San Francisco Ballet Reveals Inaugural 'Raising Leaders' Fellows

San Francisco Ballet has announced Principal Dancer Sasha De Sola and Soloist Julia Rowe as the inaugural fellows of Raising Leaders, SF Ballet’s newest artist development initiative offering selected company dancers individually tailored curriculum to support their growth as future leaders of ballet beyond the stage.

Devised and led by Director of Artist Development Kerry Nicholls, Raising Leaders is a bespoke leadership training program designed to complement the fellows’ performance careers and guided by their professional interests. As the program’s inaugural fellows, De Sola and Rowe will receive one-on-one coaching, mentorship, and professional observation opportunities, with the goal of gaining a greater understanding of how ballet companies work as businesses and cultivating their leadership skills. To enhance the curriculum of Raising Leaders, SF Ballet is partnering with the Stanford School of Medicine and LinkedIn to offer leadership training sessions and access to professional development specialists.

Raising Leaders expands upon SF Ballet’s role as a catalyst for the future of ballet and its portfolio of artist development offerings; in 2023, the organization launched Creation House, a research, creation, and talent incubator offering career-enhancing creative opportunities in choreography and new work development to SF Ballet company members, students in its School, and guest artists.

“I am greatly looking forward to working with Sasha and Julia toward their professional goals,” said Nicholls. “As SF Ballet nurtures the next generation of leaders in the dance industry on and off the stage, we aim to both expand what our organization has to offer and forge new partnerships with thought leaders across the Bay Area.” Added SF Ballet Artistic Director Tamara Rojo: “I am thrilled to support Sasha and Julia as the inaugural fellows of Raising Leaders. Both artists embody the spirit of the initiative in their curiosity, leadership, and drive to effect positive change in themselves, at SF Ballet, and within the broader dance ecosystem.”

Sasha De Sola

“As a ballet artist, you work toward contributing your individual perspective to a broader vision, a skill that is imperative for leaders,” said De Sola. “I’m excited to leverage my 18 years of experience dancing with SF Ballet to learn more about the inner workings of ballet companies.”

Born in Winter Park, Florida, De Sola was named an apprentice in 2006 and joined the company as a member of the corps de ballet in 2007. She was promoted to soloist in 2012, principal dancer in 2017, and appointed Diane B. Wilsey Principal Dancer in 2020. Highlights of De Sola’s recent repertory include Odette-Odile in Swan Lake (Tomasson after Petipa), Cinderella (Wheeldon), and Giselle (Tomasson after Petipa). De Sola’s Raising Leaders fellowship will include executive coaching sessions and will culminate in a placement with a ballet company in Europe. De Sola holds a bachelor’s degree in the performing arts from Saint Mary’s College of California. 

Julia Rowe

“I’m interested in empowering people from diverse backgrounds to tell their own stories through dance,” said Rowe. “By exploring new skillsets with SF Ballet’s guidance, I’m hoping to chart a path as a leader in the dance community.” 

Born in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, Rowe joined SF Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2013 and was promoted to soloist in 2016. Highlights of her recent roles include Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Balanchine) and Grand Pas de Deux in Nutcracker (Tomasson), and she has originated roles in Pas/Parts 2016 (Forsythe), Violin Concerto (Possokhov), and The Infinite Ocean (Liang). Rowe’s Raising Leaders fellowship will consist of foundational coaching and mentorship opportunities, and will culminate in devising and delivering an independent project.