Clark Reid
Clark E. Reid, former principal dancer and ballet master of the Louisville Ballet, passed away at the age of 51 in August in Louisville Kentucky. Born in Grand Junction, CO, Reid joined the Louisville Ballet in 1979 and appeared in over ninety ballets during his tenure with the Company. He often remarked that he found performing a diverse range of roles the most gratifying aspect of his career. While in Louisville, Reid graced the stage in over 140 different roles. Highlights of his career included "Petrouchka," Basilio in "Don Quixote," Albrecht in "Giselle," Iago in Jose Limon's "The Moor's Pavane" and Mac in Lew Christensen's "Filling Station." Many audiences will always associate Reid for his quintessential portrayal of Billy in Eugene Loring's "Billy the Kid." Clark Reid retired from the stage in 2003.
Reid received his early training in Salt Lake City, Utah from Bene Arnold and Willam Christensen. He went on to become a mentor himself to many young dancers through his work as ballet master with the Louisville Ballet, as a faculty member with the Louisville Ballet School and the (KY) Governor's
School for the Arts as well as several other ballet/dance organizations.
Clark Reid was instrumental in the development of Choreographer's Showcase, a workshop that offered ballet dancers the opportunity to explore their own choreographic voice through setting their original pieces on their peers for the general public. Choreographer's Workshop has evolved over a decade and is now part of the Louisville Ballet's annual offerings. In 2001, he co-founded Circular Motion with Patricia Reid. Circular Motion offered integrated dance classes for students with a range of physical abilities.
Reid's longtime dance partner and former Louisville Ballet principal, Elizabeth Hartwell, commented that "If you have something solid and sturdy behind you, then you can take risks....[Clark's] physical energy, his spiritual energy and his mental energy were so strong... He really made all things possible for me."