Texas Ballet Theater
Announces
Artistic and Executive
Staff Promotions
North Texas – Ben Stevenson, artistic director of Texas Ballet Theater, and John Toohey,
managing director of Texas Ballet Theater, today announced the promotion of staff members
Tim O’Keefe, Li Anlin, Anna Donovan and Melinda Nelson. Tim O’Keefe becomes
Associate Artistic Director, Li Anlin becomes Assistant Artistic Director, Anna Donovan becomes
Principal Ballet Master and Melinda Nelson becomes Assistant Managing Director and
Director of Marketing for Texas Ballet Theater.
As Associate Artistic Director, Tim O’Keefe will continue rehearsing and working with Company dancers in the studio, as well as continuing to create new choreography for the Company. Of
Mr. O’Keefe’s appointment, Ben Stevenson said, “I wanted to promote Tim because of his excellent work. I feel so fortunate to work with someone that I am so in tune with.” Tim O’Keefe says, “It’s an honor to accept this new title. I look forward to continuing our work together.”
In his new role as Assistant Artistic Director Li Anlin will continue his work and will retain his responsibilities of Principal of the Fort Worth Campus of Texas Ballet Theater School. Stevenson stated, “It was a privilege working with Li Anlin when he was a dancer and it is just as thrilling to work with Li as ballet master of Texas Ballet Theater.”
Principal Ballet Master Anna Donovan will continue working with and rehearsing the professional Company as well as teaching in both the Dallas and Fort Worth Campuses of Texas Ballet Theater School. “Anna is a tremendous talent. I am so pleased to honor her dedication to the dancers and passion in the Studio,” said Stevenson.
Melinda Nelson was named Assistant Managing Director and Director of Marketing. John Toohey stated, “Melinda’s experience and ability in marketing and in administration have made her a great asset to Texas Ballet Theater. It is appropriate and deserving that we recognize her commitment and contribution in this exciting way.”
Texas Ballet Theater opened family favorite The Nutcracker at Fort Worth’s Bass Performance Hall on December 1. Performances continue through December 17 and then move to Dallas’ Music Hall at Fair Park from December 19 through 23. Tickets for The Nutcracker are $18 to $74 and can be purchased by calling toll-free 1-877-212-4280 or by visiting www.texasballettheater.org.
About Tim O’Keefe
A native Houstonian, Mr. O’Keefe was awarded a scholarship to Houston Ballet Academy in 1981, joined the company one year later, was promoted to soloist in 1985, and was named a principal dancer in 1995. In March 1997, Houston Ballet artistic director Ben Stevenson created the title role of Dracula for Mr. O’Keefe. He has performed this role across the globe, winning praise from critics in Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Toronto. In March 2000, Mr. O’Keefe danced Caesar and Alcebiades in the world premiere of Mr. Stevenson’s Cleopatra. Favorite parts in other works by Mr. Stevenson include the title role in Peer Gynt; Lorenzo and the lead matador in Don Quixote; Father Frost in The Snow Maiden; Evening pas de deux with Naomi Glass; and an Ugly Stepsister in Cinderella. Other favorite roles include Monsieur G.M. in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon; Danilo in Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow; Pan in Glen Tetley’s Daphnis and Chloe; the Head Mistress in Graduation Ball; Madge in La Syphide; and Hilarion in Giselle. He has also performed roles in works by Jiri Kylian, Christopher Bruce, Paul Taylor, James Kudelka, Trey McIntyre, Sean Kelly and Lila York. Mr. O’Keefe has choreographed two works for Houston Ballet’s Cullen Contemporary Series, Fascinating Evening and Uncommon Valor; as well as two works for Houston Ballet Academy, Leaves and Shostakovich Suite. This is Mr. O’Keefe’s fifth season with Texas Ballet Theater. Last year, he choreographed his first work for Texas Ballet Theater, Love Thing, to the music of Tina Turner.
