Kelly McFarland
A tribute to Jonathan Ollivier.
Yesterday the dance world was devastated to hear the news that sadly Jonathan Ollivier had died following a motorbike collision.
Jonathan Olliver was due to perform the role of “Luca” in Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures “Car Man” at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London for the final performance at the venue.
He had been praised by critics for his performance in The Car Man.
He also previously won critical claim as the lead Swan in Bourne’s all-male Swan Lake.
Jonathan Ollivier was a ballet dancer for more than 18 years He grew up in Northampton and at 16 he studied at The Rambert Dance School.
He started his professional career in South Africa at Cape Town City Ballet.In 1999, Ollivier joined The National Ballet Theatre (now called Northern Ballet), spending eight years there playing Heathcliff in David Nixon’s Wuthering Heights and Death in Birgit Scherzer’s Requiem.
He played Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire and Hyde in Jekyll and Hyde.Ollivier spent two years in Canada as Principal dancer at the Alberta Ballet Company
He worked with Matthew Bourne on his Play Without Words and danced the role of the lead Swan/Stranger in Swan Lake.
Ollivier was nominated for a number of awards including Outstanding Young Male Artist in the National Dance Awards in 2002, Outstanding Young Male.
Matthew Bourne has paid tribute to Jonathan Ollivier :
“Yesterday we lost our Swan and our Car Man, Jonathan Ollivier was one of the most charismatic and powerful dancers of his generation.
“An intensely masculine presence tempered with tenderness and vulnerability made him the perfect casting for a string of triumphant roles in the New Adventures repertory including The Swan, the enigmatic Speight in Play Without Words and his final role as Luca in The Car Man, which he was due to dance at last night’s final performance at Sadler’s Wells.
“A man of great warmth and charm, Jonny was a true gent, loved and respected by his colleagues and adored by audiences who were mesmerised by his memorable performances on stage as well as his friendly and genuine personality at the stage door.”
Here is some footage of Jonathan performing back in 2010 in Matthew Bourne’s “Swan Lake” on a TV show in Greece.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKoQkTjV9_Q&w=420&h=315]
Here at @CelebMix our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.
