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.