.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Meet Miami City Ballet's new artistic director, the third in the company's history
When Lourdes Lopez, Miami City Ballet's artistic director, announced last February that the 2024-25 season would be her last with the company, one of the reasons she cited for stepping down was to help usher in a new chapter for the 40 year old company. 'A company needs new energy, a new way of looking at the dancers, a new way of looking at the community.'
The venerable organization may have found just that with Gonzalo Garcia, 45, who has been named MCB's new artistic director effective Aug. 11. He will be only the third artistic director since the ballet was founded in 1985 with Edward Villella, who helped launch the company, being the first.
Garcia's has spent most of his career as a principal dancer —first with the San Francisco Ballet and then New York City Ballet, where he was a principal dancer until announcing his retirement in 2022. He was appointed Repertory Director for the company and was on the faculty of the School of American Ballet at the Lincoln Center, co-founded by George Balanchine. He'll leave those two positions to lead MCB.
At 15, the native of Zaragoza, Spain, was the youngest dancer to receive a gold medal at international dance competition the Prix de Lausanne (Switzerland) in 1995. At 17, he was offered a contract to join San Francisco Ballet but decided to study one more year, joining the company in 1998. He was promoted to principal dancer at 22, one of the youngest dancers in the company to reach the status. He arrived at New York City Ballet as a principal dancer in 2007.
Garcia's known for his strong dance repertoire, which included works by Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, and for creating original roles in works by two of the contemporary choreographic masters, Justin Peck, resident choreographer and artistic advisor of New York City Ballet, and choreographer Alexei Ratmansky. For his farewell performance with NYCB in February of 2022 he danced works by Balanchine, Robbins and Peck.
It is this pedigree that led to MCB's board of directors choosing Garcia as the right fit to take the reins.
Villella, MCB's founding artistic director, worked with Balanchine as a principal dancer from 1957 to 1979 at NYCB. Legendary changemaking choreographer Jerome Robbins created his 1976 ballet 'Watermill' to be danced by Villella, among other dance partnerships with Villella. Shortly after Lopez's 16th birthday, while attending the School of American Ballet, Balanchine invited her to join the corps of NYCB, and she became principal in 1984, playing numerous roles in choreographies created by Balanchine and Robbins.
'The two artistic directors we've had both were with Balanchine and Robbins and they had that pedigree about them,' said Jeff Davis, MCB's chair of the board of trustees. 'Gonzolo was heavily trained in the Balanchine technique [and] in Jerome Robbins.'
The company's repertoire includes more than 100 ballets, with significant works by Balanchine and Robbins. It has expanded its repertoire to include contemporary choreographers including Peck and Ratmansky.
'Gonzalo is in tune with the next wave of choreographic voices,' said Davis. 'He has great connections with Justin Peck, Patricia Delgado [a former Miami City Ballet principal, she won the 2025 Best Choreography Tony Award along with husband Peck for Broadway's 'Buena Vista Social Club'], and [British choreographer] Wayne McGregor.'
Garcia mentions 'destiny' when it comes to his appointment.
'It was meant to happen. The more I went through the process, the more I felt energized and more comfortable with the idea that it was me. I kept thinking, 'that's me. I speak Spanish. I'm an immigrant. I can relate to so many people that represent the community. I also have this incredible trajectory with the Balanchine and the Robbins and these American companies that have been represented in Miami City Ballet's history. I feel like it's been like almost every step and every skill that I have acquired through my life has brought me to this place and I do believe that strongly.'
While the 40th anniversary season is already programmed, Garcia will begin working on what's next for the company, including the following season but also using his skills as 'a great collaborator.'
'I love being in the studio with dancers, I'm a teacher and an educator. I understand the different needs and technical abilities, but I also understand emotional abilities because I have danced a lot of the repertoire. I think [the company} needs someone that is going to get in there and really inspire them, reenergize them.'
Garcia also sees MCB becoming more a part of what he says is the culture that is Miami.
