Bournonville, August

(born Aug. 21, 1805, Copenhagen, Den.—died Nov. 30, 1879, Copenhagen) Danish dancer, choreographer, and director of the Royal Danish Ballet for almost 50 years. After studying and performing in Paris and Copenhagen, in 1830 he became director and choreographer of the Royal Danish Ballet, where he continued to dance until 1848. He established the Danish style, characterized by bravura dancing and expressive mime. Many of his ballets were based on observations he made while on tour; (1842), for example, was inspired by a trip to Italy.

Find more information on Bournonville, August. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on Bournonville, August.