Richmond Ballet
The State Ballet of Virginia
Joe Seaton
Company Dancer
Joe Seaton, originally from London, UK, began dancing at the age of eight through the Royal Ballet's Chance to Dance program and continued his training at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and the San Francisco Ballet School. He has previously performed with BalletMet, Oklahoma City Ballet, and Dayton Ballet. Joe enjoys spending his free time teaching and practicing yoga, and spending time with his fiancée and their three cats. This is Joe’s second season performing with Richmond Ballet.
Education & Training
Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and San Francisco Ballet School
Professional Experience / Career Highlights
BalletMet, Oklahoma City Ballet, and Dayton Ballet
My career highlights include performing Petite Mort by Jiri Kylian with OKCB, Ghost light by Penny Saunders with Dayton Ballet, and working with Ma Cong, Katarzyna Skarpetowska and Jennifer Archibald with Richmond Ballet.
What inspired you to become a professional dancer?
Movement is a form of communication that everyone shares, regardless of the language we speak. I think dance is such a universal, powerful and beautiful way of communicating.
What is your favorite role that you’ve performed with Richmond Ballet?
Kaleidoscopic Etudes by Katarzyna Skarpetowska, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner by Jennifer Archibald, and Three Preludes by Ben Stevenson
What do you enjoy about being part of Richmond Ballet?
The Ballet has a wonderful combination of classical and contemporary works that we perform and a very appreciative and artistic community that support us!
What do you like about living in Richmond?
I really like the architecture, the geographical location and of course the community and vibrant arts scene in RVA!
What hobbies or activities do you enjoy doing off-stage?
I love teaching and practicing Yoga (mostly at The Yoga Dojo here in Richmond), cycling, travelling with my fiancée and spending time with our 3 cats!
A photo gallery of Joe's artistry
Company Dancers
Our professional company is made up of elite dancers from around the world who have helped earn Richmond Ballet critical acclaim. Dance/USA says Richmond Ballet is “a jewel among U.S. dance companies,” while The Washington Post calls it “a company to which dance fans everywhere ought to pay attention.” We’re proud of all that our company dancers bring to Richmond, and the world.
Cody Beaton
Celeste Gaiera
Enrico Hipolito
Colin Jacob
Khaiyom Khojaev
Garret McNally
Jack Miller
Eri Nishihara
Naomi Robinson
Sabrina Sabino
Sarah Joan Smith
Izabella Tokev
Ira White
Naomi Wilson
RBII Dancers
Richmond Ballet II, our second performing company, is comprised of talented young dancers between the ages of 18 and 22. RBII members perform their own diverse repertoire on tour across the Commonwealth as well as alongside the main company in mainstage productions.
Jackson Calhoun
Courtney Collier
Zacchaeus Page
Paul Piner
RBII Apprentices
RBII Apprentices are the top level of the Pre-Professional Division of School of Richmond Ballet. They receive an intensive training program, full scholarship, living stipend and are the bridge to RBII, our second company. Their time is divided between RBII rehearsals and the Trainee Program, performing in Lecture Demonstrations, Richmond Ballet Company mainstage performances and the end of season showcase performance with RB Trainees.
Richmond Ballet II Apprentices
Seated (L-R): Gianna DeMassio, Rachel Nash
Standing (L-R): Michael Duncan, Hannah MacLeod, Darius Mealy
TRAINEES
Founded in 1993, the nationally recognized Richmond Ballet Trainee Program offers select advanced students a transitional experience to bridge the gap between the academic ballet setting and the world of professional dance. The Richmond Ballet Trainee Program is one of the few in this country that enables aspiring dancers to pursue formal dance training and gain valuable performance experience with a professional company.
Richmond Ballet Trainees - Second and Third Years
First Row- Senior Trainees: Kennady Jackson, Sarah Shaw, Gabrielle Goodson
Second Row: Katrina May Thomas, Sheridan Brown, Anna Orzulak, Parker Edmondson, Kendall Taylor, Ella Warren
Third Row: Carter Bush, Gavin Haas, Cade Bolz, Garrett Janiak, Daniel Miller
Richmond Ballet Trainees - First Year
First Row: Anne Pearson Gremer, Kristen Soyars Green, Isabella Vanik
Second Row: Gillian Carr, BriAnna Binzak, Savannah Wyatt, Claire Kehoe, Alexis Dawson, Kinsey Phelps, Chelsea Hacking
Third Row: Kiera Luci Dulog, Gillian Grossman, Oliver Gardner, Sydney Stutzman, Benjamin Piner
Artistic Staff
The Artistic Staff at Richmond Ballet is made up of international professionals who each bring incredible talent, expertise, and credentials to their respective roles. With impressive backgrounds and world experience, they offer a unique perspective that has helped shape our organization over the years. For over 40 years, Stoner Winslett has served as the founding Artistic Director of Richmond Ballet, the first major company of professional dancers in the Commonwealth of Virginia. She is one of the longest tenured artistic directors of a major ballet company and one of the country’s few female artistic directors. In June 2020, acclaimed choreographer Ma Cong joined Richmond Ballet as its first ever Associate Artistic Director.
Stoner Winslett
Artistic Director
Ma Cong
Associate Artistic Director
Judy Jacob
Artistic Associate & Chairman of Faculty
Jerri Kumery
Artistic Associate
Igor Antonov
Artistic Associate and Richmond Ballet II Director
Lauren Fagone
Répétiteur and Artistic Coordinator
