Connor Walsh, Principal

Birthplace
Fairfax, Virginia

Dance Training
Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy
Kirov Academy of Ballet

Joined the Company
2004

Promoted to Principal
2007

Favorite Ballet
Manon

One defining moment...
Receiving the Award of Encouragement at the 3rd Shanghai International Ballet Competition.

Connor Walsh began his training at the age of seven under the direction of his mother Constance Walsh. He has trained at some of the best schools in the nation including The Kirov Academy of Ballet, The Harid Conservatory, and Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy. During his time at Houston Ballet he has received awards such as the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation Scholarship and the Ben Stevenson Scholarship award. In 2004, he won the first annual gold award from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA), and was given the award of encouragement at the Shanghai International Ballet Competition. Mr. Walsh was promoted to soloist in March 2006 and then to principal dancer in September 2007. Over the last five years, he has been in demand as a guest star, making appearances in Argentina, Australia, and The Philippines, as well as appearing in galas in New York City, Mexico and Malaysia. He is equally at home performing works by such contemporary masters as Christopher Bruce, Jiri Kylian, and Glen Tetley as he is in the roles of the great classical repertoire such as Albrecht in Giselle, the Prince in Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker;  Basilio in Don Quxiote, and Colas in Sir Frederick Ashton's La Fille mal gardee. Jorma Elo created the male lead in his ballet ONE/end/ONE in May 2011 for Mr. Walsh, and Stanton Welch created the leading male roles of Swedish Count Axel Fersen in the world premiere of his full length-work Marie in February 2009 and Solor in Mr. Welch's new staging of La Bayadere in February 2010 especially for Mr. Walsh.

Houston Ballet's Connor Walsh

 Resource Links Below

Press:
The Secret Lives of Dancers - Pointe Magazine

Videos:
Meet the Artist: Connor Walsh

Stanton Welch's La Bayadère

Sir Kenneth MacMillan's Manon

Christopher Bruce's Swansong

Antony Tudor's The Leaves are Fading

Twyla Tharp's In the Upper Room (clip 1)

Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room (clip 2)

Interview:
Connor Walsh and Sara Webb talk about dancing Don Quixote on The Front Row (KUHF 88.7)

Headshot by: Pam Francis

Photo: Drew Donovan