William
Forsythe

Choreographer
United States

Photo William Forsythe © Dominik Mentzos

In 2025, Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels is supporting the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company for the creation of Civil Society : Undertainment by William Forsythe.

William Forsythe has been active in the field of choreography for over 50 years. His work is acknowledged for reorienting the practice of ballet from its identification with classical repertoire to a dynamic 21st century art form. Forsythe danced with the Joffrey Ballet and later the Stuttgart Ballet, where he was appointed Resident Choreographer in 1976. In 1984, he began a 20-year tenure as director of the Ballet Frankfurt after which he founded and directed The Forsythe Company until 2015. Forsythe's deep interest in the fundamental principles of organisation of choreography has led him to produce a wide range of projects including installations, films, and web-based knowledge creation. While his work for the stage resides in the repertoire of ensembles worldwide, his installations are presented internationally in exhibitions and museums. Forsythe has been the recipient of numerous awards, which include the Golden Lion of the Venice Biennale, Der FAUST German Theatre Award and the Kyoto Price, all for lifetime achievement.