New York Theatre Ballet Appoints Interim Co-artistic Directors

Giulia Faria and Melissa Sadler have been appointed Interim Co-Artistic Directors at New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB). It was announced today by Managing Director Sophie Blue and NYTB Board Chair Jackie Karceski, as Artistic Director Steven Melendez takes a six-month medical leave of absence from the company beginning August 2025. The interim role will assume the responsibilities of artistic direction, overseeing rehearsals, touring, performances, and outreach through January 2026.

Faria trained at NYTB School starting at the age of 11 and became an apprentice with NYTB in 2015. After performing for a year with New York Dance Project, she rejoined NYTB as a dancer from 2018-2025. Sadler danced with NYTB from 2001-2014 and has been a dancer with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet for 20 years. She was named Artistic Director of NYTB School in July 2025, succeeding founder Diana Byer. Sadler will continue her responsibilities as head of the NYTB School, balancing this work alongside her interim company responsibilities.

“I am grateful to Giulia and Melissa for stepping into this role while I take a brief leave,” said NYTB Artistic Director Steven Melendez. “Together, they bring decades of professional expertise and an intimate knowledge of New York Theatre Ballet's 47-year history and rich repertory. I am confident that the company and its operations will be in good hands with this interim artistic team and Sophie Blue, NYTB's Managing Director. As NYTB approaches its fifth decade, the company continues to present its acclaimed productions and innovative community programs, reaching 25,000 audience members each year, often in communities that have little exposure to ballet and dance.”

About Giulia Faria

Originally from Queens, New York, Faria studied under Diana Byer at NYTB School and attended LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts. In 2015, she joined NYTB as an apprentice, performing principal roles in ballets such as The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Firebird, and The Alice-in-Wonderland Follies. In 2017, she worked with Nicole Duffy and Davis Robertson at New York Dance Project. Faria rejoined NYTB in 2018 as a company member and for the last eight years has performed masterworks by legendary choreographers Merce Cunningham, José Limón, Jerome Robbins, Antony Tudor, and Frederick Ashton, as well as contemporary works by choreographers Pam Tanowitz, Gabrielle Lamb, and Richard Alston.

About Melissa Sadler

Melissa Sadler is in her 20th season dancing for the world-renowned Metropolitan Opera. She has performed in operas including Julie Taymor's The Magic Flute (Mark Dendy), La Traviata (Lorin Latarro), Turandot (Chiang Ching), Macbeth, Bartlett Sher's Les Contes d'Hoffmann (Dou Dou Huang), and La Gioconda (Christopher Wheeldon), From 2001-2014, Sadler danced with New York Theatre Ballet, performing principal roles in Keith Michael's The Nutcracker and Mother Goose!, Donald Mahler's Cinderella, and James Sutton's Sleeping Beauty, as well as in numerous works by Antony Tudor. Other stage credits include The Public Work's The Winter's Tale and Dance/Speak: The Life of Agnes de Mille. During her performing career, Sadler taught ballet classes at NYTB School and joined the faculty for the 2024-25 school year. She was appointed Artistic Director of NYTB School in July 2025.