Ashley Bouder becomes Executive Director of Eastern Connecticut Ballet
Ashley Bouder will become the new Executive Director of Eastern Connecticut Ballet (ECB), the top school for dance education in Connecticut, USA.
Bouder said,
Eastern Connecticut Ballet has an exceptional reputation for producing professional dancers who are committed to the art form, and students who are accepted into highly competitive colleges and universities.
Bouder has been preparing for this moment, having a fine head on that extraordinary ballet body. Ten years ago she began her BA studies in Organisational Leadership and Political Science. In her statement, she added,
I look forward to leveraging my network of personal and professional dance connections from around the world to encourage artistic growth in the region, as well as further collaborative programming, partnerships, and creative initiatives.
Bouder’s network is vast, having spent two decades as a star of the New York City Ballet, guest with the Bayerisches Staatsballett, Mariinsky Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, and Rome Opera Ballet, as well as her countless gala appearances.
She also won the Benois de la Dance for Best Female Dancer in 2019.
As an artistic and executive director, Bouder has produced and choreographed 15 productions. Most recently, she served as the Training Program Director for Regional Dance America, where she developed and designed training sessions for pre-professional dancers.
As Executive Director, Bouder will oversee the school’s training and choreographic projects, as well as fundraising, marketing, and development capabilities. She will work with ECB’s Artistic Director and Master Teacher Gloria Govrin to incorporate evolving dance trends, while honouring the Balanchine legacy.
ECB founder Lise Reardon, said,
Ashley possesses a generous, creative and entrepreneurial spirit. She will bring fresh eyes and energy to an organization that is committed to developing young dancers and the future of ballet. Her commitment to building upon ECB’s legacy of excellence will continue to help the school flourish and propel it into the future.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
