L.A. Dance Project

L.A. Dance Project (LADP) is a contemporary ballet company based in Los Angeles. It was founded in 2011 by choreographer and dancer Benjamin Millepied. It is currently made up of 7 dancers, and led by Millepied.

History
Launched in 2011 as an art collective with a commission from the Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Los Angeles Music Center., L.A. Dance Project was founded by Millepied, Nico Muhly, Nicholas Britell, art advisor Matthieu Humery and producer Charles Fabius. L.A. Dance Project premiered at Walt Disney Concert Hall on September 22, 2012. The program featured Quintett by William Forsythe, Winterbranch by Merce Cunningham, and Moving Parts by Millepied, in a collaboration with composer Nico Muhly and visual artist Christopher Wool.

Shortly after founding the company, Millepied was appointed the Director of the Paris Opera Ballet, and for two years, he ran both companies concurrently. Millepied returned to Los Angeles, and full-time to L.A. Dance Project in 2016.

International acclaim
The company has toured all over the world, performing in venues and festivals including the Edinburgh International Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Théâtre du Châtelet, Sadlers Wells, and Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.

Collaboration with Van Cleef & Arpels
Since its founding in 1896, luxury jewellery brand Van Cleef & Arpels has drawn inspiration from dance, with the first ballerina clips appearing from the Maison in the 1940s. The collaboration between L.A. Dance Project and Van Cleef & Arpels began in 2012, when Nicolas Bos, CEO of VCA, met Millepied, and the jeweller commissioned a project, the Gems trilogy. Gems, comprising Reflections (2012), Hearts and Arrows (2014) and On The Other Side (2016), marked the continuation of the collaborative relationship between Van Cleef & Arpels and choreographers, which began with George Balanchine's 1967 opus Jewels, originally suggested by Claude Arpels.

The relationship between L.A. Dance Project and Van Cleef & Arpels has continued far beyond the initial collaboration on Gems, with the Maison partnering on the creation of multiple works for the company. Most recently, to mark the premiere Millepied's Romeo and Juliet Suite, the Maison unveiled a new collection, retelling the story through jewellery pieces.

In 2021, Van Cleef & Arpels furthered their commitment to supporting the creation and performance of dance, with the Dance Reflections initiative, which, in addition to supporting L.A. Dance Project, now supports choreographers and companies around the world.

Performance space
In 2017, L.A. Dance Project opened their first designated rehearsal and performance space in Los Angeles at 2245 East Washington Boulevard. In addition to daily rehearsal, the company presents regular performances in the space, often using it to premiere new works

In addition to company repertory performances, L.A. Dance Project frequently partners with other dance companies and organisations to present their work in the performance space.

The company now offers artist residencies through the LAUNCH:LA initiative. The residency awards free use of the performance space to emerging choreographers and dance makers, also awarding them production creation and artist stipends.