John Neumeier is a American ballet dancer, choreographer, and director. He has been the director and chief choreographer of the Hamburg Ballet since 1973. Five years later he founded the Hamburg Ballet School, which also includes a boarding school for students. In 1996 Neumeier was made ballet director of the Hamburg State Opera. Neumeier was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, where he received his first ballet training. He later studied in Copenhagen and at the Royal Ballet School in London. He danced with the Stuttgart Ballet from 1963 to 1969, and was ballet director at the Frankfurt opera house from 1969 to 1973. He then became director and chief choreographer at the Hamburg Ballet. From 1971 through 1974 Neumeier was guest choreographer for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, where he provided repertoire and choreographed a new version of "Nutcracker". In 1992, he received the Prix Benois de la Danse as choreographer. 

February 24th, 1939 in Milwaukee (Age 85)