Paul Christiano (choreographer)
American choreographer
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Paul Philip Christiano (February 4, 1976 – c. August 1, 2015) was an American choreographer and dancer, known for his work and career in Chicago, Illinois.
Paul Christiano | |
|---|---|
| Born | Paul Philip Christiano[1] February 4, 1976[1] |
| Died | c. August 1, 2015 (aged 39)[2] Forest Park, Illinois, US[2] |
| Occupations | Choreographer, dancer |
Career
Christiano started out as a gymnast.[3][4] By age twelve, he moved into dance.[3] After high school, he spent three years on a scholarship with the Lou Conte Dance Studio.[3] He joined Hubbard Street II in 1998, Thodos Dance Chicago in 1999, and Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2008.[5] He worked for Joffrey Ballet.[6] As a contemporary concert dancer, he was lauded for his "wondrous skills"[7] and "striking acrobatic skill".[8]
In 2001, he received a Ruth Page Award for his first choreographic effort, Miracle, Interrupted.[9][10] His choreographed works have since been featured in the repertories of Thodos Dance Chicago, Joffrey Ballet, and River North Dance Chicago,[11] among other dance companies.
Personal life
Christiano grew up in the western suburb of Bartlett.[2][3] In 1999, he stepped into a federal sting operation when he ordered child pornography.[12] He avoided prison but was permanently added to the Illinois sex offender registry, and received five years of state-ordered therapy.[12][13] The presence of Christiano's name on the registry frequently interrupted his career.[2] He became "an outcast",[14] made several suicide attempts,[13] and volunteered for US-based pedophilia advocacy group "B4U-ACT".[15][16] He poisoned and killed himself at the age of 39:[2]
"Paul Christiano, who would kill himself six months later after an incident around misreporting his address to the police. [...] There was an inconsistency in the records he gave, and rather than face almost certain prison time, he decided to take his own life."[17]
Selected choreographed works
Awards
- 2001: Ruth Page Award, for Miracle, Interrupted[9][10]
- 2001: One of Chicago Tribune's "Chicagoans of the Year"[22]
- 2002: Illinois Arts Council Artist Fellowship Award[23]
- 2003: COTY (Choreographer of the Year) Award, from Dance Chicago[24]
- 2003: Chicago Magazine "Dancer of the year"[25]
- 2010: One of Time Out's "Dancing Men of 2010"[26]