'The stories that are happening in Miami, maybe that can be represented on stage. And who can be the right dance maker that can bring those stories to life? That's something that I want to invest in. Miami is just simmering with potential from all areas and parts of the world and the country. I don't seek to change what's already been created, but how do we make that bigger and better and how do we add things that are representative of the community we are dancing for?'
With his background working with the School of American Ballet, he's also hoping to tap into the potential at the Miami City Ballet School.
'I want to continue teaching. How do we prepare those dancers to be future dancers not only for Miami City Ballet but also internationally to carry on the legacy,' he said. 'Who knows? We might have new choreographers there, perhaps the next Alexei Ratmansky.'
The search, according to Davis, was led by Phillip DeBoer of executive search firm DHR Global.
'We started first with surveying all of our stakeholders –our dancers, our board, community members, our funders – asking them what their vision was for the next artistic director. We also contacted artistic directors of other ballet companies, choreographers and presenters. So out of that whole process, we had about 70 prospective names.'
It considered 40 applicants. Garcia was one of two final candidates.
The new artistic director begins his role in the midst of a precarious state of the arts both in support from the state of Florida and in the federal government.
'The Miami City Ballet has a strategic plan to build an endowment, and it is a very ambitious five year plan. I am going to be very much a part of that and trying to find places that we haven't previously found support. The reality is that in order to move the company forward without certain economic support, it will be very hard to do. So we'll need to be more strategic and conservative, but still ambitious,' said Garcia.
He'll move to Miami with husband Ezra Hurwitz, an Emmy Award winning film director (he won the award for his short film 'Inside and Outwards' that was narrated by Sarah Jessica Parker and dealt with mental health during COVID), he's also worked with Tiffany & Co., Dior, Apple and Netflix. Prior to his film career, he was a professional dancer and spent eight years with the Miami City Ballet. He's looking forward to Hurwitz helping the company to expand its digital presence. 'That's something incredibly important for us to be relevant.'
Garcia says he met Hurwitz during his last year with MCB. 'I remember going to visit him in Miami and taking class with the company. I've become close with the friends he made there so I have been surrounded with these conversations and his historical knowledge around my living room in New York many times through many years. I have worked with Edward Villella and Lourdes Lopez in different capacities in my life so with all of that, I feel emotionally connected to the company in so many ways.'
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don't miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
Women take center stage as Pointeworks aims to ‘bring balance within the ballet world'
Sophie Williams' decade-long dance career has taken her across the globe, from the English National Ballet in London to the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the Texas Ballet Theater, where she's currently a member of the corps de ballet. Yet she can count on one hand the number of works she's performed by a female choreographer. So when Williams started her own nonprofit ballet company, Pointeworks, in 2023, she knew she wanted to spotlight women, whether choreographers, dancers, costume designers or composers. 'Whenever there is an opportunity, I will utilize the platform to try and bring balance within the ballet world, which most of us haven't seen in our careers,' Williams, Pointeworks' artistic director, told The Times. From its inception, Pointeworks has strived to fill in gaps. Williams was inspired to start the company as a way to provide work for professional dancers during their unpaid summer layoffs. With a lack of opportunities and an abundance of talent in the ballet world, Williams decided to create a group that performs during the off-season. '[Pointeworks] is a very artist-forward company. It's creating opportunities for the dancers — giving them new works, collaborations, things that can elevate their careers outside of their structured company season, and be able to provide them a platform during that time as well,' Williams said. 