Julie Kent, Washington Ballet AD, joins Houston Ballet as co-AD

[DD Driver]

 

From Julie Kent's instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj-xVLsLaNf/

 

"Wanted to share my news… and my gratitude, pride and excitement ♥️🙏🏻💫
I am honored to serve the 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 am eager to become part of the exceptional team of leadership, staff, and faculty at Houston Ballet, and especially to have the opportunity to work closely with their extraordinary artists. I look forward to sharing many significant milestones in the years ahead and making many new and meaningful relationships throughout the city.
 
I share this news with feelings of gratitude towards, and pride in, The Washington Ballet. Washington, D.C. and The Washington Ballet will always have a special place in my heart; it is where I found my voice as an artistic director. Over seven seasons, the dancers and I have grown and learned together, always dancing forward to new opportunities.
 
It is precisely because of how far we’ve all come in the last seven years, and particularly the last three years, that I know that this is the right moment for me, and for the Company, to look towards the future. Our dancers are reaching new artistic peaks, our School and Community programs continue to grow in all corners of the city, and our company is authentically, intentionally building an organizational culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
 
Victor and I are deeply proud of our contributions to all facets of the organization. We look forward to continuing to lead the company through this time of change.
 
I feel tremendous gratitude to my Washington Ballet family, thrilled to be joining a new family in Houston, and hopeful for all that lies ahead.
 
Onward, always.

[Sophoife]

So Stanton Welch will either be looking for a new job or turning his focus to full time choreography within the next two years...

[miliosr]

11 hours ago, Sophoife said:

So Stanton Welch will either be looking for a new job or turning his focus to full time choreography within the next two years...

My first thought was that the Houston Ballet board is bringing in Julie Kent (and, I assume, her husband Victor Barbee) now in order to achieve a gradual and seamless transition.

 

As to the quality of the hire, Kent spent three decades as a leading dancer at American Ballet Theatre and she is committed to the classical idiom - there will be no diversions on that point. Truthfully, Houston Ballet could use a pair of fresh eyes to review the company's repertory. I live in the United States and I'm hard-pressed to categorize it. Traditionally, its coordinates were directed toward London. Since Stanton Welch took over in 2003, the company has explored various trends and micro-trends from the international repertory. The result is that Houston Ballet has something of a blurred repertory (and reputation).

 

Perhaps the biggest challenge Kent will face is with its roster of male dancers. There's been a fair amount of erosion over the last decade or so as talented male dancers have moved on to (presumably) greener pastures: Luke Ingham, Aaron Robison and Joseph Walsh to San Francisco Ballet, Derek Dunn to Boston Ballet and Zecheng Liang to Pennsylvania Ballet. Currently, I would say Houston Ballet has one true male star - Connor Walsh. So, Kent will have that to address as well.

Edited October 22, 2022 by miliosr

[Sophoife]

Oh @miliosr I have no qualms at all about the artistic value of the hire(s)! Ten years ago Julie Kent guested at AusBallet's 50th anniversary gala, Manon bedroom pdd with our principal Adam Bull. And positively dragged such a wonderful emotional performance out of him, he still says what an experience working with her in the studio was. 

 

I hear what you're saying about Houston: they brought Welch's Romeo and Juliet to Melbourne a few years ago and Connor Walsh was indeed excellent. As was Karina Gonzalez Edwards. All the feels from the duo.

 

Luke Ingham of course went from AusBallet to the US, with his wife Danielle Rowe, formerly a principal here, and I believe one reason for Houston was that initial work visa sponsorship was more easily achieved there due to Oz connections.

 

The reinvigoration of AusBallet overall and particularly the men since the commencement of David Hallberg's term as AD has been an absolute pleasure to watch (the previous AD had been in place for 20 years and gone straight from principal dancer to boss). Certainly in the 3-4 years prior to COVID it seemed that fresh eyes in the studios were very much needed. I wish Miss Kent and Mr Barbee an artistically and financially successful tenure in Houston.

[Jeannette]

The Washington Ballet is very much swept in the post-COVID-19/#BLM changes going on in today’s USA. Ms Kent did her best in this difficult time, as so many winds are sweeping. I’m sure that she and her family are moving to more traditional spheres in Houston, in general terms.