About Li Anlin
Mr. Li was born in Nanjing, China. At the age of 13, he went to Beijing to study at the Beijing Dance Academy and graduated in 1979 to the Young Dancers Company. He first met and worked with Ben Stevenson while he was a student at the Academy. In 1982, he joined the Central Ballet of China as a soloist and danced all around China, Thailand and Hong Kong. In 1985, Mr. Li was invited by Ivan Nagy to join Ballet de Santiago as a soloist and was soon promoted to principal dancer. In 1989, Mr. Stevenson invited Mr. Li to join Houston Ballet as a soloist where he danced until his retirement in 2000. During his 21-year career as a dancer, Mr. Li was featured in many of Mr. Stevenson’s ballets including The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Dracula, Three Preludes, Four Last Songs, “L,” Swan Lake, Peer Gynt, Cleopatra, and Don Quixote among others. He also danced in ballets by Sir Kenneth MacMillan (Elite Syncopations, Manon, and Gloria); John Cranko (Romeo & Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew); George Balanchine (Serenade, Agon, Theme & Variations, The Four Temperaments); Jiri Kylian (Sinfonietta); and Christopher Bruce (Cruel Garden) among many others. In 2000, Mr. Li was named ballet master for Houston Ballet, and helped set and rehearse many of Mr. Stevenson’s ballets. He also assisted Mr. Stevenson in the creation of his most recent ballet, The Fountain of Tears, during the summer of 2002 in Beijing.
About Anna Donovan
A native of Ireland, Ms. Donovan joined the Texas Ballet Theater artistic staff in 2000. At the age of ten, Ms. Donovan won a scholarship to train at the prestigious Royal Ballet School in England. From there she went to Elmhurst Ballet School, where she passed all the Royal Academy Examinations with Honors. After touring Europe for several years she joined the Irish National Ballet in 1973 and was rapidly promoted to principal dancer. Recognized for her dramatic abilities and technical prowess, she performed many classical and dramatic roles. During her sixteen-year tenure with INB, she toured extensively in Ireland, in Europe and also the United States. Ms. Donovan had the opportunity to work with Sir Anton Dolin, John Gilpin, Hans Brennaa, Peter Darrell, and Domy Reiter-Soffer, as well as many other notable choreographers. She also had many works created for her, one of which was called The Playboy of the Western World, featuring music of the Irish group, The Chieftains. This production toured to Sadlers Wells Theatre in London, to Paris and City Center, New York. In 1989, she focused her energies toward teaching, and was instrumental in establishing the Professional Dance Diploma Course in Dublin. She joined the staff of Ballet Dallas in 1991, serving as principal ballet mistress/repetiteur, and also instructor of the Dallas Conservatory of Ballet. While with Ballet Dallas, she worked and collaborated with many notable choreographers including Lorraine Graves (Dance Theatre of Harlem), Fernando Bujones, James Clouser, Vivi Flint, and Peter Anastos. Since arriving in the United States, Ms. Donovan has been invited by many organizations nationwide as guest instructor. She was nominated and is included in Who's Who of Teachers in America, 2000, 2001 and 2005.
About Melinda Nelson
Melinda Burgess Nelson joined Texas Ballet Theater in 2004 following a successful career in arts marketing in Houston. Prior to joining the Ballet she worked with the Houston Symphony and
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion where she created and implemented a four-day Children’s Festival designed to educate and entertain children, an outreach educational program, Musical Scores, that encourages at-risk students to stay in school and Partners, a volunteer program linking education, fundraising and event volunteers together. She started her arts career at the Tony award winning Alley Theater under artistic director Gregory Boyd.
ABOUT TEXAS BALLET THEATER
Founded in 1961, Texas Ballet Theater is the premier resident professional ballet company of North Texas. Under the direction of artistic director Ben Stevenson, O.B.E., the Ballet brings unprecedented talent, beauty and artistic expression to the stages of Fort Worth's Bass Performance Hall and Dallas' Music Hall at Fair Park and Historic Majestic Theatre in downtown Dallas. Texas Ballet Theater will become the resident ballet company for the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts when it opens in 2009. Season sponsors include the Star-Telegram, The Dallas Morning News, WRR Radio, TACA, the City of Dallas and Texas Commission on the Arts, American Airlines and The Arts Council of Fort Worth & Tarrant County. For more information, go to www.texasballettheater.org.
Photo Credit
Artist: Carolyn Judson. Photo: Ellen Appel.