The Washington Ballet Reveals Roster Updates for the 2023-2024 Season

The Washington Ballet has revealed the appointment of the Acting Artistic Director and updates to the company roster for the 2023-2024 season. 

Trinidad Vives will begin her role as Acting Artistic Director starting Thursday, August 17 through the end of December.  A native of Madrid, she brings a dance background in classical ballet that includes leading roles in classical and contemporary works with Hamburg Ballet and the English National Ballet, among others. For the past 20 years, she has worked with Houston Ballet and Boston Ballet in artistic leadership positions in addition to her work as a guest choreographer. She will focus on high-level artistry, dance training and will work with the visiting choreographers and artists whose work will form much of this season’s program. Additionally, in 2019, she founded the Brookline Ballet School, just outside of Boston. The Washington Ballet continues its efforts in securing a permanent Artistic Director that will be in place by early 2024.

"I am excited to keep the artistic level and technique high through good training and coaching the dancers, building their repertoire, and rediscovering an identity for the company so that the dancers can stand out on their own,” said Ms. Vives. “The Washington Ballet is D.C.'s home company, and I want audiences to fully support and be behind these artists and the company repertoire."

COMPANY ROSTER UPDATES

Vladimir Tapkharov joins the Company from Russia. He performed with the Russian Ballet for seven years and with the Imperial Russian Ballet from 2016-2020. He has performed throughout Europe, the United States, and the Baltic countries. 

Two new dancers have been added to the Studio Company. Abigail Brent, formerly with The Charlottesville Ballet came to TWB as a Trainee a year ago. Andrey Maciano who studied at The Royal Ballet School in London and has won numerous awards at international dance competitions round out the roster to nine dancers. 

“We are excited to welcome Trinidad to our Artistic staff. Her background and experience will continue to nurture high-level artistry and enrich the incredible talent within our community,” said Karen ShepherdInterim Managing Director of The Washington Ballet. “Trinidad’s exceptional pedagogy and range of experience as a dancer, choreographer, rehearsal director, associate artistic director and founder of a ballet school brings the depth of experience needed to support The Washington Ballet in a meaningful way during this time of transition. And we are just as excited to welcome these three dancers to our company roster. They are all exceptional artists.”

 

Acting Artistic Director and New Company Member Bios

ABIGAIL BRENT

Abigail Brent joins TWB’s Studio Company from The Washington Ballet’s Professional Training Program (PTP).  Born in Charlottesville, Virginia, Abigail started dancing at age 3. She studied at Charlottesville Ballet Academy and continued through the pre-professional program and trainee division and joined the Charlottesville Ballet Company. In 2022, she joined The Washington Ballet as a Trainee. Abigail’s trajectory through the TWB program reflects TWB’s commitment to training the next generation of artists.

ANDREY MACIANO

Andrey Maciano is from São Vicente - SP Brazil. He started his dance training at age 7 with Balé Jovem de São Vicente. In 2017, Andrey participated in YAGP Finals in New York where he won second place in the pre-category. In 2019 he won second place in the junior category. In 2020 he won first place with his variation and solo contemporary performance at the Tanzolymp competition in Berlin. He won third place at the Prix de Lausanne in 2021 which led to a full scholarship at The Royal Ballet School in London. He also won the Grand Prix Award at the 2021 YGAP competition. 

VLADIMIR TAPKHAROV

Vladimir Tapkharov is originally from Irkutsk, Russia. In 2012 he studied at the Buryat Republican Choreographic School and the East Siberian State Institute of Culture. He performed with the Russian Ballet (2014-2021) and Imperial Russian Ballet (2016-2020) and with the Musical Theater of the Republic of Karelia (2019-2021). 

He has danced lead roles in many classic ballets and won numerous awards at International Ballet competitions. 

TRINIDAD VIVES

Trinidad Vives was born in Madrid, Spain. She began her dance training with Carmina Ocaña, Luis Fuente, and Victor Ullate and spent summers studying in Paris. She graduated from the Ecole Supérieure de Danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower. She was a first prize medal and scholarship winner at the Prix de Lausanne Competition. Ms. Vives join the Hamburg Ballet at 17 and was a Soloist for six years. Later as She was a Principal dancer with the Basel Ballet, Düsseldorf Ballet, and English National Ballet.  She has performed many leading roles in classical ballets as well as contemporary works.

Trinidad Vives received her teaching diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Dance in Madrid and began teaching at the Houston Ballet Academy in 1994 and ultimately became Co-Artistic Director of the Company. In 2002 she was the Artistic Associate of Boston Ballet where she staged ballets, taught company class and coached dancers, and oversaw the artistic staff.

She has staged numerous full-length ballets and has been a guest teacher for major dance companies around the world including American Ballet Theatre, the National Ballet of Canda and Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo.

She lives in Boston and is a co-founder of The Brookline Ballet School dedicated to enriching the lives of others with the beauty and grace of ballet.

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