Stephen Pier

STEPHEN PIER has achieved a uniquely rich and varied career as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer. His credits as a performer include many years as a principal dancer with the José Limón Company where he was critically acclaimed as "a dancer of tremendous taste and insight.", "highly defined, a tour de force", and “one of the most gifted dancers on the modern dance scene today.”

Stephen went on to become a leading soloist with The Hamburg Ballett performing the title roles in John Neumeier’s “Othello” and “Saint Matthew’s Passion” and creating numerous other major roles during his nine years with the company.

As a member of The Royal Danish Ballett for six years, Stephen had the privilege of dancing leading roles in works of Bournonville, Balanchine, and Macmillan as well as collaborating with many of Europe’s finest choreographers.

He was also invited to teach both the company and the school of the Royal Danish Ballet and served as ballet master for the company from 1992-1996. He has since taught on the faculty of The Alvin Ailey School, the Martha Graham Center, Regional Dance America, New York International Ballet Competition and for many notable companies in Europe, America and Asia including Company Wayne McGregor, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Atlanta Ballet, Bat Dor, Introdans , and the New National Theater, Tokyo. He was on the faculty of The Juilliard School from 1996 to 2010 where he also directed the innovative Mentoring Program. Stephen continues to teach as a trusted guest master teacher for companies and schools throughout the world.

In 2004 Stephen began PierGroupDance to explore and collaborate with dancers and other artists and art forms. He has created over 60 works for the concert stage, opera, theater, and film. His work has been presented by The Hamburg Ballett(Ger.), The Royal Danish Ballet(Denmark), Royal Danish Theater, Royal Danish Opera, Bat Dor (Israel), the New National Theater(Japan) , the Juilliard Dance Ensemble, The Di Capo Opera Company (NYC), Nilas Martins Dance Company, the Dance on Film Festival at Lincoln Center and Musuc From Japan . He was selected to be part of Jacob's Pillow Choreographer’s Project in 1998. He co-founded and directed the emerging choreographer’s workshop, “Danses”, at the Royal Danish Ballet 1990-1996

In September 2008 Stephen started a 3-year tenure as Director of Visions and Voices: Altria/ABT Women's Choreography Project at American Ballet Theater

In Februry 2010, Stephen was appointed Director of the Dance Division of The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, CT.