Artistic director, Hong Kong Ballet
Hong Kong Ballet’s artistic director is pushing the company forward into a new era of innovation
An instrumental figure in the global revival of narrative ballet, Septime Webre has been the artistic director of the Hong Kong Ballet since 2017. He wears any number of hats in the ballet world—ballet director, choreographer, dancer, educator and more—and has quickly become known for innovative productions that adapt classic works with a local context, such as his June 2021 production of Romeo + Juliet, reimagined in the style of 1960s Hong Kong, and the December 2021 premiere of The Nutcracker, set in 1920s Hong Kong. The latter work won him Outstanding Choreography at the 2022 Hong Kong Dance Awards.
Originally from the US, although his early years were spent largely in the Bahamas, Webre previously spent several years as artistic director of the Washington Ballet, where he first established his reputation for innovation and for increasing community engagement, and the American Repertory Ballet.
Recognitions
Did You Know?
Coming from a large Cuban-American family that stressed academic achievement over artistic pursuits, Septime Webre practised ballet in his spare time while officially studying law at the University of Texas at Austin.