:Alonzo King
{{Short description|American dancer and choreographer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Alonzo King
| image = Alonzo King.jpg
| caption = Alonzo King
| birth_date = {{Birth year|1952}}
| birth_place = Albany, Georgia, U.S.{{cite web|url=http://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/first-time-celebrated-choreographer-alonzo-king-brings-ballet-company-home-state/
|author= Cynthia Bond Perry |work= The Atlanta Magazine |title=For the first time, celebrated choreographer Alonzo King brings his ballet company to his home state |date= January 1, 2017 |access-date= October 24, 2017}}
| occupation = Dancer, Choreographer
| years_active = 1981–present
| awards = Dance Magazine Award, 2020; Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, 2015; San Francisco Museum & Historical Society San Francisco Treasure Award, 2012; Jacob's Pillow Dance Creativity Award, 2008; Bessie Award for Choreographer/Creator, 2005; Kennedy Center Master of Choreography, 2005
| website = {{URL|linesballet.org}}
}}
Alonzo King, born in Georgia to civil-rights activists Slater King and Valencia King Nelson, is an American dancer and choreographer based in San Francisco.{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/entertainment/arts-theater/article/Meet-Alonzo-King-LINES-choreographer-5449228.php
|author= Molly Glentzer |work= Chron |title=Meet: Alonzo King, LINES choreographer |date= May 2, 2014 |access-date= October 24, 2017}} King grew up in Georgia and California, and, as an adult, decided his contribution would be teaching and choreography. In 1982, having established himself as a well-respected teacher, he founded Alonzo King LINES Ballet. Believing that everyone has the potential to grow through dance, seven years later he opened what was then known as the San Francisco Dance Center, offering classes for both professionals and the community.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-02|title=Dance Magazine Award Honoree: Alonzo King|url=https://www.dancemagazine.com/alonzo-king-2649041571.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1?rebelltitem=1|access-date=2021-01-05|website=Dance Magazine|language=en}}
Alonzo holds Honorary Doctorate Degrees from The Juilliard School,{{Cite web|title=Choreographer Alonzo King, Actress Rita Moreno, and Composer Kaija Saariaho to Receive Honorary Doctorates at Juilliard's 114th Commencement Ceremony on May 24, 2019 {{!}} The Juilliard School|url=https://www.juilliard.edu/news/139111/choreographer-alonzo-king-actress-rita-moreno-and-composer-kaija-saariaho-receive|access-date=2021-01-05|website=www.juilliard.edu}} California Institute of the Arts,{{Cite web|title=Honorary Degree Recipients|url=https://calarts.edu/about/institute/history/honorary-degree-recipients|access-date=2021-01-05|website=CalArts|language=en-US}} and Dominican University of California.
Alonzo King LINES Ballet
In 1982, upon relocating back to California, King founded Alonzo King LINES Ballet,{{cite web|url=http://swarthmorephoenix.com/2017/10/12/through-sound-and-shape-alonzo-king-lines-ballet-performance/ |author= Jessica Yang |work= The Phoenix |title=Through sound and shape: Alonzo King LINES Ballet performance |date= October 12, 2017 |access-date= October 24, 2017}} which premiered at the San Francisco State's McKenna Theater. Sharing his choreography around the world, LINES Ballet performs bi-annual home seasons at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco,{{cite web|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/05/02/alonzo-king-lines-ballet-presents-figures-of-speech/|author= Andrew Gilbert |work= The Mercury News |title=Choreographer Alonzo King sets new work to crisis of vanishing words |date= May 2, 2017 |access-date= October 24, 2017}} and also maintains an international touring schedule including a recent set of performances in Hong Kong of The Propelled Heart in September 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.scmp.com/culture/arts-entertainment/article/2109657/arts-review-propelled-heart-lisa-fischer-shines-alonzo |author= Natasha Rogai |work= South China Morning Post |title=Arts review: The Propelled Heart – Lisa Fischer shines with Alonzo King Lines Ballet from Frisco – Translating an Indian guru's philosophical concept into choreography was a tough challenge, but the energetic dancers match Fischer's vocals wonderfully |date= September 4, 2017 |access-date= October 24, 2017}}
Awards and recognition
