Charles Askegard
Charles Askegard is an American ballet dancer and ballet master at Pennsylvania Ballet.
Early life and education
Askegard was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 6 January 1969 and began his dance training at the age of five with Loyce Houlton and the Minnesota Dance Theatre. He continued his studies in Minneapolis until the age of 16, spending one summer at the School of American Ballet.Career
Askegard joined Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in 1987, and was promoted to soloist in 1992. In 1997, he left ABT to join New York City Ballet as a soloist and was promoted to principal the next year.Askegard appeared in PBS's Live from Lincoln Center broadcast, "New York City Ballet's Diamond Project: Ten Years of New Choreography" in 2002, dancing in Them Twos and two years later in the Live from Lincoln Center broadcast, "Lincoln Center Celebrates Balanchine 100," in Vienna Waltzes. He has been a guest artist with Pacific Northwest Ballet, of South Florida, Bayerisches Staatsballett, Philippine Ballet Theatre, and Stars of American Ballet. He also appeared in Fred Wiseman's 1995 documentary film Ballet.
Askegard danced his farewell performance the last day of the fall 2011 season, Sunday, October 9; the program consisted of the Diamonds pas de deux from Jewels, Episodes, In Memory of... and Western Symphony. He planned to form his own ballet company, Ballet Next, with former ABT principal dancer Michele Wiles.
Personal life
Askegard was married to author Candace Bushnell from 2002 to 2012.Repertory
Created roles
[Peter Martins]
HarmonielehreRiver of LightSwan LakeThem TwosThou Swell- ''Viva Verdi''
[Eliot Feld]
- ''Organon''
[Robert La Fosse]
- ''Duke!''
Helgi Tomasson">Helgi Tómasson (dancer)">Helgi Tomasson
Prism, Diamond Project, 2000[Christopher Wheeldon]
Featured roles
[George Balanchine]
Allegro BrillanteApolloBrahms-Schoenberg QuartetConcerto BaroccoCoppéliaCortège HongroisFirebirdThe Four TemperamentsJewels: DiamondsIvesianaKammermusik No. 2Liebeslieder WalzerA Midsummer Night's DreamMonumentum pro GesualdoMovements for Piano and OrchestraThe NutcrackerOrpheusRobert Schumann's DavidsbündlertänzeScotch SymphonySerenadeStars and StripesStravinsky Violin ConcertoSwan LakeSymphony in CTschaikovsky Pas de DeuxTschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3Union JackVienna WaltzesWalpurgisnacht BalletWestern Symphony- ''Who Cares?''
[Jerome Robbins]
The Four SeasonsGlass PiecesIn Memory of...In the Night- ''Ives, Songs''
[Peter Martins]
Barber Violin ConcertoFearful SymmetriesMorgenNaïve and Sentimental MusicThe Sleeping Beauty- ''The Waltz Project''