Kate Lydon Appointed ABT Summer Intensive Artistic Director

Kate Lydon has been named artistic director of American Ballet Theatre's Summer Intensive programs, it was announced today by ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. Lydon, who is also artistic director of the ABT Studio Company as well as Apprentice Program Coordinator, succeeds Julie Kent who served as the Summer Intensive artistic director for 2016.

"Twenty-nine years ago, I traveled from California to New York City to attend my first American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive," said Lydon. "This year, I am so proud to be appointed artistic director of all nine of our specialized programs taking place across the United States."

"I'm so happy to hand the reigns of such an important program in the training ladder of ABT to Kate," said McKenzie. "Her commitment to the students to have a professional experience of excellence is extraordinary."

Lydon is an alumna of both American Ballet Theatre and San Francisco Ballet. She was a founding faculty member of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in 2005 and, in 2012, was named Artistic Coordinator of the Apprentice Program, alongside Clinton Luckett. Lydon was appointed director of the ABT Studio Company in 2013 and was named artistic director in 2015. She has assisted with teaching ABT's National Training Curriculum, both at ABT and for the Masters