News of Note: What You Might Have Missed in March 2020

March 31, 2020

With COVID-19 dominating headlines, good news has a way of slipping under the radar. But despite the uncertainty, companies and artists are still looking to the future and making moves. Here are the latest promotions, appointments and transfers, plus notable awards and accomplishments from the last month.

Comings & Goings

At Boston Ballet, Tigran Mkrtchyan has been promoted to principal, Chisako Oga to soloist, Soo-bin Lee, Sun Woo Lee and Haley Schwan to second soloist, effective at the start of the 2020–21 season.

At Miami City Ballet, Nathalia Arja has been promoted to principal.

At Dutch National Ballet, Jessica Xuan and Semyon Velichko have been promoted to principal.

David Hallberg
will succeed David McAllister as artistic director of The Australian Ballet in January 2021.

David Hallberg smiles at the camera, leaning against a blank wall with his hands in his pockets.
David Hallberg

Daniel Boud, Courtesy Australian Ballet

Dresden Semperoper Ballet has named David Dawson associate choreographer, starting with the 2020–21 season. Sofiane Sylve and Marcelo Gomes will join the company in dual roles as principal dancers and ballet masters. Carlo Di Lanno will join as a principal.

Sofiane Sylve
has been appointed artistic advisor at Ballet San Antonio, and will head the School of Ballet San Antonio scheduled to open in September.

Alexandra Wells
has been appointed senior director of training and company advisor at Gibney, effective July 1.

Leonardo Sandoval
has been named National Dance Institute’s first artist in residence.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago artistic director Glenn Edgerton will step down at the end of this season. He will remain as an artistic advisor until the end of 2020.

Sol León
will step down from her position as artistic advisor/house choreographer at Nederlands Dans Theater on October 1. After stepping down from the artistic directorship in August, Paul Lightfoot will transition into the role of artistic advisor/house choreographer until December 1, at which time he will also leave the company.

Sol Leu00f3n looks back at the camera as she begins to step through a wooden door in a brown leather coat. Paul Lightfoot, dressed head to toe in black, follows behind.
Sol León and Paul Lightfoot

Rahi Rezvani, Courtesy NDT

Cervilio Miguel Amador
will retire from Cincinnati Ballet at the end of this season and step into the role of acting ballet master for the 2020–21 season. His final performances are slated for July 23–25.

Benjamin Griffiths
will retire from Pacific Northwest Ballet at the end of this season. His final performance is planned for July.

Liam Scarlet
t
has been dismissed from his artist in residence position at The Royal Ballet following a sexual misconduct investigation.

Awards & Honors

A street in Toronto has been renamed Karen Kain Way in honor of the National Ballet of Canada artistic director’s 50th anniversary with the company.

Michaela DePrince was selected for Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list.

Angela Goh has been awarded the 2020 Keir Choreographic Award ($50,000). Amrita Hepi received the Audience Choice Award ($10,000).