ABOUT THE COMPANY
A Legacy of Artistic Excellence
Ballet Hispánico is the nation’s leading Hispanic/Latine dance company and the largest cultural institution of its kind in the United States. For over five decades, it has been a beacon of artistic excellence, celebrated for its bold repertory and exceptional training programs. The Company has commissioned over 100 original works, performed on the world’s most prestigious stages, and inspired generations through performances, education, and community engagement. Recognized as one of America’s Cultural Treasures by the Ford Foundation, Ballet Hispánico continues to redefine what it means to be an American dance company.
At the helm is Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro, a former Ballet Hispánico dancer and acclaimed choreographer who assumed leadership in 2009. Under his dynamic guidance, the Company has entered a new era—broadening its artistic scope, deepening its repertory, and elevating its distinctive movement language. Vilaro carries forward the founding vision of Tina Ramirez, who launched Ballet Hispánico in 1970 to celebrate the beauty of Latino cultures through dance. The Company has garnered widespread acclaim, with The New York Times noting, “Many companies pay lip service to nurturing talent, but Ballet Hispánico has devoted significant resources and care to cultivating emerging artists.” Today, Ballet Hispánico stands not only as a cultural institution, but as a movement—pushing the boundaries of performance while honoring the traditions that shaped its legacy.
LEADERSHIP
Eduardo Vilaro
Artistic Director & CEO
Eduardo Vilaro is the Artistic Director & CEO of Ballet Hispánico, leading the company with a vision that honors its legacy while embracing the evolution of contemporary dance. Named Artistic Director in 2009 and CEO in 2015, he is only the second person to helm the organization since its founding in 1970. His connection to Ballet Hispánico spans decades, beginning in 1985 as a dancer and educator before embarking on a distinguished ten-year tenure as Founder and Artistic Director of Luna Negra Dance Theater in Chicago.
Mr. Vilaro’s choreographic work reflects the depth and breadth of the Latin American experience, drawing from a range of cultural influences to create compelling, thought-provoking works. He has created more than 40 ballets, with commissions from esteemed institutions such as the Ravinia Festival, the Chicago Sinfonietta, the Grant Park Festival, the Lexington Ballet, and the Chicago Symphony.
Under his leadership, Ballet Hispánico continues to expand its repertory and artistic reach, ensuring that the company remains at the forefront of dance, preserving tradition while fostering innovation.
COMPANY STAFF
Anitra Keegan
Ballet Mistress
Anitra Keegan (she/her) joined Ballet Hispánico as Ballet Mistress in August 2023, bringing over 25 years of experience in classical and contemporary ballet. She trained at prestigious institutions including the Royal Academy of Dance (UK), Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and The Rock School for Dance Education. An accomplished performer, she has danced with BalletX, Ohio Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, and Philadelphia Ballet (formerly Pennsylvania Ballet). Beyond performing, Ms. Keegan has taught as adjunct ballet faculty at universities such as the University of the Arts, Drexel, Temple, and Princeton. She holds a BFA in Dance from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, and an Associate degree in Business Management.
From 2012 to 2018, she served as Capezio’s Master Pointe Specialist and Brand Ambassador, designing custom pointe shoes for leading ballet companies and supporting Youth America Grand Prix events. She later joined Nimbus Dance Company, where she advanced from Marketing Associate/Company Manager to Associate Artistic Director. Ms. Keegan is thrilled to contribute her extensive expertise to Ballet Hispánico's artistic vision.
Aholibama Castañeda-González
Production Director
Aholibama Castañeda González (they/them) is an experienced professional in production, technical direction, and safety for the performing arts. They currently lead Ballet Hispánico’s Production Department, managing international tours, overseeing large-scale productions, and ensuring dancer safety. In the United States, Aholibama has worked at Lincoln Center as an assistant technical director, supporting the load in and load out for the Summer for the City Festival and creating a portfolio of technical drawings. In Mexico City, they managed technical production for 200+ theater companies at the Centro Cultural del Bosque and coordinated logistics for 40+ international groups at the Festival Internacional Cervantino.
Aholibama holds a Master’s in Technical Design and Production from the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University, becoming the first Mexican to graduate from this prestigious program. They also have a Bachelor’s in Performing Arts from the Universidad de Guadalajara and are a certified Paramedic with Guadalajara’s Green Cross.
