Your November Roster Roundup: Dancers and Directors on the Move
The past few weeks have brought another exciting round of dancer career news—check out the latest farewells, appointments, promotions, and more in this month’s ballet roster roundup.
Promotions and Appointments
The Royal Danish Ballet has officially appointed former principal dancer Amy Watson as artistic director. Since this past August, Watson has served as interim director after the company announced that its previous leader, Nikolaj Hübbe, was taking an indefinite leave. Hübbe had originally stated that he would step down at the conclusion of his contract in 2026, a decision that coincided with an ongoing investigation into the RDB School’s environment and teaching practices.
At Oregon Ballet Theatre, Bailey Shaw has been promoted from company artist to soloist.
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Josiah Kauffman has been named a soloist.
The following dancers have risen in the ranks at Golden State Ballet: Miranda Giles and Victoria Jenkins to principal, Chantelle Pianetta to soloist, and Isabella Bertagni and Samantha Schmidt to the corps de ballet.
New England Ballet Theatre’s Mira Sidhu has been promoted to company artist.
Lauren Fadeley Veyette, formerly daytime principal and competition coordinator with Kansas City Ballet School, has been appointed head of the Indianapolis School of Ballet.
Farewells, New Arrivals, and Guestings
In two years, at the end of the 2025–26 season, Dutch National Ballet director Ted Brandsen will step down after 23 years at the helm. Associate artistic director Rachel Beaujean will also depart at that time.
On October 10, Paris Opéra Ballet étoile Laura Hecquet took her final bow.
The Royal Ballet first artist Kevin Emerton will retire from the company in January 2025 to join The Royal Ballet School as a pre-professional–year ballet teacher.
English National Ballet has announced that lead principal Erina Takahashi will retire from her performance career with the company at the conclusion of the 2024–25 season. She will transition into a full-time role as ENB répétiteur.
The National Ballet of Canada first soloist Chelsy Meiss will retire this month after 16 years with the company. NBoC will celebrate Meiss onstage on November 23 for her farewell performance as Myrtha in Sir Peter Wright’s Giselle.
Miami City Ballet principal Jennifer Lauren has announced that she will take her final bow after the company’s run of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker in December.
After 17 years with Smuin Contemporary Ballet, Terez Dean Orr has stepped away from her full-time performance career. Orr gave her final performance as a Smuin company artist on October 20.
Jillian Barrell gave her final performance with Ballet Arizona on October 26, after 17 seasons with the company.
The Joffrey Ballet has welcomed Tenley Connors, Guillem Cabrera Espinach, Amanda Illuminati, and Scott Reed to the company.
The Washington Ballet’s newest company dancers are Felecia Baker and Akira Iida.
Leonardo Celegato and Federico Ginetti have joined Oklahoma City Ballet’s corps.
Grand Rapids Ballet says hello to new company dancers Giovanny Garibay and Ahna Lipchik.
Indianapolis Ballet welcomes Marlon Frómeta as a soloist.
Eduardo Cazarez, Florrie Geller, and Mia Steedle have joined Sacramento Ballet as company artists.
Ballet San Antonio’s new corps members are Emily Johnson, Isabella Long, Zane Snyder, and Zane Tahvildaran-Jesswein.
Royal New Zealand Ballet and West Australian Ballet have announced a guest-artist trade: WAB principal Gakuru Matsui will perform the role of Puck in RNZB’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream now through December, and RNZB soloist Kirby Selchow will appear as Carabosse in WAB’s Christmas production of The Sleeping Beauty.
Awards and Recognitions
Stuttgart Ballet was voted company of the year in the German magazine Tanz’s Critics Choice awards.
In addition, Stuttgart Ballet principal Mackenzie Brown has been nominated for the German Theater Award DER FAUST in the “Best Performer: Dance” category for her performance as Nikija in Natalia Makarova’s staging of “The Kingdom of the Shades.”
San Francisco mayor London Breed has declared October 8, 2024, as Nikisha Fogo Day in honor of the San Francisco Ballet dancer, who is the company’s first female Black principal.
The Heisman Trophy Trust has announced Misty Copeland as the recipient of its 2024 Heisman Humanitarian Award, which recognizes athletes who make a greater difference in the community.
Scottish Ballet artist Antonia Maria Cramb is the Genée gold-medal winner of the Royal Academy of Dance’s 2024 Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition.
On September 17, Richmond Ballet presented choreographer Val Caniparoli with The Lifetime Achievement Award in Dance, the company’s highest honor.
New Jersey Ballet artistic director Maria Kowroski has been nominated for Director of the Year by Dance Europe magazine.
