Kent will join Houston Ballet and Artistic Director Stanton Welch AM in July 2023
Houston Ballet proudly announces Julie Kent as Co-Artistic Director of Houston Ballet. Currently serving as the Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet, Kent will begin her new role in collaboration with Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch AM in July of 2023.
“The Houston Ballet board is thrilled to welcome Julie Kent to Houston Ballet,” said Kristy Bradshaw, Houston Ballet board president. “Our board has worked tirelessly to ensure our Company maintains a strong financial foundation, including working through the crisis of Hurricane Harvey and the global pandemic. It is this work that has put Houston Ballet in the position to make a bold strategic investment in our future with the addition of Ms. Kent. Julie Kent is an icon of ballet, and we are excited for her collaboration with our own icon of choreography, Stanton Welch. We are confident that this partnership will elevate Houston Ballet further and usher in a new era of growth for our Company.”
Throughout her decorated career, Julie Kent has showcased her dedication not only to the mastery of ballet, creativity and expression, but also to propelling ballet forward into the 21st century and redefining the image of the American Ballerina. Originally from Bethesda, Maryland, Kent is the longest-serving ballerina in American Ballet Theatre’s 83-year history. During her 30-year tenure with the American Ballet Theatre, she acquired a vast repertoire dancing over 100 ballets, including 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 and Christopher Wheeldon. Additionally, Kent has originated roles for many prominent choreographers and directors, including John Neumeier, Lar Lubovitch, Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp, Alexei Ratmansky, Natalie Weir, and Houston Ballet’s own Artistic Director, Stanton Welch AM. Kent and Welch previously worked together during Kent’s time as a dancer at American Ballet Theatre for Clear and Carmina Burana.
“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.”
– Artistic Director of Houston Ballet Stanton Welch AM
Highlights from Kent’s many notable achievements include: starring in Herbert Ross’ “Dancers” in 1987 and Nicholas Hytner’s “Center Stage” in 2000; the Canadian Erik Bruhn Prize in 1993 and the Russian Prix Benois de la Danse in 2000; receiving an Honorary Doctorate of Performing Arts from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2012; and earning a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from Dance Magazine, also in 2012.
Kent has served as Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet since 2016. While there, she has been applauded for bringing important classical and contemporary masterworks into the repertoire—including her and Associate Artistic Director Victor Barbee’s own critically acclaimed staging of The Sleeping Beauty, described by New York Times former chief dance critic Alastair Macaulay as “one of the world’s finer Sleeping Beauties.” During her tenure, she has also commissioned 26 world premieres by 17 different choreographers.
“I am honored to serve Houston Ballet as the first-ever co-artistic director and thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to the remarkable Houston Ballet community. I have greatly admired Stanton and his brilliant work for more than 20 years, and I am deeply excited to partner with him in launching an exhilarating next chapter. I look forward to sharing many significant milestones in the years ahead and making many new and meaningful relationships throughout the city.”
– Newly named Co-Artistic Director Julie Kent
Kent is married to The Washington Ballet’s Associate Artistic Director Victor Barbee and has two children. They will relocate to Houston in the summer of 2023, after concluding their tenures in Washington, D.C.
For more information about Houston Ballet’s 2022-2023 artistic staff, please visit houstonballet.org.
En Pointe with Houston Ballet 