News of Note: What You Might Have Missed in October 2023
Here are the latest promotions, appointments, and departures, as well as notable awards and accomplishments, from October 2023.
Comings & Goings
Edwaard Liang has been named artistic director of The Washington Ballet. He’ll remain artistic director of BalletMet until the end of the 2023–24 season.
Alessandra Ferri has been named the next artistic director of Vienna State Ballet, succeeding Martin Schläpfer in September 2025.
Jessica Lang has been named artist in residence at Sarasota Ballet for a three-year period beginning with the current season.
Stephanie Lake has been named resident choreographer of The Australian Ballet, effective in January.
At New York City Ballet, Gilbert Bolden III and Davide Riccardo have been promoted to soloist.
At Houston Ballet, Eric Best and Danbi Kim have been promoted to soloist.
At Sarasota Ballet, Anna Pellegrino and Daniel Pratt have been promoted to first soloist, Evan Gorbell to soloist.
At Stuttgart Ballet, Henrik Erikson and Gabriel Figueredo have been promoted to soloist, Mizuki Amemiya, Christopher Kunzelmann, Daniele Silingardi, and Satchel Tanner to demi-soloist.
Shimon Ito has joined Carolina Ballet as a soloist.
Britannia Morton has been named co-CEO of Sadler’s Wells.
Michael McStraw has been appointed executive director of Chicago Dance History Project.
Elena Tupyseva has been named executive director of Royal Winnipeg Ballet, beginning November 6.
London City Ballet has relaunched, with Christopher Marney as artistic director, Kate Lyons as rehearsal director, and Sean Flanagan as general manager.
Greenwich Dance will close at the end of 2023.
Verb Ballets has rebranded as Ohio Contemporary Ballet.
Awards & Honors
Hula choreographer and teacher Patrick Makuakāne has been named a 2023 MacArthur Fellow, which includes an $800,000 unrestricted grant.
Recipients of the Mertz Gilmore Foundation Dancer Award, which includes a $14,000 unrestricted grant per year for three years, are Benjamin Akio Kimitch, Maria Bauman, Roderick George, Brandon Kazen-Maddox, Jordan Demetrius Lloyd, zavé martohardjono, and Soles of Duende (Brinda Guha, Amanda Castro, and Arielle Rosales).
At the 2023 Industry Dance Awards, Shirley MacLaine received the lifetime achievement award, Allison Faulk the Dance Innovator Award, Jennifer Jones the Dance Role Model Award, and Art and Nancy Stone the Trailblazer Award.
