Miami City Ballet Appoints Gonzalo Garcia as Artistic Director

Visionary leader brings collaborative spirit, global experience, and bold artistic ambition to MCB’s next chapter.

(Miami Beach, FL — June 16, 2025) Miami City Ballet is thrilled to announce the appointment of Gonzalo Garcia as its new Artistic Director, effective August 11, 2025. This momentous announcement ushers in a dynamic new chapter as the company prepares to celebrate its milestone 40th Anniversary Season.

“We are delighted to welcome Gonzalo to the artistic helm of Miami City Ballet,” said Jeff Davis, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “His international credentials are matched by his genuine devotion to mentoring dancers and engaging audiences. Gonzalo brings with him deep relationships with many of the world’s most prominent choreographers—Justin Peck, Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, Patricia Delgado, and more. He is uniquely poised to steer the company and school towards their next level of excellence and impact as we continue to elevate the performing arts profile of Miami.”

“I am energized by the opportunity to lead Miami City Ballet at this dynamic moment,” said Gonzalo Garcia. “Miami is barreling into the future with unparalleled momentum. It’s a city simmering with creativity, diversity, and rich cultural exchange - I intend to channel that electricity into every fiber of Miami City Ballet. My goal is to continue honoring the company’s impressive legacy, while igniting new vibrancy and excellence.  I’ll champion new voices and ideas alongside beloved masterworks and build bridges between artistic innovation and audience connection. Ballet can soar when it’s both brilliant and inclusive, with one foot rooted in tradition and the other leaping into the future.”

Kristina Newman-Scott, Vice President of Arts at Knight Foundation, remarked, "Gonzalo, in many ways, represents the future of ballet. His passion, experience, and charisma make him an ideal candidate for the Artistic Director role at MCB. He has the potential to spark exciting national and international collaborations, which will benefit Miami and our diverse communities."

Garcia steps into this role with a visionary commitment to both preserving Miami City Ballet’s storied heritage and forging bold, new paths. His arrival—following an international search conducted by Philip DeBoer of DHR Global—signals a thrilling new chapter for the company, one that honors tradition while actively reshaping the future of ballet in Miami and beyond.

About Gonzalo Garcia

Gonzalo Garcia is a celebrated international artist, mentor, and arts leader whose 25-year career spans two of the most prestigious ballet companies in the United States: San Francisco Ballet and New York City Ballet. He brings to Miami City Ballet a global perspective, deep artistic integrity, and a vibrant vision that balances classical tradition with creative expansion.

Born in Zaragoza, Spain, Garcia began his ballet training at the age of eight under the legendary teacher María de Ávila. At 15, he became the youngest-ever gold medalist at the Prix de Lausanne, which launched his path to San Francisco Ballet, where he rose to principal dancer in 2002. During his decade with the company, he became known for his dramatic depth and technical command, leading acclaimed productions of Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, and The Nutcracker, while also originating roles in works by Helgi Tomasson, Mark Morris, and Lar Lubovitch.

In 2007, Garcia joined New York City Ballet as a principal dancer—one of the few artists in the company’s history to be hired externally at that rank. Over his 15 years with NYCB, he became one of the company’s most compelling artists, renowned for his interpretations of George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins masterworks including Apollo, Dances at a Gathering, The Four Temperaments, and Prodigal Son. He also originated roles in numerous contemporary ballets by Justin Peck, Alexei Ratmansky, and Christopher Wheeldon, and was notably coached by Mikhail Baryshnikov for Robbins’ Opus 19/The Dreamer.

Garcia’s relationship to the Balanchine legacy is deep and enduring—not only as a dancer shaped by Balanchine’s vocabulary, but as a current stager and interpreter of his works. After retiring from performance in 2022, he was appointed Repertory Director at NYCB, where he coached leading dancers in ballets including Jewels, Symphony in C, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Swan Lake (Balanchine). As faculty at the School of American Ballet—the institution Balanchine himself founded—Garcia became the only non-alumnus on staff, entrusted with mentoring the next generation in the very technical style Miami City Ballet continues to uphold.

He has also appeared as a guest artist and teacher across the globe, with engagements at Paris Opera Ballet, Mariinsky Theatre, Compañía Nacional de Danza, Juilliard, ABT’s JKO School, and more. Fluent in Spanish and English, he has led bilingual outreach initiatives and collaborated with development and marketing teams to connect ballet to broader audiences. His creative work beyond the stage includes directing and consulting for campaigns with Apple, Tiffany & Co., and The New York Times. His honors include the Princess Grace Award, Isadora Duncan Award, and a nomination for the Benois de la Danse.

Garcia steps into this role with unmatched experience, generous leadership, and a visionary commitment to both preserving Miami City Ballet’s storied heritage and forging bold, new paths. His arrival signals a thrilling new chapter for the company—one that honors tradition while actively reshaping the future of ballet in Miami and beyond.

About Miami City Ballet

Founded in 1985 by Miami philanthropist Toby Lerner Ansin, Miami City Ballet has grown into one of the nation’s premier ballet companies. Its artistic leadership has included Founding Artistic Director Edward Villella (1985–2012), Lourdes Lopez (2012–2025), and current Artistic Director Gonzalo Garcia. Renowned for its vibrant dancers, distinctive repertoire, and dynamic performances rooted in the legacy of George Balanchine, the company performs for nearly 125,000 audience members annually and tours both nationally and internationally. The Miami City Ballet School, the official school of MCB, is among the top training academies in the country, offering exceptional instruction and granting more than $650,000 in scholarships each year. MCB’s community engagement programs reach approximately 20,000 people annually, using the power of dance to uplift and inspire. The company is based in Miami Beach, FL, at the Ophelia & Juan Js. Roca Center, a facility designed by the world-renowned architectural firm Arquitectonica.

Portrait of Gonzalo Garcia by Rodrigo Diaz Wichmann.