Boston Ballet Announces Appoints New Artistic Assistant and Reveals 2025–2026 Company Roster

Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen has announced the Company’s 2025–2026 roster, featuring 69 professional dancers from around the world. The season will welcome five new dancers to the main Company, seven new dancers to Boston Ballet II (BBII), and celebrate five promotions across Boston Ballet and BBII. Nissinen also confirmed the appointment of Philip Neal as Artistic Assistant Director, beginning in October 2025.

Philip Neal Joins as Artistic Assistant Director

Neal enjoyed a 23-year career with New York City Ballet, including 17 years as a principal dancer. An internationally respected répétiteur of the works of George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, he has staged numerous ballets for Boston Ballet in recent years. Since 2015, Neal has served as Artistic Director of Next Generation Ballet and Dance Dean of the Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center in Tampa, Florida.

“I’m honored to join such a prestigious organization—one I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with for nearly a decade,” said Neal. “I have deep admiration for the extraordinary talent of Boston Ballet’s dancers and look forward to working alongside Mikko to further the Company’s artistic legacy in Boston and on the global stage.”

Russell Kaiser, who has served as Assistant Artistic Director since 2009, will step down at the end of The Nutcracker run in December 2025, though he will return in April 2026 as Guest Rehearsal Director for Jerome Robbins’ Dances at a Gathering.

New Company Dancers

Boston Ballet welcomes six new dancers to the Company for the 2025–2026 season: Madoka Sugai of Atsugi, Japan, and WanTing Zhao of Anshan, China, both joining as principal dancers; Francisco Schilereff of Coronel Suárez, Argentina, as a second soloist; and Katie Cerny of Cary, North Carolina, Aubrey Daniels of Houston, Texas, and Spencer Wetherington of Bridgeton, New Jersey, as artists of the Company.

Promotions include SeokJoo Kim and Gearóid Solan to Second Soloist, and Layla Porter, Kylie Dyson, and Sebastian Bondar from BBII to Artist of the Company.

New Dancers in BBII

Joining Boston Ballet II for the 2025–2026 season are Ethan Collins of Auckland, New Zealand; Aubrey Daniels; Alberto Gil Vicente of Madrid, Spain; Bogyeong Kim of Gimhae City, South Korea; Louis Millard of Petoskey, Michigan; and Alexander Mockrish of Danderyd, Sweden. In addition, Zoe Cartier of Phoenix, Arizona, formerly of the Donna Egan Graduate Program, has been promoted to BBII.

Boston Ballet’s 2025–2026 roster represents 14 nationalities, with 33 percent of dancers identifying as BIPOC or multiracial. Alumni of BBII make up 43 percent of the Company.