William Forsythe

William Forsythe (b. 1949, New York) is an American choreographer widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in contemporary dance. Trained at the Joffrey Ballet School, he began his career as a dancer before joining the Stuttgart Ballet, where he emerged as a choreographer. In 1984, he became director of the Frankfurt Ballet, developing a radically innovative body of work that redefined classical ballet through deconstruction, improvisation, and spatial experimentation.

Forsythe’s choreography expands the academic ballet vocabulary by rethinking its structures, drawing on influences from philosophy, architecture, and movement theory. Alongside his stage works, he has created influential installations known as “Choreographic Objects”, presented in important institutions such as the Louvre, Tate Modern, MoMA, and the Venice Biennale. Forsythe has received numerous international honors, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale.