Your February Roster Roundup: Dancers and Directors on the Move
The last few weeks have brought another exciting round of career news – check out the latest departures, appointments, promotions and more in this month’s roster round-up.
Promotions and Appointments
On January 18, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater announced the appointment of Adam W McKinney as the new Artistic Director, effective March 2023. McKinney, succeeding Susan Jaffe, will become the company’s seventh Artistic Director and first Color Director in PBT’s 54-year history.
Director of the San José Dance Theatre, ballet mistress and faculty member Mariana Zschörper was named the company’s new artistic director on January 12, effective January 1. Fellow principal and faculty member Augustus Silva was appointed Artistic Associate of SJDT.
of the Royal New Zealand Ballet Kihiro Kusukami was promoted to principal dancer for the company’s 2023 season.
Cincinnati Ballet announced the promotions of Katherine Ochoa to the soloist, Llonnis del Toro Cintra to the new dancer and Salome Tregre to the second shareholder.
On January 19, the Birmingham Royal Ballet announced the launch of BRB2, its new two-year performance program for dancers aged 18-22. BRB first soloist kit holder was appointed artistic coordinator of the second company for 2023. BRB2 founding members include Jack Easton, Frieda Kaden, momIlitno catoch, Oscar Kempsey-Fagg and Mason King. Artists of the most important companies Eric Pinto Cata, Olivia Chang Clarke, Regan Hutsell, Riku Ito, Sofia Linares, Enrique Bejarano Vidal and Lucy Waine will join BRB2 for their first UK tour from April to June.
Nashville Ballet appointed Maria Konrad as NB2 director effective immediately. Konrad was named International Outstanding Choreographer of the 2022 Youth America Grand Prix; She was formerly resident choreographer with Next Generation Ballet and served as YAGP judge and master teacher.
Farewells and new arrivals
Long-time soloist with the New York City Ballet Jared Winkel will have his farewell performance on February 4 at the David H. Koch Theater; He will appear as Prince Ivan in George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. Firebird. After retiring from the stage, Angle will join the Royal Danish Ballet as ballet master.
Dances at a gathering. Photo by Paul Kolnik, courtesy of NYCB.
NYCB also shared this principle Harrison Ball will be giving his final performance with the company at George Balanchine’s on Sunday April 30th Haieff divertimento and Jerome Robbins’ Afternoon of a Faun. Ball explained in a company press release that his retirement was due to “physical injuries that are disabling [him] from the performance [his] Duties as a Dancer,” and that he looks forward to pursuing acting and choreography in the future.
This was announced by the San Francisco Ballet Tit Helimets will be retiring as a principal dancer on February 11th. For his final appearance, he will be starring in Danielle Rowe’s new work. CRAZYas part of the company [email protected] Festival. He will remain with the SFB as the main character dancer until the 2023 season.
Oregon Ballet Theater says goodbye to 11-year-old principal Xuan Chengwho will make her final appearance with the company as the title role in August Bournonville’s La Sylphide on February 25th. She will continue her work as a principal dancer and ballet mistress with the Hong Kong Ballet.
Charles Louis Yoshiyama left Houston Ballet last month to join OBT as director. He will make his debut with the company by starring as James in the Bournonville classic.
The Houston Ballet is also saying goodbye to its principal Christopher Coomerwho will deliver his last appearances after 18 seasons Romeo and Juliet February 23 to March 5. He later becomes the company’s ballet master.
The Dance Theater of Harlem welcomes its newest member, Elias Rea former dancer with American Repertory Ballet, New Jersey Ballet, Cleveland Ballet, and the Ruth Page Civic Ballet Training Company.
Longtime member of the American Ballet Theater Corps on January 23 Connor Holloway (also recognizable as a key character in the recent “Gargouillade Gate” video series on social media) announced they are taking a leave of absence from the company to explore further artistic endeavors.
The Boston Ballet welcomed its newest member to the company, Kaitlyn Casey.
On February 9th Timothy O’Donnell will premiere his latest work as resident choreographer with the Milwaukee Ballet in Originals, the company’s triple program.
The Birmingham Royal Ballet has announced the departure of the lead actor and assistant répétiteur Laura day. After more than 10 years with BRB, she will be relocating to Australia with her fiancé, Jonathan Lo, Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Australian Ballet.
On January 7th, English National Ballet announced their guest artists for 2023: Former Lead Principal of ENB Jeffrey Cirio will return to perform at Akram Khan’s creature this spring. International star in January Brooklyn Mack (Prince Siegfried) and soloist of the Berlin State Ballet Iana Salenko (Odette/Odile) joined ENB for his performances Swan Lake.
The Atlanta Ballet announced its newest company dancers: former soloists from the Veronezh State Opera and Ballet Theatre Luis Fernando Xavier and Larissa Dal’Santo, Severin Brotschulformer soloist with the Boston Ballet Patrick Palkin, Hui Wen Peng, Evelyn Robinson and Kaitlin Matree Romans.
Karl Rosario joined the New York Theater Ballet for the 2022–23 season.
Awards and Recognitions
The Prix de Lausanne has announced the current director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet Carlos Acosta as a recipient of the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award. Acosta won a gold medal at the Prix Prix in 1990 before embarking on a successful career as a stage actress with companies such as the English National Ballet, the Royal Ballet, the National Ballet of Cuba, the Houston Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre and others pursued.
Member of the New York City Ballet Corps KJ Takahashi has won the 2023 Janice Levin Dancer Award, an annual recognition for a promising corps dancer.
