Miami City Ballet Appoints Tania Castroverde Moskalenko as its New Executive Director

Miami City Ballet today announced the appointment of Tania Castroverde Moskalenko as the ballet company's new Executive Director. The appointment was made after an extensive, six-month international search. Castroverde Moskalenko, who returns to the city where she immigrated with her family 30 years ago as a political refugee from Cuba, will assume the leadership role alongside City Ballet Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez on August 7, 2018. As Executive Director, she will lead the company's institutional strategy, fundraising, and operations, building upon City Ballet's achievements as it advances its vision for the future.

"I am thrilled to welcome back Tania--a Cuban-American woman with tremendous experience in arts management--to the dynamic and diverse culture of our Florida home," said Lopez. "Borrowing from Maya Angelou 'in diversity there is beauty and there is strength,' Tania's South Florida and Cuban roots reflect the community in which we perform, but these are additional benefits we gain with Tania, because quite simply, she is the best person for the position. She will be a vital force in helping Miami City Ballet advocate our national position and provide the leadership that will allow us to continue to do bold things in dance."

"It is a ballet company chair's dream to lead an organization with top talent, leadership, and vision in both the artistic and administrative realms. With the arrival of Tania Castroverde Moskalenko, in partnership with our Artistic Director, Lourdes Lopez, we indeed have the 'dream team,'" saidKristi Jernigan, chair of the Board of Trustees of Miami City Ballet. "Tania will build an even stronger infrastructure that will enable Lourdes and our dancers to continue the artistic vision and excellence for which Miami City Ballet has become known globally. Considering her proven track record in arts management, her deep knowledge in and passion for dance (particularly ballet), and her South Florida and Cuban roots, I am tremendously excited about the future of MCB and the deeper impact we will have in our community and globally."

"After a 30-year absence, I am delighted to return to Miami to join Miami City Ballet during this critical moment in the company's trajectory," said Castroverde Moskalenko. "Under the guidance of Lourdes Lopez, the company is at the top of its game, garnering rave reviews for its clarity, energy, and versatility. Miami City Ballet embodies its Balanchine heritage while remaining relevant for our times by commissioning new works from some of the most dynamic choreographers on the world stage today. The opportunities that lie ahead for the company are tremendous, and the ability to lead this next chapter is humbling and exhilarating. I look forward to collaborating with Lourdes and the Board in the months and years to come."

Castroverde Moskalenko comes to Miami City Ballet from Chicago's Auditorium Theatre, where she served as Chief Executive Officer since 2016. During her tenure, she revitalized the organization's financial health and oversaw a dramatic increase in programming, ticket sales, and philanthropic support. In 2017, she was named "Chicagoan of the Year for Dance" by the Chicago Tribune.

Prior to her tenure at Auditorium Theatre, Castroverde Moskalenko spent four years as the President and CEO of the Center for the Performing Arts and the Great American Songbook Foundation in Indiana, where she provided both the artistic vision and the strategic direction for the organization. She created and implemented a strategic plan which resulted in new programming and educational experiences that expanded the Center's reach, engaged a broader audience, increased board membership, and engaged new partners to strengthen the fabric of the community.

Prior to the Center for Performing Arts, Tania spent seven years as the Executive Director of the Germantown Performing Arts Centre in Tennessee, where she erased an operating deficit, created a reserve fund, completed a strategic plan, doubled corporate support and quadrupled grant support. She successfully implemented strategies to diversify programming and audiences, and increased community programs by 279%. She also established a youth symphony orchestra, subsequently leading it on an educational and cultural tour of China.

Castroverde Moskalenko and her family arrived in Miami as political refugees from Cuba when she was six years old. She grew up in the city and her parents and extended family continue to live there. She studied classical ballet in Miami and is married to a former Russian ballet dancer, Alexei Moskalenko, who is Assistant Artistic Director of the Youth America Grand Prix.

Miami City Ballet is coming off of a critically heralded performance at the Spoleto Festival and the announcement of its 52-member roster for the 2018/19 season that opens in October and includes the return of principal dancer Jeanette Delgado, the promotion of Samantha Hope Galler from corps de ballet to soloist, and the addition of five new dancers to the corps de ballet. In addition, the company will return to Paris for the prestigious Les Etés de la Danse Festival from June 28 - 30, 2018.

ABOUT MIAMI CITY BALLET

Miami City Ballet, now in its 33rd season, has been led by Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez since 2012. Lopez was recently named one of "The Most Influential People in Dance Today" by Dance Magazine and is on The Ford Foundation Board of Trustees. MCB was founded in 1985 by Miami philanthropist Toby Lerner Ansin and Founding Artistic Director Edward Villella. The Company has 52 dancers and a repertoire of more than 100 ballets. MCB performs for nearly 100,000 patrons annually during its South Florida home season in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Naples, and tours to top theaters domestically and internationally.

Miami City Ballet School, the official school of Miami City Ballet, is one of the most respected ballet training academies in America. The School's renowned faculty, challenging syllabus, and affiliation with Miami City Ballet make it a place where all students-from children to adults-can receive comprehensive dance training. The School trains approximately 400 students, ages 3-18, in its year- round program, and 400 during its summer programs, granting nearly $500,000 in scholarships annually. More than 500 adults participate in a vibrant community division.

Miami City Ballet is headquartered in Miami Beach, Fla., at the Ophelia & Juan Js. Roca Center, a facility designed by renowned architectural firm Arquitectonica.