Ballet Arizona announced its new artistic director, the internationally acclaimed dancer, choreographer, director, and arts leader, Daniela Cardim, who will be the first woman to hold the position and the fourth artistic director of the organization, succeeding the 24 years of leadership of Ib Andersen.
“I am thrilled and honored to have been chosen as the next artistic director of Ballet Arizona,” Cardim said. “The company has an incredible pool of talent, and I can’t wait to start working with its wonderful artists and team. I hope to honor the past of Ballet Arizona, the beautiful legacy created by Ib Andersen, and the tradition of classical ballet by presenting beloved narratives from the classical canon. We will also bring masterpieces from the 20th and 21st centuries to the audience in Arizona and become an extraordinary creative hub. We will deliver a varied and high-quality program for the audience to experience, all while ensuring that the art form is accessible and inclusive.”
Cardim began her celebrated career as a dancer at the Ballet of the Municipal Theatre of Rio de Janeiro in 1994, becoming a soloist in 1995 and performing leading roles in ballets such as Giselle, L’après-midi d’un Faune (Nijinsky), and Suite en Blanc (Lifar). She then joined the Dutch National Ballet in 1999, achieving distinction in the company, and subsequently performing a vast repertoire including leading roles in Choreatium (Massine), Sleeping Beauty, and Romeo and Juliet. Her professional dance training includes the Studio Eliana Karin in Rio de Janeiro, the Académie De Danse Classique Princesse Grace in Monaco, and contemporary dance training at the Ballet Cristina Helena in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Throughout her career, Cardim has choreographed works for a myriad of internationally recognized ballet companies, including the Ballet of the Municipal Theatre of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo Dance Company (Brazil), Dutch National Ballet Junior Company (Netherlands), Birmingham Royal Ballet, New English Ballet Theatre, English National Ballet School and Elmhurst Ballet School (United Kingdom), West Australian Ballet, and Poznan Opera Ballet (Poland). Ballet Arizona is excited to bring this caliber of talent to its stages.
Additionally, Cardim has worked as a ballet teacher and mentor for student dancers, including mentoring young choreographers at The Royal Ballet School and creating works for their Summer Intensive programs. She has also taught students at the Studio Eliana Karin and open classes at the Central School of Ballet and English National Ballet. Cardim has served as a guest ballet teacher at Studio Wayne McGregor, Rambert Dance Company, Akram Khan Company, and Swedish Ballet School in Gothenburg.
After retiring as a dancer in 2010, Cardim completed a bachelor’s degree with honors in arts management at London South Bank University, graduating with first-class distinction. Since 2013, Cardim has held a variety of leadership positions at the New English Ballet Theatre in London , starting as a project manager, followed by promotion to company manager and general manager in 2014, and assistant director in 2022.