Biography

English dancer, director and designer Anthony Dowell was Director of The Royal Ballet 1986–2001. As a dancer he was one of the great danseurs nobles of the 20th century. In his time with the Company he created many roles for leading choreographers, and forged an acclaimed dance partnership with Antoinette Sibley. While Director, he staged new productions of Swan Lake (1987) and The Sleeping Beauty (1995) for the Company.
Dowell was born in London and trained with June Hampshire before entering The Royal Ballet School aged ten. In 1960 he graduated into the Covent Garden Opera Ballet, transferring to The Royal Ballet the following year. He was promoted to Principal in 1966. Dowell created his first role in 1964, with Frederick Ashton’s Oberon (The Dream). The ballet also saw the beginning of Dowell’s partnership with Sibley, who created Titania. Further significant role creations included Des Grieux (Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon) and Beliaev (Ashton’s A Month in the Country). International appearances included dancing as a guest artist with American Ballet Theatre from the 1978/9 season on, and appearing in Ken Russell’s film Valentino (1977).
As a costume designer Dowell has created designs for The Royal Ballet’s productions of In the Night, Thaïs pas de deux and Symphony in C. He has also appeared as a narrator for companies including The Royal Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and the Metropolitan Opera, New York. Dowell was made a CBE in 1973 (becoming the youngest dancer to be so honoured) and was knighted in 1995. In 2002 he received the Critics' Circle De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance and in 2021 the Benois de la danse Lifetime Achievement Award.
News and features
The Royal Ballet's The Sleeping Beauty to be relayed live to cinemas on 28 February 2017
This well loved ballet holds a special place in The Royal Ballet’s repertory, more than 70 years on from its premiere.
ROH TV and radio broadcasts announced for Christmas 2015
The Christmas line-up features celebrated Royal Opera and Royal Ballet performances, including Carlos Acosta's Carmen and Jonas Kaufmann in Andrea Chénier.
ROH Students Editathon: Improving Wikipedia’s articles on dance
Our recent event set the ROH Student Ambassadors to the task of improving the online encyclopedia's articles on all things ballet.
Photos
David Drew, Monica Mason, David Wall, Jennifer Penney, Anthony Dowell and members of The Royal Ballet during the curtain call for Manon

Anthony Dowell

Antoinette Sibley as Manon and Anthony Dowell as Des Grieux in Manon

Antoinette Sibley as Manon and Anthony Dowell as Des Grieux in Manon

Anthony Dowell as the Prince, Rudolf Nureyev and Antoinette Sibley as Clara backstage for The Nutcracker (1968), The Royal Ballet. Photograph by Donald Southern.

David Wall, Kenneth MacMillan, Jennifer Penney and Anthony Dowell during the curtain call for Manon

Jacket worn by Anthony Dowell as the Prince in Act II of The Nutcracker, The Royal Ballet (1984)

Antoinette Sibley as Manon and Anthony Dowell as Des Griuex in t

Antoinette Sibley and Anthony Dowell in their dressing room after a performance of Manon
