LA Dance Project Led by Benjamin Millepied Head to France for 3-Year Residency

Benjamin Millepied and his L.A. Dance Project set out for Arles, France this summer to begin a three-year residency sponsored by the LUMA Foundation, a European nonprofit for arts and culture. The news follows Millipied's abrupt resignation from the Paris Opera Ballet earlier this year.

French-born dancer Millepied, husband to Hollywood actress Natalie Portman, shocked dance fans in February when he suddenly announced he would be leaving his post as the Paris Opera Ballet's director of dance -- a position he held for just over a year.

Millepied married Portman in August 2012 after meeting her on the set of Black Swan, the actress' star turn as a delusional ballerina. Millepied served as a choreographer on the film. The couple resided in France during Millepied's tenure at the Paris Opera.

Now, it looks as if Millepied will be working in France once again. The dancer founded the L.A. Dance Project in 2011, and the company will stay in Arles for five nonconsecutive weeks a year per the residency, which includes performances at LUMA's Parc des Ateliers:

"The partnership will include a series of performances at the foundation's campus complex ... starting July 7. The initial series will include Millepied's "Hearts & Arrows," set to the music of Philip Glass, as well as Justin Peck's "Helix," set to music by Esa-Pekka Salonen, and a group of Merce Cunningham works set to music by John Cage."

Upon his leave from Paris Opera, Millipied defended his decision to the New York Times, stating that he was not persuaded by his wife to leave Paris and that she had "been entirely supportive of what [he] wanted to do." He maintained his mission going forward was to fortify his L.A. troupe:

"I want to fully build my vision for a dance company of our time, to respond to cultural challenges, building audiences and making dance more popular," he said. "It's time to redefine what a dance organization is today."

Watch a quick introductory video on the L.A. Dance Project below.

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TagsL.A. Dance Project, Benjamin Millepied, Philip Glass, Justin Peck, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Merce Cunningham, John Cage, Natalie Portman, Black Swan