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Celebrating Edwaard Liang for Over a Decade of Service to BalletMet
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WHEREAS, located in downtown Columbus BalletMet is an American ballet company and training program that runs a several programs and facilities such as a black box theatre performance space, seven dance studios, and costume and scene shops; and
WHEREAS, BalletMet's professional company stages 60 to 70 performances each year in Columbus and on tour. In the past, the company has toured 28 U.S. states and internationally to Russia, Poland, Egypt, Spain and Canada; and
WHEREAS, a former dancer with New York City Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater, Edwaard Liang has built an international reputation as a choreographer. Over the last decade, he has created work for the Bolshoi Ballet, Houston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Kirov Ballet, New York City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Shanghai Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre and Washington Ballet; and
WHEREAS, in 2013, Edwaard was named Artistic Director at BalletMet where he continued to choreograph new works for companies both domestically and abroad and received an Emmy Award for his short dance film, “Vaulted” in 2017; and
WHEREAS, in October of 2023, Edwaard Liang was publicly announced as the new Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet, making him the fourth person, and first person of color, to lead the organization. He is also the first Asian American to lead a major American ballet company; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus community is forever grateful for the excellence, passion and notoriety that Edwaard has brought to Columbus through his role as BalletMet’s Artistic Director and are excited to see what this next chapter in Edwaard’s historic career holds; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That this Council hereby recognize and celebrate Edwaard Liang for over 10 years of service to the Columbus community and congratulates him on his new opportunity with The Washington Ballet.