Julie Kent (dancer) Ballet Theatre II summer school and the School of American Ballet. She took the stage name Julie Kent at the suggestion of Mikhail Baryshnikov. Kent joined American Ballet Theatre as an apprentice in 1985, became a member of the company's corps de ballet in 1986, was promoted to soloist in 1990, and to principal dancer in 1993. She is known as a skilled dramatic dancer. She was often partnered with ABT Principal Ethan Stiefel, even co-starring with him in the film Center Stage. Her roles with the Company include the Girl in "Afternoon of a Faun", the title role in
Dayton Ballet a star principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet in New York and had been artistic director of the American Repertory Ballet in New Jersey for 10 years. He knew and choreographed for Sebastian and the Dayton Ballet back in 1984. That association, in addition to his track record of success leading the company in New Jersey, made him the right person to move the company forward. In the Fall of 1993 Dermot assumed the dual role of executive and artistic director of the company. Under Dermot Burke, the company took on a more American flavor in the tradition of the