Washington Ballet Announces the Retirement of Morgann Rose

Artistic Director Julie Kent and Morgann Rose have announced today that Ms. Rose will retire from The Washington Ballet (TWB) at the end of the 2016.2017 season.

In her 16th season with TWB, Rose has made the difficult decision to retire from the Company, notes Kent: "After enjoying a long tenure with TWB, I know this is a bittersweet decision for Morgann but I understand her desire to pursue new opportunities and fresh challenges. She has made an especially meaningful contribution to TWB over many years and has served as an important mentor to our students. We will all miss her at TWB, both onstage and off, and we wish her well and continued success in her new endeavors."

Washington Ballet Board Chair, Sylvia de Leon recalled years of Rose's electrifying performances, and emphasized that Rose has represented "a combination of extraordinary beauty and strong athleticism". "As a Company member she has been the quintessential team player, and off stage, one could not find a more loyal and loving friend. Whatever her pursuit, she gives it her all, always finding time to mentor an apprentice or budding young Nutcracker star" de Leon added.

Rose, of Lake Forest, California, joined TWB in 2001 after dancing with Eliot Feld's Ballet Tech in New York City. She began her training with Rebecca Wright, Tania Lichine and David Allen and received numerous dance scholarships to prominent schools throughout North America. Rose graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts high school program before joining her first ballet company. In addition to dancing with The Washington Ballet, she has been a guest artist with the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Ballet Hawaii, City Dance Ensemble, ARKA Ballet and Chamber Dance Project. Some of her principal roles with TWB include Myrta in Giselle, Snow Queen and Cardinal inThe Nutcracker, Queen of Hearts in ALICE (in wonderland), Effe in La Sylphide, Katrina's Sister and Ghost of a War Widow in Sleepy Hollow, and Choleric in George Balanchine's The Four Temperaments. She has danced lead roles with such choreographers as Trey McIntyre, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Nacho Duato, Christopher Wheeldon, Christopher Bruce, Edwaard Liang, Hans van Manen and Ji?í Kylián. Rose has helped to stage many TWB productions such as Septime Webre's ALICE (in wonderland) and Sleepy Hollow, The Nutcracker andPeter Pan.

"I have grown artistically and personally during my time at TWB and as Septime's first dancer, I treasure my experience with this company that I have called home. I am excited for the future of TWB under Julie's leadership but feel it is time to pursue other interests and ventures that are ahead."

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ABOUT THE WASHINGTON BALLET: The Washington Ballet (TWB) was originally founded as The Washington School of Ballet in 1944 by legendary ballet pioneer Mary Day and incorporated as a professional company in 1976. The Washington Ballet is one of the pre-eminent ballet organizations in the United States. TWB built an international reputation presenting bold works by choreographers from around the world, including Choo San Goh, Christopher Wheeldon, Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp, Hans van Manen and Ji?í Kylián, as well as neoclassical masterworks and fresh staging of 19th century classics. Under the leadership of Interim Executive Director Shakira Segundo and Artistic Director Julie Kent, TWB continues to serve its three-part mission: ensuring excellence in its professional performance company; growing the next generation of dancers through its Washington School of Ballet; and serving the community in which it resides through robust community engagement programs.

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