a female ballerina performing an attitude derriere arms in 3rd while wearing a purple tutu and tiara

Meet Cincinnati Ballet’s Katherine Ochoa

The Cincinnati Ballet soloist exudes a quiet confidence and curiosity, coupled with striking technique. It’s no surprise that just into her second season, the Cuban dancer had nabbed a promotion and already danced her first full-length title role, in Septime Webre’s Alice (in Wonderland).

Jodie Gates stands with her back to a ballet barre, floor to ceiling windows behind her showing a city scape at night.

Jodie Gates Named Cincinnati Ballet’s Next Artistic Director

Cincinnati Ballet announced today that it has named Jodie Gates as its new artistic director, effective August 1, 2022. Gates will take over from Victoria Morgan, who is retiring after 25 years at the helm. Gates, most recently the founding director of the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance and founder and artistic director of the Laguna Dance Festival, will inherit […]

News of Note: What You Might Have Missed in May 2021

Here are the latest promotions, appointments and departures, as well as notable awards and accomplishments, from the last month. Comings & Goings At The Royal Ballet, Fumi Kaneko and Cesar Corrales have been promoted to principal, Meghan Grace Hinkis, Nicol Edmonds and Calvin Richardson to first soloist, Gina Storm-Jensen and Joseph Sissens to soloist, and […]

News of Note: What You Might Have Missed in March 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 […]

The Nutcracker Product We Never Knew We Needed: Beer

There are Nutcracker socks, Nutcracker ugly sweaters and even Nutcracker LEGO sets. And now, for that moment when you want even more Nutcracker in your life, there’s Nutcracker beer. Ohio’s local Taft’s Brewery Company is collaborating with Cincinnati Ballet to create a Nutcracker Ale that seems to be taken straight out of the Land of […]

Over 80% of Ballets Are Still Choreographed By Men

In the past several years, ballet has been called out time and again for not fostering, presenting and commissioning the work of women. Recently, highlighting women ballet choreographers has become somewhat of a trend, with companies pioneering initiatives to try to close the gender gap, or presenting all-women programs. But numbers don’t lie, and unfortunately, […]

Can Dancers Take Mental Health Days?

In dance, pushing through pain is often glorified. Dancers can be reluctant to take time off when sick or injured for fear of missing out on opportunities. It can feel even harder to justify when the pain isn’t physical. Though it’s becoming more commonly acknowledged that mental health is just as important as physical health, […]

Doubling Down: Two New Initiatives Feature Women in the Studio and On the Stage

While there are more women making dance than ever before, the question still swirls: Do they have the same programming and mentoring opportunities as their male counterparts? This spring, Ballet West and the University of Southern California are choosing to tackle the question head-on, with performances and residencies that focus on female dancemakers. National Choreographic […]