CHRISTOPHER MARNEY is set to lead London City Ballet (LCB) as the company returns to UK and international performance venues next year.
Marney, a choreographer and teacher, previously served as Artistic Director at the Joffrey Ballet Studio Company in Chicago and Central School of Ballet in London.
He has worked internationally as a dancer for Balletboyz, Gothenburg Ballet Sweden, Ballet Biarritz France, Bern Ballet Switzerland and Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures.
As a choreographer, he created works for Ballet Black, Nutcracker at the British Museum, Eve at Sadler’s Wells and Lady Macbeth at the New National Theatre in Tokyo.
Marney was named Associate Artist of the UK Foundation for Dance and is a patron of the Chelmsford Ballet Company.
Formerly the resident company of Sadler’s Wells, the original iteration of London City Ballet closed in 1996 after 18 years under its Director and Founder, HAROLD KING, whom Marney succeeds.
He has spent over a year building the company with help from the touring company's former Administrative Director, HEATHER KNIGHT.
"With immense respect for Harold King and the lives he changed, I felt that London City Ballet’s rich history was too important to be forgotten," Marney commented.
"The company informed my own career, and seeing them as a young child provided me with my first experience of dance, spurring my enthusiasm for the art form.
"I am committed to creating a diverse and progressive company of dancers that speaks to a new generation and one that honours the leaders who paved its way."
The full company repertoire will be announced early in 2024.