Beginning July 1, 2024, Ballet Arizona will see its fourth Artistic Director at the helm – Daniela Cardim – who succeeds Ib Andersen’s quarter century of leadership.
Cardim will be moving to Phoenix from London where she is currently the Assistant Director and Associate Choreographer of New English Ballet Theatre.
About Daniela Cardim
Daniel Cardim began her dance training in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and went on to join Ballet do Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro in 1994. As a soloist, she performed lead roles in Giselle, L’après-midi d’un Faune (Nijinsky) and Suite en Blanc (Lifar).
After five years, Cardim became a company member of Dutch National Ballet and it was while in Amsterdam that her professional choreography career began. Although she had been creating dance in childhood, Cardim received her first choreographic commission for Dutch National Ballet School in 2007.
She created several more works for the main company including:
- 3 Movements for Cello & Piano (2006)
- Zaahir (2007)
- In Space (2008)
- Two Octaves Below Middle C (2009).
Most recently, she has made:
- Reset (2022, for West Australian Ballet)
- Nocturne (2022, for New English Ballet Theatre)
- Stabat Mater (2022, for Poznan Opera Ballet)
- Baroque Encounters (2023, for New English Ballet Theatre)
Cardim has also choreographed works for Ballet of Municipal Theatre of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo Dance Company (Brazil), Dutch National Ballet Junior Company (Netherlands), Birmingham Royal Ballet, English National Ballet School, and Elmhurst Ballet School (United Kingdom).
Additionally, Daniela Cardim is a teacher and mentor having worked with dancers at The Royal Ballet School, Studio Eliana Karin, Central School of Ballet, English National Ballet, Studio Wayne McGregor, Rambert Dance Company, Akram Khan Company, and Swedish Ballet School.
She also holds a bachelor’s in arts management degree from London South Bank University which she earned after retiring from the stage in 2010. This led to her relationship with New English Ballet Theatre where she began as a project manager, received a promotion to company and general manager in 2014, and then to assistant director in 2022.
“I am very excited to have Daniela Cardim join Ballet Arizona as our artistic director. Daniela brings tremendous skill as both a leader and choreographer, as well as a remarkable knowledge of the artform,” said Jami Kozemczak, Ballet Arizona’s executive director.
“She quickly won the support of our dancers and staff through her fresh, open approach that balances both the historical richness of ballet, with the desire to push the envelope with new works.
We are also looking forward to seeing how Daniela will uplift The School of Ballet Arizona and our community engagement offerings through her passion for dance education. I think this will mark an incredibly transformative and exhilarating era for the organization.”
Featured Photo of Daniela Cardim by Yebo Photography, courtesy of Ballet Arizona.
