Educator Moves: Shifts in the Dance Education Landscape From Summer 2023
September 8, 2023

From director shifts and beyond, here are the major dance educator moves you should know about from summer 2023.

Suzanne Lopez has been named Abbott Academy director of the Joffrey Academy of Dance.

Raymond Rodriguez has been named dean of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School. Marjorie Grundvig has shifted from PBT School director to head of the Pre-Professional Division.

Kristin Dimmer has been named director of Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy, succeeding Rolando Yanes after his 2020 retirement.

Brandon Ragland succeeded Karen Russo Burke as artistic director of Dayton Ballet School on August 1.

Lauren Richter Henry has been named school principal of the Tulsa Ballet Center for Dance Education. She joined from San Francisco Ballet School on August 12, succeeding Arlene Minkhorst, who will retire in October.

​​Sarah Lane has been named director of the School of Ballet RI, succeeding Marissa Parmenter, who has joined Boston Conservatory at Berklee as an associate professor of dance, on September 1.

Darla Hoover has departed School of American Ballet. New York City Ballet artistic director Jonathan Stafford has succeeded her as SAB’s chair of faculty.

Mavis Staines will retire as artistic director and CEO of Canada’s National Ballet School in June 2024.

At Oregon Ballet Theatre, Dominic Walsh has been named program director and principal instructor of OBT2, and will oversee the OBT School’s trainee program.

Hasmik Amirian has joined Debbie Allen Dance Academy as ballet mistress.

Carolyn Bolton has joined English National Ballet as creative director of ENBYouthCo.

Oona Doherty has been named guest artistic director of the UK’s National Youth Dance Company for the 2023–24 season.