DANCERS
Fatima Andere
Amir J. Baldwin
Mia Bermudez
Antonio Cangiano
Amanda del Valle
Francesca Levita
Dylan Dias McIntyre
Andrea Mish
Adam Dario Morales
Amanda Ostuni
Daniel Palladino
Omar Rivéra
Isabel Robles
Yadamy Soria Fernandez
Olivia Winston
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
2025 NEW YORK CITY SPRING SEASON
CARMEN.maquia
2025 Spring Season
May 29 - June 1, 2025
Ballet Hispánico's take on Bizet's passionately crafted tragedy, CARMEN.maquia, offers a contemporary look at a beloved classic that is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Gustavo Ramírez Sansano's quintessential work revitalizes Bizet's timeless tale as bold and electrifying. Highly original and full of elaborate partnering, CARMEN.maquia is thrilling and audacious, hailed as a "masterpiece" by the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Picasso used to say that Carmen was like the bull that nobody could domesticate or control, no? So, we found that similarity where Carmen is like the bull, we just took “tauromaquia,” and took “tauro” out and put “Carmen” in.” - choreographer Gustavo Ramírez Sansano
“This Carmen has a spare, elegant, Modernist look.” - The New York Times
"Told through a modernist lens, pairing Bizet’s score with abstract, angular dance." - The New Yorker
"Ballet Hispánico reimagines Bizet's beloved opera, Carmen, with an irresistible fusion of ballet, paso doble, flamenco and contemporary dance." - BroadwayWorld
Meet the Choreographer
GUSTAVO RAMÍREZ SANSANO
Gustavo Ramírez Sansano was Artistic Director of Luna Negra Dance Theater (2009-2013), and now he combines his work as a freelance choreographer with the direction of Titoyaya Dansa, the company he founded in Spain with Veronica Garcia Moscardo in 2006. Sansano has received numerous awards for his choreography, including first prize at the Ricard Moragas Competition in Barcelona (1997), Prix Dom Perignon Choreographic Competition in Hamburg (2001), and Premio de Las Artes Escénicas de la Comunidad Valenciana (2005). Sansano has been commissioned to create works for many companies such as Nederlands Dans Theater, Compañía Nacional de Danza, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Luzerner tanz Theater, Ballet BC, The Hamburg Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Hispánico, and Luna Negra Dance Theater, among others.
CARMEN.maquia UNVEILED
This docuseries offers a behind-the-scenes look at our groundbreaking production through intimate conversations with Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro, the creative team, and the choreographer. Explore the modern revival of an iconic heroine, blending cultural narratives with themes of love, rebellion, and perseverance.
INSTITUTO COREOGRÁFICO
Over the past decade, Ballet Hispánico’s Choreographic Institute has emerged as a beacon of artistic exploration, empowering choreographers to break through traditional boundaries and redefine the language of dance. In an environment that fosters collaboration and experimentation, these visionaries have been given the freedom to delve into their creative processes, weaving personal narratives with bold artistic expression.
LEARN MORE
2025 INSTITUTO COREOGRÁFICO CHOREOGRAPHERS
Phil Chan - Spring
Phil Chan is a co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface and the President of the Gold Standard Arts Foundation. He is a graduate of Carleton College and an alumnus of the Ailey School. He has held fellowships with Dance/USA, Drexel University, Jacob’s Pillow, Harvard University, the Manhattan School of Music, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, NYU, and the Institut National d'Histoire de l'Art in Paris.
As a writer, he is the author of Final Bow for Yellowface: Dancing between Intention and Impact and Banishing Orientalism, and has served as the Executive Editor for FLATT Magazine and contributed to Dance Europe Magazine, Dance Magazine, Dance Australia, and the Huffington Post, and currently serves on the Advisory Board of Dance Magazine. He served multiple years on the National Endowment for the Arts dance panel, the Jadin Wong Award panel presented by the Asian American Arts Alliance, and is currently on the advisory council for the Dance Data Project.
He has taught at Harvard University, Carleton College, and was named a Next 50 Arts Leader by the Kennedy Center. Phil's most current projects include directing “Madama Butterfly” for Boston Lyric Opera, staging a newly reimagined “La Bayadere” for Indiana University, and producing a series of 10,000 Dreams Asian Choreography Festivals.
GLOBAL PRESENTER PORTAL
We are thrilled to partner with you in bringing the artistry of Ballet Hispánico to your venue.
To promote the performance, we have created a custom Presenter Portal where you will find a curated collection of marketing materials.
If you need any additional resources or assistance, we are delighted to assist. Please don’t hesitate to contact Martín Acuña, Marketing Manager, at macuna@ballethispanico.org.
It is an honor to share this experience with your audience.
COMPANY AUDITIONS
Ballet Hispánico is hosting its annual open company auditions for the 2025-2026 Season. Applicants must have a strong command of current concert dance genres, ballet, and contemporary styles.
Upcoming Audition: February 22, 2025.