'And also for audiences who don't get to see ballet during the summer because companies are off, they get to see Pointeworks.' Pointeworks debuted last June with a sold-out performance at the 500-seat Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center in Williams' hometown of San Diego. This year, the company expanded to the East Coast with three shows at New York City's Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater in March. After a successful return to San Diego last week, the group is preparing for its first Orange County show Friday at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Before the Irvine show, Pointeworks will host its first mentorship program for local students who intend to pursue a professional dance career. Selected dancers will participate in a Pointeworks class on Friday and be paired with a mentor from the company who will continue to guide them over the next year. As of Wednesday, seven students had applied and been accepted, according to marketing and outreach coordinator AvaRose Dillon. Williams received more than 400 applications from choreographers for this season overall, she said. While her goal is to highlight female creatives, anyone is welcome to submit ideas. Among the pieces commissioned for the New York shows was Laine Habony's 'Chasing Shadows,' choreographed for sisters Claire, Emma and Nicole Von Enck — who had never performed together professionally. Nicole, the eldest sister and Williams' colleague at Texas Ballet Theater, leapt at the opportunity to collaborate with her siblings, who both dance for New York City Ballet. Habony, also from New York City Ballet, wanted the project to be accompanied by an original score. So she enlisted Welsh composer Katie Jenkins, whom she met at Revolve Dance Project in Providence, R.I., last summer. The duo later recruited pianist and recent Juilliard graduate Joshua Mhoon to play the live score. For the Irvine show,Williams, Paige Nyman and Adeline Melcher, all from Texas Ballet Theater, will perform the piece. This will mark the first time that Williams will dance to a composition by a female composer, she said. '['Chasing Shadows'] is just very unique in the sense that it's a female composer behind the music and a female voice behind the choreography, female costume designer behind what we're wearing, female lighting designer behind what's going on the stage,' Nyman said. 'It's just an entirely sisterhood piece.' In addition to 'Chasing Shadows,' the Irvine program includes new commissions from choreographers Reka Gyulai and Heather Nichols; DaYoung Jung's 'It's Deep, It's Dark,' which debuted in New York; and Christopher Wheeldon's 'Carousel,' a 2002 pas de deux set to music from Rodgers & Hammerstein's musical of the same name. 'I think it gives a variety to the audience by commissioning new works, contemporary works, new classical works, but also putting in iconic classics — and 'Carousel' is one of those,' Williams said. Dance careers don't last forever, so it's important to take advantage of every moment, Williams said. That's why she's passionate about maximizing opportunities both on and offstage. In October, Williams hired interns to help with administrative tasks. Among them was Dillon, Pointeworks' marketing coordinator and a corps de ballet member at Texas Ballet Theater. This month, she began dancing with Pointeworks as well. 'I want to make sure that Pointeworks is for the dancers first,' Williams said. 'So by having dancer perspectives in just every angle — whether that's marketing, administration, development — if you know what it is to be a dancer and you have been a dancer, I think that it's a lot more cohesive, putting those interests first.' In addition to dancing professionally, Dillon takes online classes at Texas Tech University, where she studies public relations and strategic communications. 'I feel like [Pointeworks has] been the perfect supplement to my education, because I'm taking classes on how to write press releases and then I'm writing press releases for Pointeworks,' Dillon said. 'I could have never comprehended such a perfect opportunity to align with my goals as an artist and future arts leader and an arts advocate.' While Dillon is just starting her career, Pointeworks also provides opportunities for more seasoned dancers. For instance, retired dancer Christian Griggs-Drane — previously with the Royal New Zealand Ballet — is the company's development and fundraising coordinator. Three years after retiring as a ballerina, Jung continues to work as a choreographer, rehearsal director and dance educator. She and Williams met at Oklahoma City Ballet about nine years ago and reconnected at last year's National Choreographers Initiative in Irvine. Even though Jung created 'It's Deep, It's Dark' with her dancers in just 10 days, she said she appreciated the opportunity to work with such a professional, open-minded group of individuals. '[Pointeworks] is not just about giving artists a platform. It's about reshaping the dance landscape, ensuring women's voices are heard and their vision brought to life,' Jung said. 'I feel like I could really take risks, experiment and develop my own artistic language without the limitation in traditional structure. And I think Pointeworks was perfect at it, that I could really explore myself as an artist and as a choreographer.'
