Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, he learnt his ropes at the University of Cape Town Ballet Company, and then continued as a dancer with the Cape Performing Arts Board (CAPAB). In 1965, he left South Africa to experience the European cultural scene. First, he was engaged by London’s Festival Ballet (later English National Ballet), then – the Zürich Opera, Switzerland, to finally move to Germany in 1970 to join the fledgling ballet company of Frankfurt Opera led by John Neumeier.
On John Neumeier’s nomination as ballet director to the Hamburg State Opera in 1973, Mr Hughes transfered with him up north and was engaged as solist and ballet master. Even though he has now retired from the Hamburg Ballet, he continues to work for John Neumeier mounting his works throughout the world. The ballet companies for which he has mounted Neumeier ballets include: Münich Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Bolshoi Moscow, Tokyo Ballet, Ballet of La Scala Milan, Monte Carlo Ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre. He also leads ballet seminars for adults and is a lecturer on ballet history at the the John Neumeier Ballet School, Hamburg.
Photo: Ewa Krasucka
