Description
As a principal dancer with Houston Ballet for over a decade, Dominic Walsh received national and international praise for his interpretations of the classical and contemporary repertoires. Walsh burst onto the choreographic scene when he won the prestigious Choo-San Goh Award in 1998, and he is now considered to be one of today’s leading American choreographers.
Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, launched by Walsh in 2002, is dedicated to the creation and presentation of innovative contemporary ballet. Contemporary ballet fills a unique niche - its themes, sensibilities, and movements are modern, but they are brought to life through the aesthetics of classically trained ballet dancers. There are just a handful of companies devoted to this type of work in the United States, and the audiences and critics agree that Dominic Walsh Dance Theater is at the top of the list. After the company’s premiere performance in 2003, Dance Magazine reported: "At last Houston has a contemporary dance company on a par with its symphony, opera, and ballet companies." More recently, the Houston Chronicle reported: "Walsh is delivering on his promise to bring Houston another world-class company." Today, the company’s roster includes dancers of the highest caliber and its repertoire features works by Walsh and such iconic choreographers as Mauro Bigonzetti, Jiří Kylián, and Matthew Bourne.
Although the company is, at its heart, a dance company, it is somewhat unusual in its focus on collaboration. In just eight years, the company has produced works in conjunction with more than twenty-five Houston-area arts organizations and artists. Dominic Walsh Dance Theater also offers educational opportunities for all ages including outreach programs, lectures/demonstrations, master classes, and open rehearsals. In addition to producing a full season of performances and programs in Houston, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater tours both nationally and internationally and has appeared at the IX International Ballet Festival of Miami, the Vail Valley International Dance Festival, the Extremadura International Contemporary Language Dance Festival in Mexico, Spain’s Torrevieja Gala, Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Joyce SoHo, Ballet Quad Cities, Friends University, and several galas in Europe.