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Miami Herald
Meet Miami City Ballet's new artistic director, the third in the company's history
When Lourdes Lopez, Miami City Ballet's artistic director, announced last February that the 2024-25 season would be her last with the company, one of the reasons she cited for stepping down was to help usher in a new chapter for the 40 year old company. 'A company needs new energy, a new way of looking at the dancers, a new way of looking at the community.' The venerable organization may have found just that with Gonzalo Garcia, 45, who has been named MCB's new artistic director effective Aug. 11. He will be only the third artistic director since the ballet was founded in 1985 with Edward Villella, who helped launch the company, being the first. Garcia's has spent most of his career as a principal dancer —first with the San Francisco Ballet and then New York City Ballet, where he was a principal dancer until announcing his retirement in 2022. He was appointed Repertory Director for the company and was on the faculty of the School of American Ballet at the Lincoln Center, co-founded by George Balanchine. He'll leave those two positions to lead MCB. At 15, the native of Zaragoza, Spain, was the youngest dancer to receive a gold medal at international dance competition the Prix de Lausanne (Switzerland) in 1995. At 17, he was offered a contract to join San Francisco Ballet but decided to study one more year, joining the company in 1998. He was promoted to principal dancer at 22, one of the youngest dancers in the company to reach the status. He arrived at New York City Ballet as a principal dancer in 2007. Garcia's known for his strong dance repertoire, which included works by Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, and for creating original roles in works by two of the contemporary choreographic masters, Justin Peck, resident choreographer and artistic advisor of New York City Ballet, and choreographer Alexei Ratmansky. For his farewell performance with NYCB in February of 2022 he danced works by Balanchine, Robbins and Peck. It is this pedigree that led to MCB's board of directors choosing Garcia as the right fit to take the reins. Villella, MCB's founding artistic director, worked with Balanchine as a principal dancer from 1957 to 1979 at NYCB. Legendary changemaking choreographer Jerome Robbins created his 1976 ballet 'Watermill' to be danced by Villella, among other dance partnerships with Villella. Shortly after Lopez's 16th birthday, while attending the School of American Ballet, Balanchine invited her to join the corps of NYCB, and she became principal in 1984, playing numerous roles in choreographies created by Balanchine and Robbins. 'The two artistic directors we've had both were with Balanchine and Robbins and they had that pedigree about them,' said Jeff Davis, MCB's chair of the board of trustees. 'Gonzolo was heavily trained in the Balanchine technique [and] in Jerome Robbins.' The company's repertoire includes more than 100 ballets, with significant works by Balanchine and Robbins. It has expanded its repertoire to include contemporary choreographers including Peck and Ratmansky. 'Gonzalo is in tune with the next wave of choreographic voices,' said Davis. 'He has great connections with Justin Peck, Patricia Delgado [a former Miami City Ballet principal, she won the 2025 Best Choreography Tony Award along with husband Peck for Broadway's 'Buena Vista Social Club'], and [British choreographer] Wayne McGregor.' Garcia mentions 'destiny' when it comes to his appointment. 'It was meant to happen. The more I went through the process, the more I felt energized and more comfortable with the idea that it was me. I kept thinking, 'that's me. I speak Spanish. I'm an immigrant. I can relate to so many people that represent the community. I also have this incredible trajectory with the Balanchine and the Robbins and these American companies that have been represented in Miami City Ballet's history. I feel like it's been like almost every step and every skill that I have acquired through my life has brought me to this place and I do believe that strongly.' While the 40th anniversary season is already programmed, Garcia will begin working on what's next for the company, including the following season but also using his skills as 'a great collaborator.' 'I love being in the studio with dancers, I'm a teacher and an educator. I understand the different needs and technical abilities, but I also understand emotional abilities because I have danced a lot of the repertoire. I think [the company} needs someone that is going to get in there and really inspire them, reenergize them.' Garcia also sees MCB becoming more a part of what he says is the culture that is Miami. 