After nearly a year of searching, BalletMet Columbus has found an Artistic Director whom they are delighted to welcome to Columbus. Edwaard Liang is a renowned dancer and choreographer who will accept his title come July 2013.
The search for a new Artistic Director began last spring, when Gerard Charles announced he would be leaving to become the Ballet Master at Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet. Board members, dancers, staff and community members worked to interview more than 80 applicants from around the world. Sue Porter, BalletMet board member and search committee co-chair, is excited for the future of Liang and BalletMet. “Edwaard has already had an extraordinary career as a dancer and choreographer and now is exited to take the next step as an artistic director. We feel very proud that he has decided that BalletMet is where he wants to take that next step,” Porter says.
Liang was born in Taipei, Taiwan and raised in Marin County, California. At 5 years of age, he began his formal dance training with Marin Ballet. He studied at the School of American Ballet and joined New York City Ballet in 1993. He was promoted to Soloist in 1998, and in 2001 he joined the Tony Award winning Broadway cast of Fosse. His performance was televised on PBS and released on DVD. Liang was invited to join the acclaimed Nederlands Dans Theater 1 in 2002. It was during his work with NDT 1 that Liang realized his passion for choreography. Liang’s choreographic works have been performed around the world. He has won many awards including the 2006 National Choreographic Competition.
Liang has created work for more than 11 famed ballet companies, including Bolshoi, Houston, New York City, San Francisco, Shanghai and Singapore. At the conclusion of the 2012 – 2013 season, he will become BalletMet’s fifth Artistic Director. Together, he and BalletMet Columbus will continue their mission of engaging the community through quality performances, instruction, education programs and creation of new work.
There are two performances left in the BalletMet Columbus 2012-2013 season. The Rite of Spring is a collaboration with the Columbus Symphony and will run March 22-24 at the Ohio Theatre. The Little Mermaid concludes the season April 19-27 at Capitol Theatre and is a Columbus premiere by two-time Tony Award nominee Lynne Taylor-Corbett.
