Eduardo Vilaro Named Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ballet Hispanico

Appointment Strategically Positions Organization for

Next Phase of Growth

New York, NY (December 7, 2015) – The Board of Directors of Ballet Hispanico, the nation’s preeminent Latino dance institution, announced today that Eduardo Vilaro will assume the newly created position of Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ballet Hispanico, effective immediately. Mr. Vilaro has been the Artistic Director of Ballet Hispanico since 2009. With this appointment, the position of Executive Director, currently held by Lee Koonce, has been eliminated.  

“This reorganization is a bold re-envisioning of Ballet Hispanico’s leadership structure.  We are setting a new, more nimble course that will allow us to excel in today’s changing arts and culture climate,” said Board Chair Kate Lear. “It is also an enormous vote of confidence in Eduardo and his powerful vision of artistic integrity, educational excellence and cultural connection.  I want to thank Lee Koonce for his loyalty and dedication to Ballet Hispanico and wish him all good things in his bright future.”

The role of Artistic Director and CEO of Ballet Hispanico places Mr. Vilaro as one of the foremost Latino cultural voices in the United States. In this position, Mr. Vilaro will draw upon his ten-year track record as artistic and executive leader of Chicago’s Luna Negra Dance Theater, which he founded in 1999 and built from the ground up. Reporting to him will be members of the senior management team: Chief Development Officer Lorraine LaHuta, Director of Marketing & Communications Jackeline Montalvo, Director of Production & Performance Joshua Preston and a soon-to-be-announced Director of Finance and Administration. Also reporting to him will be AnaMaria Correa, who has been promoted to Senior Director of Community Engagement from Director, School of Dance and Education and Outreach. In this new role, Ms. Correa will provide management and oversight for all educational programming at Ballet Hispanico, which is particularly successful in reaching diverse student and community populations.

"I am honored to lead an organization that made my career and has been my home for over 15 years,” said Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ballet Hispanico. “Most exciting is the opportunity to work with a distinguished staff whose strength and expertise has enabled Ballet Hispanico to blossom over the past six years."

The reorganization at Ballet Hispanico continues a trend of exciting developments that began last month with the opening of the newly renovated Arnhold Center and Ford Foundation Lobby. Home to Ballet Hispanico’s school and company, the Arnhold Center is also an interdisciplinary cultural and community resource with curated programming that focuses on issues of race, culture, and the need for access and equity in the arts. In addition, Ballet Hispanico recently received a major capacity-building grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Trust designed to advance Ballet Hispanico as an institution, and secure its artistic and financial health.