ABOUT THE COMPANY
A Legacy of Artistic Excellence
An undeniable force in the arts, Ballet Hispánico is America’s leading Hispanic and Latine dance company and the largest cultural institution of its kind in the United States. Founded by Tina Ramirez in 1970, Ballet Hispánico quickly grew into a world-renowned company, celebrating the depth and richness of Hispanic cultures. What began as a visionary effort to elevate these artistic traditions has become a cornerstone of American dance, known for its exceptional artistry and groundbreaking repertory.
In its early years, Ballet Hispánico’s dancers trained in classical ballet and contemporary techniques, seamlessly integrating Spanish and folkloric dance styles to create a distinctive and versatile movement language. Inspired by the repertory theater model, Tina Ramirez built a company that commissioned works from a wide range of choreographers. Within its first decade, Ballet Hispánico debuted its New York Season at the Clark Theatre, launched community arts programs in New York City public schools, and began touring nationally and internationally, including performances in Spain and Argentina.
For over five decades, Ballet Hispánico has remained at the forefront of artistic excellence. By its 20th anniversary, the Company was firmly established as the nation’s premier Hispanic and Latine dance organization, recognized for its exceptional artistry and cultural significance. This legacy was further cemented when Tina Ramirez received the National Medal of Arts, the nation’s highest cultural honor, in 2005.
In 2009, Ms. Ramirez passed the torch to Eduardo Vilaro, a former Company dancer and Founder of Luna Negra Dance Theater. Under his leadership, Ballet Hispánico has expanded its repertory, commissioning new works that reflect the breadth of Hispanic and Latine traditions while embracing contemporary influences. 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 continues to inspire audiences around the globe, performing works that celebrate the profound contributions of Hispanic and Latine cultures to the arts. With a repertory that honors tradition while embracing innovation, the Company carries forward Tina Ramirez’s vision, ensuring that these voices remain a vital and celebrated part of the artistic landscape for generations to come.
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
Ballet Hispánico Performance (Charleston, SC - Charleston Gaillard Center)
May 2, 2025
Charleston Gaillard Center
95 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC 29401
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Ballet Hispánico Performance (Leicester, UK - Curve Theatre)
May 16, 2025
Curve Theatre
60 Rutland St, Leicester LE1 1SB, UK
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Ballet Hispánico Performance (Leicester, UK - Curve Theatre)
May 17, 2025
Curve Theatre
60 Rutland St, Leicester LE1 1SB, UK
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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.
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2024 INSTITUTO COREOGRÁFICO CHOREOGRAPHERS
Daniela Urías - Spring
Contemporary dancer and choreographer, Daniela Urías graduated from the Superior School of Music and Dance of Monterrey. She is the creator and performer of dance works such as HEARTBEAT, El Nudo (The Knot), Maslow 3, and Segunda Naturaleza (Second Nature). Daniela has collaborated with international choreographers, including Miguel Mancillas, Billy Cowie, and Isabelle Schad, as well as with artists from other disciplines, for the creation of performances in art galleries.
She has participated in festivals such as FAOT, 4x4 TJ Night, Extremadura Festival, Scenic State Agenda, Onésimo Gonzalez Festival, and National Dance Showcase, among others. Notably, she has been honored as a beneficiary of the State Fund for Culture and the Arts of Sonora and the Scenic Creators Program of FONCA.
Currently based in in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, she remains dedicated to honing her artistic craft and actively engages in collaborative endeavors within the realm of independent projects.
Matthew Neenan - Fall
Described as “one of America’s best dance poets” by The New York Times, began his dance training at the Boston Ballet School and with noted teachers Nan C. Keating and Jacqueline Cronsberg. He later attended the LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts and the School of American Ballet in New York. From 1994-2007, Matthew danced with the Philadelphia Ballet where he danced numerous principal roles in the classical, contemporary and Balanchine repertoire. From 2007 – 2020, Matthew was the Choreographer in Residence at the Philadelphia Ballet where he created 20 original ballets.
Matthew’s choreography has been premiered and performed by The New York City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Washington Ballet, Ballet West, Ballet Met, Colorado Ballet, Ballet Memphis, Milwaukee Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Tulsa Ballet, OKC Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Parsons Dance, Dance Aspen, BODYTRAFFIC, Juilliard Dance, and USC Kaufman School of Dance, among many others.
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.
