note
The faxes have been scanned and are stored here: https://royalacademydance.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/Files-LibraryAndArchive/Eqa254ujsC1MlwvFjBZqmCQBbp0D-2jbuuYyTKEKhcv10w?e=fX6Z13
The scan with handwritten annotation by Kenneth MacMillan has also been photocopied onto archival quality paper and the original fax housed in a mylar sleeve