60th Capezio Dance Award 2011
Tony Award Nominee “Fosse” 1999
Dance Magazine Award 2007
Hailed by the New York Times as “One of the great modern dancers of his time," Desmond Richardson is a multi-talented artist who has mastered a wide range of dance genres from his roots in hip hop , classical ,modern and contemporary ballet. Praised for his powerful dancing and singular performance quality, Richardson has been the hallmark performer who has shaped the essence of the Complexions style.
As a principal dancer and Guest artist of such notable companies as Alvin Ailey, Frankfurt Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Teatro al La Scala, Royal Swedish Opera Ballet, San Francisco ballet , Washington Ballet ,North Carolina Dance Theater, Austin ballet , Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Teatro Massimo, & Complexions Contemporary Ballet have helped shape his artistry.
When Richardson danced the title role in American Ballet Theater production of Othello The New York Times described him as “ One of the most majestic dancers to ever tread the Metropolitan Opera House stage.
Working in television, film and video in the United States and abroad, Richardson has performed with such musical artists as Michael Jackson, Prince, Aretha Franklin, En Vogue and Madonna.
He made his Broadway singing debut in the Burt Bacarach/Hal David musical revue The Look Of Love (Ann Reinking /Scott Ellis) 2003, Cast in the lead role of ‘Tony’ in Twyla Tharp Hit musical Moving Out 2004. Richardson has appeared in films such as Oscar winning movie Chicago, singing in Charles Randolph Wright’s Preaching to the Choir, featured in Patrick Swayze /Lisa Niemi film One Last Dance and the Julie Taymor film Across The Universe, as well dancing the lead role of “Beowulf” in Ms. Taymor’s adaptation of Grendel at the LA Opera and The New York State Theater. He can also be seen on DVD in Teatro al La Scala Opera Moise e Pharone sharing the stage with dance sensation Roberto Bolle conducted by Maestro Riccardo Muti.
Among his many honors are the Bessie Award, Benois De la Danse (nominee) Monarch Award, The Ailey Apex Award, Presidential Scholar in the Arts Award, NFAA Alumni Award. He and Collaborator Dwight Rhoden partnered with Prima Ballerina Diana Vishneva for her one-woman show Beauty In motion at New York City Center, Orange County Performing arts Center and in Moscow Russia. Richardson recently returned to Russia as invited guest performer to partner with the incomparable Diana Vishneva for the White Nights festival at the Mariinsky Theater in a pas de deux created for Richardson and Ms. Vishneva titled Three Point Turn. Richardson has been featured guest Artist on the world tour of the Kings Of Dance (Ardani Artists) appeared on the Fox Television hit show So You Think You Can Dance as celebrity guest performer and choreographer with Dwight Rhoden and on Hit Television show AMICI in Rome, Italy.
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