A Conversation With Remi Wörtmeyer, BalletMet’s New Artistic Director

This past June, Columbus, Ohio’s BalletMet named Remi Wörtmeyer as its new artistic director. The choreographer, visual artist, fashion designer, and former dancer became BalletMet’s sixth director since its founding in 1978. He succeeds Edwaard Liang, who is now the artistic director of The Washington Ballet.

Born and raised in Australia, Wörtmeyer had a notable career as a dancer with The Australian Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and, most recently, as a principal with Dutch National Ballet, where he retired in 2022. As a choreographer, he has created over 30 ballets, including works for Atlanta Ballet, Queensland Ballet, and Dutch National Ballet.

 “When BalletMet’s search committee approached me, I thought, Wow, this is a great opportunity because there is a great history of this company creating new work, and of the artistic director being a creative and choreographer,” says Wörtmeyer. “It seemed a natural fit, which was very exciting for me.”

Wörtmeyer was chosen from a pool of 80 applicants, says Susan Douglass, a BalletMet board member and chair of its search committee.

In speaking with Wörtmeyer, his unabashed belief in the art form and his excitement about a new vision for it is apparent. “I believe in the future of ballet,” he says. “It’s evolving and needs to evolve in a very positive and inclusive way, and I want to be a part of that vision for ballet and for safeguarding its future.”

Wörtmeyer is a first-time artistic director, but he comes to BalletMet with a wide-ranging set of experiences that both he and the search committee felt made him a good fit. “I am not new to directing, but to directing a ballet company,” Wörtmeyer says. Thus far, he has directed full-length ballets, musicals, operas, runway fashion shows, and films. In addition to his dance and choreographic background, he brings skills as a fashion designer, plus a global network of contacts and collaborators he can call upon to enrich the company’s programming.

As for Wörtmeyer’s broad vision for BalletMet, he says, “the repertory will be diverse and far-reaching in style. It will consist of full-length classics, reimagined classics, the very best of neoclassical and modern choreography and choreographers, new commissions, and my own work. I will also be looking into collaborations and touring.”

Wörtmeyer presented a three-year plan to the search committee, although he would not share specifics. “There was great excitement in the ideas I had about where we can go with inclusivity, diversity, and reaching out to and bringing BalletMet into the area community,” he says. “This is nothing new, in that BalletMet is already doing a fantastic job with this. The model the previous administration conscientiously put in place has had great success. For me, it’s more about continuing and building upon that legacy.”

He adds that he doesn’t plan to make big, sweeping changes in the immediate future. “I think it’s important to respect BalletMet’s history and have conversations to learn more about the company, its dancers, staff, and board and how we can work together and thrive by making slight changes as needed,” he says.

His other goals include instituting programs to nurture young talent in Columbus. “Not just dancers, but with costume, set, and other creatives, and engaging design institutions to open possibilities for collaboration,” says Wörtmeyer.

The 41-year-old comes to Columbus with his partner, theater producer, and director Malcolm Rock and their dog, Milou. While most of his career has taken place in countries where the arts typically receive more government funding, Wörtmeyer doesn’t necessarily see that as a considerable hurdle in creating great art. “In America, there is such an optimism and can-do attitude that really excites me. I see a great future for ballet in Ohio in Columbus at BalletMet.”