Miami City Ballet Appoints New Artistic Director 

Dancer and arts leader Gonzalo Garcia will assume the role as of August 11, 2025

As the incoming artistic director, Gonzalo Garcia will be joining the Miami City Ballet (MCB) as it marks its 40th anniversary season. Garcia was selected following an international search conducted by Phillip DeBoer of DHR Global. 

He will become the third artistic director in the company’s history — his predecessors are Edward Villella and Lourdes Lopez, who resigned in February, two years before her contract expired, the New York Times reported.

Hailing from Spain, Garcia began his ballet training at the age of eight. At 15, he became the youngest gold medalist at the Prix de Lausanne — he subsequently joined the San Francisco Ballet, where he rose to principal dancer in 2002. The New York City Ballet (NYCB) then appointed him as a principal dancer in 2007. 

After retiring from performance in 2022, he was appointed Repertory Director at NYCB, where he coached leading dancers in ballets including Jewels, Symphony in C, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Swan Lake. He is also on the faculty at the School of American Ballet. 

As a guest artist and teacher, Garcia has held engagements at the Paris Opera Ballet, Mariinsky Theatre, Compañía Nacional de Danza, Juilliard, ABT’s JKO School, and more. 

Fluent in Spanish and English, he has also led bilingual outreach initiatives and worked with development and marketing teams to connect ballet to broader audiences. Additionally, he has directed and consulted for campaigns with Apple, Tiffany & Co., and the New York Times.

Among his honors are the Princess Grace Award, Isadora Duncan Award, and a nomination for the Benois de la Danse.

“We are delighted to welcome Gonzalo to the artistic helm of Miami City Ballet,” said Chair of the Board of Trustees Jeff Davis. “His international credentials are matched by his genuine devotion to mentoring dancers and engaging audiences. Gonzalo brings with him deep relationships with many of the world’s most prominent choreographers — Justin Peck, Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, Patricia Delgado, and more. He is uniquely poised to steer the company and school towards their next level of excellence and impact as we continue to elevate the performing arts profile of Miami.”

“I am energized by the opportunity to lead Miami City Ballet at this dynamic moment,” Garcia expressed. “Miami is barreling into the future with unparalleled momentum. It’s a city simmering with creativity, diversity, and rich cultural exchange — I intend to channel that electricity into every fiber of Miami City Ballet. 

“My goal is to continue honoring the company’s impressive legacy, while igniting new vibrancy and excellence,” he added. “ I’ll champion new voices and ideas alongside beloved masterworks and build bridges between artistic innovation and audience connection. Ballet can soar when it’s both brilliant and inclusive, with one foot rooted in tradition and the other leaping into the future.”