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Houston Ballet makes historic move with addition of prominent national dance figure

Kent arrives in Houston from Washington D.C.

Photo by Jayme Thornton

The Houston Ballet is revamping its power structure. The company has announced that Julie Kent, currently the artistic director at the Washington Ballet in Washington D.C., will serve as co-director, beginning next July.

This role is a first for Houston Ballet; Kent will collaborate with the company's artistic director, Stanton Welch. She's no stranger to working with Welch — the pair worked together while Kent was a dancer with American Ballet Theatre, on Clear and Carmina Burana.

"Not only is Julie Kent ballet royalty and immensely talented — both as a dancer, coach, stager and teacher — but there is no one I would rather have as a partner to bring Houston Ballet into this next chapter,” said Welch in a release announcing the appointment. “I very much look forward to what will be a highly collaborative experience that will only elevate what Houston Ballet can achieve, both artistically and as an organization.”

Serving as the artistic director for the Washington Ballet since 2016, Kent has been lauded for infusing the company's repertoire with classical and contemporary masterworks, including the iconic Sleeping Beauty, which the Washington Post called "impressive." Ken also mounted 26 world premieres by 17 choreographers during her leadership.

Kent is also the longest-serving member of the American Ballet Theatre, having spent more than 30 years there as a ballerina. She danced more than 100 productions with the company, including all of the major classical, dramatic and neo-classical roles in works by Marius Petipa, George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Sir Frederick Ashton, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, John Cranko, Jiří Kylián, Ronald Hynd, Ben Stevenson OBE and Christopher Wheeldon.

Additionally, Kent has originated roles for many prominent choreographers and directors, including John Neumeier, Lar Lubovitch, Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp, Alexei Ratmansky, and Natalie Weir.

"“I am honored to serve Houston Ballet as the first-ever co-artistic director and thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to the remarkable Houston Ballet community,” said Kent in a statement. “I have greatly admired Stanton and his brilliant work for more than 20 years, and I am deeply excited to partner with him in launching an exhilarating next chapter. I look forward to sharing many significant milestones in the years ahead and making many new and meaningful relationships throughout the city.”

Kent is married to Washington Ballet associate artistic director Victor Barbee. The couple have two children. All will be relocating to the Bayou City.

welcome to houston

Musical theater veteran joins prominent Houston company

Courtesy of Stages

Stages has named Valerie Rachelle as its new associate artist director.

A Houston theater company is adding an accomplished artist to its ranks. Stages announced that Valerie Rachelle will be the company’s new associate artistic director beginning in January 2026.

For more than a decade, Rachelle has been artistic director of the Oregon Cabaret Theatre in Ashland, Oregon, where she oversaw artistic vision and operations. That theater specializes in musical theater performances offered in a cabaret setting.

Rachelle comes to Houston with a career spanning nearly 30 years as a director and choreographer. She has extensive experience in developing new musicals and plays for regional theaters and opera companies across the United States, including the Tony Award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and Sierra Repertory Theatre. She was appointed to her position at Stages following a nationwide search.

“I’m beyond thankful for this opportunity to join this incredible company, and I’m excited to be a part of a creative entity that has a strong mission and vision as Stages,” Rachelle said in a statement.

In her role with Stages, she will support artistic director Derek Charles Livingston with season planning and casting; liaise with artists, press, and staff; and coordinate day-to-day operations for the artistic department. She will also assist with crafting educational materials, direct and choreograph productions, and serve as the primary liaison with theatrical unions.

“We are thrilled to welcome Valerie to Stages in this role,” said Livingston. “I have seen her work as a director and director choreographer — she's excellent. Those skills combined with her experience as a theatre artistic director and manager only further fortify Stages' commitment to artistic excellence and community engagement.”

Born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, Rachelle began her career as a dancer and apprentice ballerina with the Eugene Ballet Company before earning her BFA in acting from California Institute of the Arts. She received her MFA in Directing from the University of California, Irvine. She has held teaching and directing positions at numerous institutions, including the University of Southern California, Southern Oregon University, Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and others. She has also served as a mentor through Statera Arts, an organization dedicated to gender equity in the arts.

Rachelle teaches musical theater, auditioning, and singing at Southern Oregon University when she isn’t on the road as a freelance director and choreographer. She’s also a classically trained singer and toured the world with her parents and their illusionist show as a child.

“Joining the team that has a long-standing reputation of excellence in theater is an honor,” Rachelle added.

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