Artistic Director
Stoner Winslett is the founding Artistic Director of the Richmond Ballet professional company. Her unique, strong partnership with the community has built a fine civic organization into an important national dance force through working toward a clear and shared vision. In the past 28 years, under Ms. Winslett’s direction, Richmond Ballet has established the first major company of professional dancers in the Commonwealth, commissioned 42 new works from choreographers from around the world, introduced the much-acclaimed Minds In Motion program into area schools, and renovated and occupied its landmark downtown building on Canal Street. She led the company through its highly successful New York debut at the Joyce Theater in 2005, followed by an equally successful and critically acclaimed collaborative effort in New York’s Joyce Theater in 2007, entitled John Butler: An American Master, which included Manhattan based Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ballet NY, and world renowned guest artist Desmond Richardson.

Ms. Winslett was trained by Ann Brodie, Aldofina Suarez and Michael Lland in Columbia, South Carolina and at American Ballet Theatre School and North Carolina School of the Arts on scholarship. After knee injuries curtailed her performing career, she pursued a course of independent study at Smith College where she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She came to Richmond Ballet to assist the previous artistic director in June of 1980 and was appointed artistic director in November of that same year.

Ms. Winslett’s vision for the organization has always encompassed not only performing but also the training of artists and the education of the community that are necessary to both preserve the heritage and explore new directions for the ballet. The major programming divisions of the organization – the Richmond Ballet professional company, School of Richmond Ballet and Minds In Motion – all reflect this mission. She has built an impressive repertory for Richmond Ballet with a foundation of full-length classics and 20th century masters (George Balanchine, John Butler, Agnes de Mille, Jose Limón, Antony Tudor, among others) coupled with a strong commitment to new work. She has choreographed nine of the new works herself including her acclaimed new version of The Nutcracker.

Ms. Winslett’s work has been recognized both regionally and nationally with numerous appointments and honors. She served as a Cadmus Leader-in-Residence at the Jepson School at the University of Richmond, was named a YWCA Woman of the Year and was chosen by Style Magazine as one of the 100 most influential Richmonders of the 20th century. Ms. Winslett has served on arts panels for several state arts councils and the National Endowment for the Arts where she has also been a site visitor. She was a vice-chair of DanceUSA and is currently serving as president of the John Butler Foundation. In February of 2005, she received The Smith College Medal, the highest honor the college confers on an alumna. She lives in Richmond with her family.

Managing Director
Keith Martin has a 35-year career in the not-for-profit sector that includes producing, artistic direction and choreography in professional theatre, opera, symphony and dance. He has been producer/managing director of Charlotte Repertory Theatre, registered lobbyist and legislative strategist for ARTS North Carolina, and visiting professor at Davidson College, teaching not-for-profit administration and cultural policy. Martin also serves as an associate with Brooklyn-based ARTS Action Research. He holds both BFA and MFA degrees in theatre from UNC-Greensboro and has lectured at numerous academic institutions including Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University and the Yale School of Drama. Martin joined the Richmond Ballet family in January 2005.

Education and Minds In Motion Director
Brett Bonda is in his 24th year with Richmond Ballet. Mr. Bonda serves as the artistic and administrative coordinator for Minds In Motion, the cornerstone of the Ballet’s outreach initiatives. In addition, Mr. Bonda promotes and books lecture demonstrations for elementary schools. Mr. Bonda was a member of Richmond Ballet’s professional company from 1985-1995 and has served as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, and a juror for the Coming Up Taller Awards. He received Richmond Magazine’s Teresa Pollack Award for Excellence in the Arts. He is an alumnus of Virginia Intermont College, where he earned a BA degree in ballet, with a dance teaching emphasis.

Artistic Associate and Ballet Master
Malcolm Burn is a native New Zealander and in his 22nd year on the artistic staff of Richmond Ballet. During his 25-year career, he danced leading roles in the standard classic repertory as well as numerous creations of contemporary ballet. Prior to his coming to Richmond Ballet as a principal dancer, Mr. Burn was co-director of Ballet Arizona. He has performed with the London Festival Ballet, and was a principal dancer with The Royal New Zealand Ballet, The National Ballet of Zimbabwe, Ballet West, and P.A.C.T. Ballet in South Africa, where he won the Ivan Soloman Award for Best Male Dancer in 1973, 1976, and 1980. Mr. Burn's choreographic achievements include A Christmas Carol, The Traveling Players, Walpurgis Night, Classical Symphony, Pas Glazunov, Romeo and Juliet, Complete Trust, Cinderella, and most recently, The Sleeping Beauty.

Artistic Associate and School of Richmond Ballet Director
Judy Jacob is from Detroit, where she studied ballet with Evelyn Smith. She trained in London, England with Anne Heaton, John Field and Valerie Taylor, and at Butler University and Indiana University with George Verdak, William Glenn, Peggy Dorsey, Anton Dolin and Kenneth Melville. Ms. Jacob performed with the Butler Ballet and Indiana Ballet Theatre, and was a principal dancer with Memphis Ballet for seven years. She created roles in ballets by choreographers Ron Cunningham, Jill Eathorne Bahr, Norbert Vesak, Robert Kelley and Philip Jerry. She was associate artistic director of Fort Wayne Ballet prior to joining Richmond Ballet in 1995. Ms. Jacob was appointed assistant ballet master in 1996, and has been School of Richmond Ballet director since 1998.

Operations Director
Sue McKinney joined Richmond Ballet as Business Manager in November 1998. In addition to directing the Ballet’s departments of Finance, Facilities, Personnel and Information Technology, Ms. McKinney has also managed the finances for two major capital campaigns for the Ballet. Before joining the Ballet, Ms. McKinney co-owned a retail/wholesale nursery, and held controller positions for several small businesses. Ms. McKinney is a graduate of East Carolina University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology.

Production Director
MK Stewart,This is MK's sixth season with Richmond Ballet. His lighting designs include Women and the Sea, To Familiar Spaces in Dream, A Rose For Miss Emily, Between the Lines, Dark Hugs Me Hard, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quio\xote, Midsummer Night's Dream. This past spring, his lighting design for Splendid Isolation III was featured at the American Ballet Theatre's 2008 Opening Night Gala. MK thanks all who have taught, guided and inspired him along the way, especially his wife Gina for her constant encouragement, love and support.