King is the recipient of numerous awards including an NEA choreographic fellowship, San Francisco Mayor's Award, a Jacob's Pillow Creativity Award, and Kennedy Center Master of Choreography which was awarded in 2005.{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwdance/article/Alonzo-King-LINES-Ballet-Announces-Spring-Season-54-14-2017030 |work= Broadway World |title=Alonzo King LINES Ballet Announces Spring Season, 5/4-14 |date= March 1, 2017 |access-date= October 24, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2016/03/cfa-alonzokingballet.html |work= Virginia Tech News |title=Alonzo King LINES Ballet infuses classical dance traditions with bold movement |date= March 14, 2016 |access-date= October 24, 2017}} In 2020, he was one of five honorees of the Dance Magazine Awards.{{Cite web|orig-date=September 22, 2020|date=September 25, 2020|first=Joshua |last=Kosman|title=S.F. choreographer Alonzo King honored by Dance Magazine|url=https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/dance/choreographer-alonzo-king-honored-by-dance-magazine|access-date=2021-01-05|website= San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide|language=en-US}}
In addition to his work for LINES Ballet, King's choreography is also in the repertoire of other dance companies including The Royal Swedish Ballet, Ballet Frankfurt, Ballet Béjart, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Hong Kong Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.{{cite web|url=http://www.amnews.com/2017/01/09/alonzo-king-lines-ballet-performs-in-danville-during-two-day-residency/
|author= Mandy Prather |work= The Advocate-Messenger |title=Alonzo King LINES Ballet performs in Danville during two-day residency |date= January 9, 2017 |access-date= October 24, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/105707/homans-alonzo-king-ballet-mediterranean|author= Jennifer Homans |work= New Republic Magazine |title=Meet: The Universalist |date= August 2, 2012 |access-date= October 24, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-19-ca-35979-story.html
|author= Zan Dubin |work= LA Times |title=Meet: Alonzo King's Intersecting LINES : Dance: The choreographer, whose troupe is at the Irvine Barclay Theatre tonight, is interested in what unites people |date= March 19, 1994 |access-date= October 24, 2017}}
Selected works
- 2013: Meyer
- 2012: AZIMUTH, Constellation
- 2011: Resin, Figures of Thought
- 2010: Writing Ground, Wheel in the Middle of the Field
- 2009: Scheherazade, Refraction, Dust and Light
- 2008: The Radius of Convergence, The Steady Articulation of Perseverance
- 2007: Rasa, Irregular Pearl, Long River, High Sky
- 2006: Sky Clad, Migration
- 2005: The Moroccan Project, Handel, Salt, Odd Fellow, Satoh
- 2004: Before the Blues, Rite of Spring, Baker Fix, Coleman Hawkins, The Patience of Aridity, Waiting for Petrichor
- 2003: Heart Song, Syzmanski's Vibraphone Quartet
- 2002: Road, Splash, Koto
- 2001: The People of the Forest, The Heart's Natural Inclination
- 2000: Following the Subtle Current Upstream, Soothing the Enemy, Riley, Tango, In to Get Out
- 1999: Shostakovich String Quartet
- 1998: Hovering Slightly Above Ground, Who Dressed You Like a Foreigner?, Tarab, Long Straight Line, Map, Land Forms
- 1997: String Trio, Suite Etta, Three Stops On the Way Home, Handel Trio
- 1996: Klang, Sacred Text, Handel Pas de Deux, Ground
- 1995: Signs and Wonders, Rock, String Quartet
- 1994: Poulenc Pas de Deux, Ocean, Along the Path
- 1993: Bach Cello Suite, Compelling Geological Evidence, Pavane
- 1992: Gurdjieff Piano Music
- 1991: Song of the Aka, Cante
- 1990: Without Wax, Toccata in D Minor
- 1989: Lila, Fallen Angel
- 1988: Awake in the Dream, Ligeti Variations, Reoccurrence
- 1987: Rain Dreaming, Granados Pas de Deux
- 1986: Prayer, Stealing Light
- 1983: Ictus
References
External links
{{Wikiquote}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1HA05ZCSmk/ LINES Ballet – The Propelled Heart] featuring Lisa Fischer
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTzMNNvgKAo/Alonzo King's LINES Ballet – Scheherazade]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPmC2MY5QsY/Alonzo King TED Talk – Stop defining yourself by what you see]
- [http://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/dance/alonzo-kings-lines-ballet Archival footage of Alonzo King LINES Ballet performing King's Migration in 2008 at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival.]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:King, Alonzo}}
Category:People from Georgia (U.S. state)