Dowell, Anthony (1943-…), is a British dancer and director. One of the leading male ballet dancers in the 1960’s and 1970’s, he was famous for his wit, agility, and grace in classical roles. In 1964, Dowell formed a famous partnership with English ballerina Antoinette Sibley. Their greatest successes included Monotones (1965), Enigma Variations (1968), and A Month in the Country (1976). Dowell won acclaim for his solo performances in such ballets as Romeo and Juliet (1965), Shadowplay (1967), and Manon (1974).
Anthony James Dowell was born on Feb. 16, 1943, in London. He trained at Sadler’s Wells and the Royal Ballet School, both in London, before joining the Royal Ballet Company in 1961. From 1978 to 1980, he was principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre. In 1977, he appeared with the Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev in the British director Ken Russell’s motion picture Valentino. Dowell served as artistic director of the Royal Ballet from 1986 to 2001. His productions have included Swan Lake (1987) and Sleeping Beauty, which was premiered in the United States in 1994. Dowell was knighted in 1995.