'The stories that are happening in Miami, maybe that can be represented on stage. And who can be the right dance maker that can bring those stories to life? That's something that I want to invest in. Miami is just simmering with potential from all areas and parts of the world and the country. I don't seek to change what's already been created, but how do we make that bigger and better and how do we add things that are representative of the community we are dancing for?' With his background working with the School of American Ballet, he's also hoping to tap into the potential at the Miami City Ballet School. 'I want to continue teaching. How do we prepare those dancers to be future dancers not only for Miami City Ballet but also internationally to carry on the legacy,' he said. 'Who knows? We might have new choreographers there, perhaps the next Alexei Ratmansky.' The search, according to Davis, was led by Phillip DeBoer of executive search firm DHR Global. 'We started first with surveying all of our stakeholders –our dancers, our board, community members, our funders – asking them what their vision was for the next artistic director. We also contacted artistic directors of other ballet companies, choreographers and presenters. So out of that whole process, we had about 70 prospective names.' It considered 40 applicants. Garcia was one of two final candidates. The new artistic director begins his role in the midst of a precarious state of the arts both in support from the state of Florida and in the federal government. 'The Miami City Ballet has a strategic plan to build an endowment, and it is a very ambitious five year plan. I am going to be very much a part of that and trying to find places that we haven't previously found support. The reality is that in order to move the company forward without certain economic support, it will be very hard to do. So we'll need to be more strategic and conservative, but still ambitious,' said Garcia. He'll move to Miami with husband Ezra Hurwitz, an Emmy Award winning film director (he won the award for his short film 'Inside and Outwards' that was narrated by Sarah Jessica Parker and dealt with mental health during COVID), he's also worked with Tiffany & Co., Dior, Apple and Netflix. Prior to his film career, he was a professional dancer and spent eight years with the Miami City Ballet. He's looking forward to Hurwitz helping the company to expand its digital presence. 'That's something incredibly important for us to be relevant.' Garcia says he met Hurwitz during his last year with MCB. 'I remember going to visit him in Miami and taking class with the company. I've become close with the friends he made there so I have been surrounded with these conversations and his historical knowledge around my living room in New York many times through many years. I have worked with Edward Villella and Lourdes Lopez in different capacities in my life so with all of that, I feel emotionally connected to the company in so many ways.' is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don't miss a story at
New York Times
5 days ago
- New York Times
Gonzalo Garcia Appointed Artistic Director of Miami City Ballet
Miami City Ballet has named Gonzalo Garcia as its artistic director, the company announced on Monday, starting on Aug. 11. Miami City Ballet, now celebrating its 40th anniversary season, has had only two artistic leaders: Its founding artistic director, Edward Villella, the celebrated New York City Ballet principal; and Lourdes Lopez, who resigned in February, two years before her contract expired. Jeff Davis, chair of the Miami City Ballet board, said of Garcia in a statement: 'His international credentials are matched by his genuine devotion to mentoring dancers and engaging audiences. Gonzalo brings with him deep relationships with many of the world's most prominent choreographers' and 'is uniquely poised to steer the company and school toward their next level of excellence.' Garcia, 45, a former principal dancer at New York City Ballet and at San Francisco Ballet, said that Miami City Ballet and its values 'speak very deeply to who I am and my life story — coming to the stage when I was 15 years old as an immigrant and becoming a principal dancer in major companies.' Becoming an artistic director has always been a dream, Garcia said. 'To help the world of dance get bigger and broader and reach a bigger audience,' he said, adding, 'I have always wanted to to do that in my life — to stay connected even when I couldn't dance. I always wanted to shape new generations, find dance makers all around the world.' He said he planned on preserving Miami City Ballet's legacy of performing works by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, whose repertory he has danced for many years, especially at New York City Ballet. 'Those are the roots of the company, but it's not the only part,' he said, adding that Miami has a history of commissioning dances by major choreographers, including Twyla Tharp, Alexei Ratmansky and Justin Peck. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
