NYCB Promotes Meaghan Dutton-O'Hara, Owen Flacke, Kloe Walker to Soloist

New York City Ballet announced that three corps de ballet members—Meaghan Dutton-O'Hara, Owen Flacke, and Kloe Walker—have been promoted to Soloist.

The promotions were made on Saturday, October 17 by NYCB Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan, following the Company's matinee performance of an All-Balanchine program, part of the Company's final weekend of its 2026 Fall Season performances, which concluded on Sunday, October 18.

The newly promoted dancers have performed numerous featured roles throughout the Company's four-week Fall Season. Dutton-O'Hara debuted in featured roles in 'Emeralds' from George Balanchine's Jewels and Christopher Wheeldon's Continuum and also reprised featured roles in Jerome Robbins' The Concert, Justin Peck's Pulcinella Variations, and Balanchine's The Four Temperaments; Flacke debuted in featured roles in Balanchine's The Four Temperaments and 'Diamonds' from Jewels, Kyle Abraham's Love Letter (on shuffle), and Wheeldon's Continuum, and also reprised a featured role in Alexei Ratmansky's Solitude; and Walker debuted in featured roles in Balanchine's The Four Temperaments, Peck's Pulcinella Variations, and Ratmansky's Solitude.

The Company will next perform its annual holiday engagement of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker from November 27, 2026 through January 3, 2027, followed by the annual Winter Season (January 19 through February 28, 2027) and Spring Season (April 20 through May 30, 2027). For more information, visit www.nycballet.com.

MEAGHAN DUTTON-O'HARA

Meaghan Dutton-O'Hara was born in New York City and began her dance training at the age of 3 at the Frederick School of Classical Ballet in Frederick, Maryland. Dutton-O'Hara began studying at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, during the 2007 summer course and enrolled as a full-time student that fall. In August 2011, Dutton-O'Hara became an apprentice with New York City Ballet and she joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet the following August.

Since joining NYCB, Dutton-O'Hara has danced featured roles in Balanchine's Agon, Ballo della Regina, Chaconne, Coppélia (Prayer), 'Emeralds' from Jewels, Firebird (Princess), The Four Temperaments, George Balanchine's The Nutcracker (Hot Chocolate, Lead Flowers, Marzipan, Frau Stahlbaum), Raymonda Variations, Swan Lake (Pas de Neuf), and La Valse; Merce Cunningham's Summerspace; Peter Martins' La Sylphide (James' Mother), The Sleeping Beauty (Carabosse, Tenderness, Generosity, Courage), and Swan Lake (Princess, Spanish Dance); Justin Peck's Copland Dance Episodes and Pulcinella Variations; Robbins' The Concert, Glass Pieces, and West Side Story Suite (Anita); and Wheeldon's Continuum.

She has also originated featured roles in Silas Farley's Architects of Time, Lauren Lovette's Not Our Fate, Andrea Miller's sky to hold, Matthew Neenan's The Exchange, Ratmansky's The Naked King, and Wheeldon's From You Within Me.

Dutton-O'Hara was the 2011 recipient of the Martin E. Segal Award and a 2011 recipient of the Mae L. Wien Award.

OWEN FLACKE

Owen Flacke was born in Boston, Massachusetts and began his dance training at age 4 at Walnut Hill School for the Arts' Community Dance Academy. At age 7, he began training at the Boston Ballet School under Tamara King, Christopher Anderson, Margaret Tracey, and Peter Stark. Flacke attended the summer course at SAB in 2020 before enrolling as a full-time student for the winter term that year. Flacke became an apprentice with NYCB in November 2022 and joined the corps de ballet in October 2023.

Since joining NYCB, Flacke has performed featured roles in Balanchine's Concerto Barocco, 'Diamonds' from Jewels, Divertimento No. 15, Episodes, The Four Temperaments, A Midsummer Night's Dream (Theseus), George Balanchine's The Nutcracker (Cavalier, Mother Ginger), Symphony in C, and Walpurgisnacht Ballet, Abraham's Love Letter (on shuffle), Peter Martins' The Sleeping Beauty (King Florestan) and Swan Lake (Spanish Dance), Justin Peck's Heatscape, Ratmansky's Voices, Robbins' Glass Pieces, and Wheeldon's Continuum. He has also originated featured roles in Ratmansky's The Naked King and Solitude.

KLOE WALKER

Kloe Walker was born in Jefferson County, West Virginia and began her dance training at age 4 locally. At age 13, she continued her studies at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet in Carlisle, PA under Darla Hoover. Walker attended summer courses at SAB in 2021 and 2022 before enrolling as a full-time student for the winter term in 2022. She became an apprentice with NYCB in August 2023 and joined the corps de ballet in May 2024.

Since joining NYCB, Walker has performed featured roles in Balanchine's Coppélia (Dawn), The Four Temperaments, George Balanchine's The Nutcracker (Dewdrop, Lead Flowers), and Raymonda Variations; Peter Martins' The Sleeping Beauty (Ruby, Tenderness); Justin Peck's Pulcinella Variations; Ratmansky's Paquita, Voices, and Solitude; and Wheeldon's From You Within Me. She also originated a featured role in Tiler Peck's Symphonie Espagnole.

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