Benjamin Millepied is a former principal dancer for the New York City Ballet and the husband of Natalie Portman, whom he choreographed in Black Swan. He moved to Los Angeles in 2011 to direct the L.A. Dance Project, a new contemporary company at the Music Center. Before a conversation about his art and his plans for the company, he talked about how he encourages people to fall in love with L.A.-and with ballet.
Q. What’s the best weapon in a zombie apocalypse?
A. Knowing how to hide.
Q. What do you wake up to?
A. Los Angeles sunshine.
Q. What’s the best way to make someone fall in love with ballet?
A. The music is key. People listen to music and hear music all the time, and if the score is something they respond to musically, there’s a chance that the dance might speak to them as well.
Q. What’s your favorite brunch dish?
A. Shakshuka. [Eggs poached in tomato sauce.]
Q. If you had a boat, what would you name it?
A. Far Niente, which means something restful, peaceful, like a siesta. I’d only sail it in the Greek islands.
Q. Why did you get picked on as a kid?
A. I guess a little bit because I was a dancer, but it really wasn’t too bad. It wasn’t as bad as I’ve heard it can be in some schools here in America. And for my name of course-“Thousand Feet” was very popular to get picked on.
Q. What’s your favorite plant or flower?
A. I like herbs: lavender and rosemary and thyme. I like Mediterranean fruit trees.
Q. What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you on stage?
A. I went on tour to Taiwan years ago, and I had a very difficult role that had some incredibly complicated leaps. I consecutively fell in that same ballet that whole week in like three shows. It was sort of amazing-every show I fell in a different place.
Q. What was the best decision you’ve ever made?
A. Coming to America, coming to school in America-definitely, no question.
Q. Who was the last person to ask you for advice?
A. Often dancers-young choreographers. I try to be supportive, and also I’m now in a place I can start to commission and push people I believe in. There’s a lot of rules you learn being a choreographer-no one teaches you them. It can be helpful to be advised, to get a sense of it all, from creative to administrative issues.
Q. How do you respond to L.A. haters now that you’re a newly minted Angeleno?
A. I’m in love with L.A. I’ve been in love with L.A. for six years. I sell L.A. very well to people who don’t know L.A., and more than ever L.A. feels like a fantastic place to be.
*Photo by Aaron Salcido.