The choreographer and director Matthew Bourne has been awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours List.
Of the news Mr Bourne commented “This news has come as a great surprise to me, but I couldn’t be more thrilled and honoured to be recognised in this way,”.
“As artistic director of an independent contemporary dance company that started as a group of friends in the late 80s this comes as a very significant recognition of what that company has achieved in the last 28 years.
“I am particularly proud to be, I believe, the first dance knight outside of the National Ballet companies and would like to thank all of my colleagues in New Adventures and my friends in the wider dance and theatre communities and the loyal audiences throughout the UK, without whom, I would not still be here.”
Last year, Bourne advised that he had a confusing time coming to terms with his sexuality as a teenager. “There were a lot of ‘poof’ jibes,” he said, “which was confusing more than anything because I hadn’t yet accepted myself that I was gay. So in class I didn’t say anything, I didn’t want to draw attention to myself. One of the reasons I got into dance was that I didn’t like speaking, I felt very self-conscious.
“There are so many good role models now, which I’m glad about – people like Tom Daley. On TV in my day there were the flamboyant John Inman and Larry Grayson, that’s all,’ he adds with a laugh.
“That doesn’t help anyone. It was so different then. But I guess these things make you the person you are. Sometimes if everything’s too easy you turn out differently.”
Bourne is a two times Tony Award winner along with five Olivier Awards.
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