Joffrey History | Artist Detail | Management
Michael Anderson joined The Joffrey Ballet in September 1993, after dancing with The Joffrey II Dancers. He was also a scholarship student at The Joffrey Ballet School in the summer of 1992.
Prior to joining The Joffrey, Anderson danced with Tulsa (OK) Ballet Theatre (1992), Michigan Ballet Theatre (1989-92) and The American Folk Ballet (1987-91). While at the American Folk Ballet, he appeared in “Distant Dance,” a public television documentary about the company’s 1990 tour in the Soviet Union. Anderson has performed as a guest artist with numerous companies throughout his tenure with The Joffrey, including Noriko Hara’s Ballet Company in Hiroshima, Japan (1998-1999), The Metropolitan Ballet of Caracas, Venezuela (1995), Nevada Dance Theatre (1995), and Mobile (AL) Ballet (1993-2000). His guest roles have included Prince Desiree in THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, Albrecht in GISELLE, the Moor in PETROUSHKA, Cavalier and Snow King in NUTCRACKER, Franz in COPPELIA and Jonathan in DRACULA.
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Anderson received his early ballet training from Gaye Thurston Ekker, Burch Mann and San Christopher in Cedar City, Utah. He continued his training, in Rochester, Mich., at the Rochester School of Ballet (1989-92) with Cornelia Sampson, and in Seattle at Pacific Northwest Ballet School (1990-91) with Francia Russell and Flemming Halby. He graduated from Southern Utah University and went on to receive a Masters degree from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Among an extensive list of repertory danced with The Joffrey Ballet, Anderson’s roles have included Drosselmeyer and the Mouse King in Robert Joffrey’s THE NUTCRACKER, the Caller in Agnes de Milles’ RODEO, and the Manager in Leonide Massine’s PARADE. Tony Award-winning choreographer Ann Reinking created a role on Anderson in her tribute to Barbara Streisand, featured in Gerald Arpino’s groundbreaking LEGENDS. Other roles have been created on Anderson while at The Joffrey by choreographers such as Laura Dean, Peter Pucci and Ann Marie DeAngelo. It is during this type of creative process that Anderson finds his greatest fulfillment.
In 1996, Anderson was recognized by the state of Utah as a Utahn who has made significant contributions to the well being and perpetuation of the arts in the State.
Anderson’s has also enjoyed choreographing and has worked on several projects over the past year in Chicago, Detroit and Japan. His most recent ballet, HEART STRINGS, premiered in November 2001 as part of the new choreographers showcase with Dance Chicago.