Your November Roster Roundup: Dancers and Directors On the Move
This month has brought another exciting round of career news—check out the latest farewells, appointments, promotions and more in this month’s roster roundup.
Promotions and Appointments
Julie Kent will join Houston Ballet as co-artistic director alongside Stanton Welch following her six years as artistic director of The Washington Ballet. She will assume the new position at the conclusion of the 2022–23 season.
Ballet am Rhine artistic director Demis Volpi will succeed John Neumeier as artistic director of Hamburg Ballet on August 1, 2024. Neumeier has led Hamburg Ballet since 1973 and has extended his contract for a year to facilitate a smooth transition with Volpi.
Oklahoma City Ballet announced the selection of Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye as artistic director, effective immediately. Nye has served as the company’s acting artistic director since January 2022.
José Martinez has been named artistic director of Paris Opéra Ballet, effective December 5. Martinez is a former POB étoile and directed Compañía Nacional de Danza 2010–19.
Paris Opéra Ballet also shared the results of its annual concours de promotion on November 6. Bleuenn Battistoni and Antoine Kirscher have been promoted to premier danseur; Antonio Conforti, Guillaume Diop, Hohyun Kang and Clara Mousseigne to sujet; and Alexandre Boccara, Aurélien Gay, Hortense Millet-Maurin and Luna Peigné to coryphée.
Pacific Northwest Ballet artistic director Peter Boal announced the promotion of six corps members to soloist onstage following the company’s opening performance of The Seasons’ Canon: Madison Rayn Abeo, Dammiel Cruz-Garrido, Christopher D’Ariano, Amanda Morgan, Christian Poppe and Leah Terada.
New York City Ballet welcomed Dominika Afanasenkov, Sarah Harmon, Shelby Mann and Anna Snellgrove to its corps de ballet.
Norwegian National Ballet artistic director Ingrid Lorentzen promoted Ricardo Castellanos to soloist.
Following a performance of Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, Queensland Ballet artistic director Li Cunxin announced the promotion of Chiara Gonzalez to soloist.
Tulsa Ballet announced the promotions of Jun Masuda, Regina Montgomery and Nao Ota to soloist, as well as Sasha Chernjavsky, Giulia Neri and Aina Oki to demi-soloist.
Farewells and New Arrivals
Tamara Rojo and Stina Quagebeur took their final bows with English National Ballet on October 14 in a performance of Akram Khan’s Giselle,held in Paris. Rojo was a lead principal dancer and is the company’s current artistic director; she will leave to direct San Francisco Ballet later this year. First artist Quagebeur will continue to serve as ENB’s associate choreographer, a role she began in 2019.
New York City Ballet soloist Claire Kretzschmar gave her last performance with the company on October 15, appearing in George Balanchine’s Vienna Waltzes.
Houston Ballet principal Charles-Louis Yoshiyama will join Oregon Ballet Theatre as a principal starting this January, debuting with the company’s performance of La Sylphide February 18–25.
Alberta Ballet welcomes new corps de ballet member Caleb Durbin of Houston Ballet.
Fatima Andere of Dance NOW! Miami is Ballet Hispánico’s newest company dancer.
Rowan Allegra, Brodie Donougher and Julian Gan joined Grand Rapids Ballet as company artists.
Abigail Granlund joined Hong Kong Ballet as a corps de ballet member.
Tulsa Ballet welcomes new soloist Donghoon Lee of the Korean National Ballet, as well as corps members Jessica Arechavaleta of The National Ballet of Cuba and Israel Ballet’s James Lachlan Murray.
Awards and Honors
The National Ballet of Canada principal Genevieve Penn Nabity is the recipient of the 2022 Rolex Dancers First Award. The award recognizes outstanding performances in the previous season juried by members of the company staff; Penn Nabity was recognized for her exceptional performance as Odette/Odile in Karen Kain’s Swan Lake.
