30/03/2026
Ballet dancer, educator, choreographer, and leader Ben Stevenson, OBE—whose international career included directing Houston Ballet and, later, Texas Ballet Theater—died on Sunday at the age of 89.
Born in Portsmouth, England, on April 4, 1936, Stevenson trained at London’s Arts Educational School and joined Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet (now The Royal Ballet) at age 18, dancing under Sir Frederick Ashton, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, and John Cranko. Later, at Sir Anton Dolin’s invitation, he moved to London Festival Ballet as a principal dancer. He also performed in musicals on London’s West End, and he regularly appeared on British television alongside legends like Judy Garland and Ella Fitzgerald.
Stevenson began choreographing in the 1960s for companies including English National Ballet and Washington, DC’s National Ballet. In 1968, he relocated to the U.S., where he led Harkness Youth Dancers in New York City and, starting in 1970, co-directed National Ballet with Frederic Franklin. He then became artistic director of Houston Ballet in 1976.
During his nearly three decades at the helm in Houston, he helped the company achieve national prominence, developing generations of leading dancers—including Carlos Acosta, Lauren Anderson, Li Cunxin, and Janie Parker—and founding Houston Ballet Academy. He also began a decades-long cultural exchange with China, becoming the first foreigner to be named an honorary faculty member at the Beijing Dance Academy and the Shenyang Conservatory of Music.
In 2003, Stevenson was named artistic director of Texas Ballet Theater. He would be its longest-serving artistic director, recruiting international talent and choreographing productions including “Swan Lake,” “Dracula,” and “The Nutty Nutcracker.” He transitioned to artistic director laureate of TBT in 2022.
Stevenson was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999, and received a Dance Magazine Award in 2000 and the Texas Medal of Arts in 2005. He will be remembered not only for his accomplishments across the globe but for his wit, generosity, and mentorship of generations of dancers.
A longer tribute to Stevenson is forthcoming.
📸: Ben Stevenson. Photo courtesy Ben Stevenson Trust.
Description: Ben Stevenson's headshot. He wears a black suit with crushed velvet and wire-rimmed glasses. Text: Ben Stevenson (1936–2026)
