JAMES SEWELL

A Minneapolis native, Mr. Sewell studied the violin for nine years, and received his early dance training at the Children's Theatre Company School. At age 17, he moved to New York and began dancing with ABT II. He studied at the School of American Ballet, and with David Howard for 15 years. He was a lead dancer with Feld Ballets/NY for six years. He also has performed as a guest artist with New York City Ballet, Zvi Gottheiner and Dancers, and Denishawn. More recently, Mr. Sewell has worked with Chris Aiken and Kirstie Simson, masters of the Improvisation dance form.

 Since 1982, Mr. Sewell has choreographed more than 50 ballets, including nine for which he composed the music. More than a dozen companies in the United States and Taiwan have performed his ballets. Special projects have included New York City Ballet's Choreographic Institute (2001, 2006); a New York State Council on the Arts grant to create Independence In Dependence (1990) for Feld Ballets/NY; Aida (1998) for the Opera and 11 other opera companies; JAMES SEWELL BALLET's Amahl and the Night Visitors (1995); Musical Toys (1996) and Nutcracker: The Untold Story (1997) for the Minnesota Orchestra; and She Loves Me (2005) for the Guthrie Theater. Mr. Sewell also has received several commissions: Schoenberg Serenade (2006) and Passions (1998), a work with composer Augusta Read Thomas, for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra; Metamorphosis (2004) for the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus; Awedville (2004) for the Wharton Center for Performing Arts in East Lansing, Michigan; and Turf (2006) for the Minnesota Orchestra. Mr. Sewell received a 2002 Bush Foundation Artist Fellowship. He is a past trustee of Dance/USA and a past director of the American Composer's Forum. In 2007, he is choreographing for the Guthrie's production of 1776.