Get to Know The Washington Ballet's Acting Artistic Director 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 joined the Hamburg Ballet at 17 and was a Soloist for six years. Later, as a Principal dancer with the Basel Ballet, Düsseldorf Ballet, and English National Ballet, she performed many leading roles of the classical repertoire, as well as contemporary works by some of the greatest twentieth-century choreographers.

Trinidad Vives received her teaching diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Dance in Madrid and began teaching at the Houston Ballet Academy in 1994. During her eight-year tenure with Houston Ballet, she rose from the position of Ballet Mistress to Co-Artistic Director of the Company.

In 2002, she was named the Artistic Associate of Boston Ballet where she staged ballets, taught company class, coached dancers, and oversaw the artistic staff for seven seasons. The past two years Ms. Vives has been working as Rehearsal Director with the Compañía Nacional de Danza in Madrid, Spain.

She has staged numerous full-length ballets and contemporary works and has been a guest teacher for major dance companies around the world including American Ballet Theatre, the National Ballet of Canada, Bayerische Staatsballett, and Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo. Ms. Vives is also a co-founder of The Brookline Ballet School in Boston dedicated to enriching the lives of others with the beauty and grace of ballet.

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The Washington Ballet: What are you most excited about for TWB’s 2023–24 Performance Season?

Trinidad Vives: I am very excited to be a part of TWB, and I am looking forward to guiding the dancers through the varied repertoire TWB is presenting this season.

TWB: Our first production, Such Sweet Thunder, features a six of classical and contemporary repertoire. Can you share a bit about your experience performing some of the classical repertoire? And then, can you share a bit about how contemporary repertoire now fits in the ballet choreographic landscape?

TV: I feel fortunate to have had great opportunities in my career to dance works by very diverse choreographers, and with each work I performed I grew as an artist and as a dancer. I always enjoyed dancing classical roles, especially performing roles in full-length story ballets. It is very fulfilling and gratifying to

be able to immerse yourself in a role where you have to portray the story solely through movement, but at the same time making it your own in a human way through your emotions. The classical repertoire is the most technically demanding but artistically very rewarding for the dancer.

I believe that ballet companies in present times must produce classical and contemporary works and develop versatile dancers that can excel in all dance forms. As an Arts organization it is important to reach out to all kinds of audiences by presenting a broad range of productions, giving them different ways to experience this beautiful art form, allowing them to understand that dance is a language that everyone can understand because it touches your emotions.

TWB: What is your approach to keeping the artistic level and technique of the company high?

TV: My approach to keeping the artistic level and technique of the company high is through individual coaching and attention to detail. I believe it is important to encourage dancers

to keep pushing to reach their potential within a positive environment, while providing them with a strong technical foundation and inspiring them to go beyond their current level of abilities and artistry.

TWB: What can audiences look forward to in the coming months with TWB?

TV: Inspired dancers and exciting performances, including some changes to our annual Nutcracker production and two world premieres in our Jazz Icons program.

TWB: What are you bringing with you from your other artistic experiences to your time here with TWB?

TV: I am bringing an extensive wealth of knowledge of dance, gained from my experience in leading major American and European ballet companies to great success.