The timing and circumstances of Jonathan Ollivier’s death could hardly have been more poignant, with the 38-year-old dancer being knocked off his motorbike just hours before he was due to give his final performance of the summer, at Sadler’s Wells theatre in London. Ollivier was one of three men sharing the lead role of Luca, the handsome, dangerous hero of Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man. His own compelling interpretation, combining a deadly restraint with magnificently visceral dancing, earned Ollivier critical acclaim and, with the production nearing the end of a successful UK and international tour, he had every reason to think of himself at the peak of his career.
Related: Tributes paid to Car Man dancer who died in collision before performance
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