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'{{use dmy dates|date=March 2012}} {{Infobox person | name = Johan Kobborg | image = Johan-2006-05-15.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = Kobborg takes a curtain call at a performance of [[The Sleeping Beauty (ballet)|Sleeping Beauty]] by the Royal Ballet. | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1972|06|05|}} | birth_place = [[Odense]], [[Denmark]] | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Ballet dancer | partner = [[Alina Cojocaru]] (engaged) | parents = | children = | website = http://www.kobb.org.uk }} '''Johan Kobborg''' (born 5 June 1972 in [[Odense]], Denmark) is a [[principal dancer]] with the [[Royal Ballet]] in London. ==Early life== Johan Kobborg was born in Odense, Denmark into an artistic family; his mother is a former showgirl and actress and his brother is an actor. From a young age, he trained as a tenor, but left singing to take up dancing. ==Training== Kobborg began his professional training at the late age of {{Age|1972|1|1|1988|1|1}}, attending the Royal Danish Ballet School, where he was tutored in the [[Bournonville method]] of classical dance. He graduated in 1991. ==Professional career== After his graduation, Kobborg joined the [[Royal Danish Ballet]] and was promoted to the rank of principal dancer in 1994, following his debut in the role of James in ''[[La Sylphide]]''. He joined the Royal Ballet in 1999,<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/07/arts/dance/07kobb.html | title = A Star Dancer Looks for a New World to Conquer | first = Roslyn | last = Sulcas | date = 7 February 2007 | publisher = The New York Times | accessdate =13 July 2008}}</ref> and has danced most of the leading parts in the repertory {{mdash}} among them, the Prince (''[[The Nutcracker]]'', ''[[Cinderella (Prokofiev)|Cinderella]]''), Siegfried, Romeo, Onegin, Albrecht, Oberon, Rudolf, Des Grieux, Désiré and Prince Florimund. His guests appearances include dancing with the [[Mariinsky Ballet]], [[Bolshoi Ballet]], [[La Scala Ballet]], [[National Ballet of Canada]], [[Hamburg Ballet]], [[Stuttgart Ballet]], [[Vienna State Opera Ballet]] and [[Teatro San Carlo]], [[Naples]]. One of the highlights of his career is his partnership with Romanian ballerina, [[Alina Cojocaru]]. The partnership began in 2001 after the two danced in ''[[Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev)|Romeo and Juliet]]'' together after Cojocaru filled in for an injured [[Miyako Yoshida]]. Since then, Kobborg and Cojocaru's partnership has been named one of the greatest of all time and has even been compared to the partnership of [[Margot Fonteyn]] and [[Rudolf Nureyev]]. They have danced together not just at Covent Garden, but also worldwide due to international popularity. Despite media speculation that Kobborg would retire from the stage to replace [[Dame Monica Mason]] as Artistic Director of the Royal Ballet in 2012, it was later announced that [[Kevin O'Hare]] would be her successor. Kobborg previously declined an invitation to bid for the Directorship of the [[Royal Danish Ballet]], but in an article for the ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'' he stated that he would definitely accept such invitation to run the Royal Ballet. Since the announcement of O'Hare's appointment, press speculation about Kobborg's long term future with the company has intensified.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/dance/3671913/Johan-Kobborg-Id-jump-at-the-chance-to-run-the-Royal-Ballet.html|title=Johan Kobborg: I'd jump at the chance to run the Royal Ballet|work=Daily Telegraph, 19 March 2008 | location=London | first=Ismene | last=Brown | date=17 March 2008 | accessdate=25 May 2010}}</ref> In June 2013, he announced that he and Cojocaru would leave The Royal Ballet at the end of 2012/13 season. Their last performance in London was in ''Mayerling'' on 5 June, his 41st birthday, followed by scheduled performances on 10 and 12 July with the company in Tokyo.<ref>{{ cite web |url=http://www.roh.org.uk/news/alina-cojocaru-and-johan-kobborg-to-leave-the-royal-ballet-at-the-end-of-201213-season |title=Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg to leave The Royal Ballet at the end of 2012/13 season |accessdate=2013-06-04 }}</ref> ==Awards== Kobborg has also been the recipient of numerous prizes and awards, including the [[Rudolf Nureyev|Nureyev]] [[Nureyev International Competition|International Competition]] (Grand Prix 1994), USA International Competition, Jackson, USA (Grand Prix 1994) and the [[Erik Bruhn]] [[Erik Bruhn Competition|Competition]] (1993) and received a 2006 [[Laurence Olivier Award]] nomination for his production of ''La Sylphide''. ==On DVD== Kobborg's performance as Albrecht in ''Giselle'', alongside Alina Cojocaru as the title role was recorded in 2006 and aired in England on Boxing Day. It was released on DVD the following year. ==Personal life== Kobborg lives with his fiancée, [[Alina Cojocaru]]. Following the formation of their partnership, the two eventually fell in love and it was officially confirmed in 2005 that they were having a romantic relationship off-stage.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/body_and_soul/article1360241.ece | title = Not just anybody: Alina Cojocaru | last = Deeley | first = Laura | publisher = Times Online | accessdate =13 July 2008 | location=London | date=10 February 2007}}</ref> In May 2011, whilst Cojocaru was making a guest appearance with the [[American Ballet Theatre]], her dance partner was injured so Kobborg flew to [[New York City]] unexpectedly to fill in and surprised Cojocaru when he proposed to her on her 30th birthday at the [[Metropolitan Opera|Metropolitan Opera House]]. Their engagement was announced shortly afterwards. <ref>{{cite news| url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/at-ballet-theater-popping-the-question-after-the-plie/ | work=The New York Times | first=Roslyn | last=Sulcas | title=At Ballet Theater, Popping the Question After the Plié | date=31 May 2011}}</ref> == References == {{Reflist}} == Interviews == *[http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_05/oct05/interview_johan_kobborg.htm Ballet Magazine], Jane Simpson, October 2005 {{Ballet}} {{Authority control|VIAF=170082042}} {{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> | NAME = Kobborg, Johan | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH = 5 June 1972 | PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Odense]], Denmark | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Kobborg, Johan}} [[Category:1972 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Male ballet dancers]] [[Category:Danish ballet dancers]] [[Category:Principal dancers of The Royal Ballet]] [[Category:National Dance Award winners]] [[Category:Royal Danish Ballet principal dancers]]'