In July 2023, Julie Kent will become Houston Ballet‘s first ever co-director, sharing the leadership role with current Artistic Director Stanton Welch AM.
“I am thrilled to announce that Julie Kent will be joining Houston Ballet as our first ever co-artistic director. Not only is Julie Kent ballet royalty and immensely talented – both as a dancer, coach, stager and teacher – but there is no one I would rather have as a partner to bring Houston Ballet into this next chapter. I very much look forward to what will be a highly collaborative experience that will only elevate what Houston Ballet can achieve, both artistically and as an organization,” says Welch.
Julie Kent: A Decorated Dancer and Director
During her stage career, Kent danced in all of the major classical, dramatic and neo-classical roles in works by:
- Marius Petipa
- George Balanchine
- Jerome Robbins
- Sir Frederick Ashton
- Sir Kenneth MacMillan,
- John Cranko
- Jiří Kylián
- Ronald Hynd
- Ben Stevenson OBE
- Christopher Wheeldon
Kent also originated roles for many prominent choreographers and directors, including Lar Lubovitch, Mark Morris, John Neumeier, Twyla Tharp, Alexei Ratmansky, Natalie Weir, and Stanton Welch AM.
One of American Ballet Theatre‘s most beloved ballerinas for thirty years, Kent became Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet after her retirement from ABT in 2015. She has been lauded for bringing classical works to the company along with her husband and Associate Artistic Director of TWB, Victor Barbee, and has also commissioned 26 world premieres by 17 different choreographers
Featured Photo of Julie Kent by Jayme Thornton. Courtesy of The Washington Ballet (on Houston Ballet’s website).
