Oklahoma City, OK: Fresh off a wildly successful 2018-2019 performance season, Oklahoma City Ballet artistic director, Robert Mills, has announced new artists and dancer promotions for the 2019-2020 season. New artists include guest principal dancer, David Ward, and new Corps de Ballet dancers, Joseph Hetzer and Nicholas Keeperman.

David Ward, originally from London, England, joins Oklahoma City Ballet as Guest Principal Dancer for Michael Pink’s Dracula and Robert Mills’ Romeo and Juliet. Ward graduated from the English National Ballet School and has danced for Northern Ballet in Leeds, England, BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio and has toured across the world. Some of Ward’s most memorable performances include title roles in Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Peter Pan and Dracula.

Joseph Hetzer, of Palos Verdes, California, joins Oklahoma City Ballet from the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance at the University of Southern California. Before USC, Hetzer trained at South Bay Ballet with Diane Lauridsen.

Nicholas Keeperman, from Wilmington, Illinois comes from Kansas City Ballet where he performed David Parson’s A Play for Love, Septime Weber’s Wizard of Oz, Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias, and Devon Carney’s The Nutcracker.

Former apprentices, Alejandro Gonzalez, Natalie Matsuura, and Kara Troester were promoted to the Corps de Ballet. Other promotions include Lucas Tischler, Gabrielle Mengden, Ella Dorman, and Molly Cook, all promoted to Apprentice from Studio Company.

Oklahoma City Ballet is excited to continue toward excellence in preparation for the thrilling 2019-2020 season. Season tickets go on sale June 3.

More performance and artist information can be found at okcballet.org or by calling 405-848-TOES.