MICHAEL FOTHERGILL
BIOGRAPHY​
MICHAEL FOTHERGILL, EXECUTIVE AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
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Michael was introduced to dance as a student of the Betty Hill Dance Studios in Des Moines, Iowa, furthering his training under the guidance of Robert Thomas and Miyoko Kato at the Robert Thomas Dancenter. His studies continued on full scholarship at the Milwaukee Ballet School, Boston Ballet School, and ultimately at the School of American Ballet.
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Graduating from high school ahead of schedule, Michael completed his training at American Ballet Theatre and embarked upon a performing career that spanned two decades. His artistic pursuits took him across Asia, Europe, and the United States performing leading roles in the classics and in works by Ashton, Balanchine, Bahr, Baryshnikov, Christensen, De Mille, Dow, Duato, Fokine, Fosse, Gamonet, King, Kylián, Massine, MacMillan, Nureyev, Prokovsky, Robbins, Tharp, Tudor, Van Fleteren, and others. He performed extensively throughout the US, Europe, and Japan as a principal guest artist and was as a member of the Charleston Ballet Theatre, City Ballet of San Diego, Milwaukee Ballet, and Alabama Ballet, among others. While employed in Japan, Michael was awarded the prestigious title of “Artist of Extraordinary Merit", a seldom granted honor. Michael retired from performing in April 2017 and was appointed Executive and Artistic Director of Ballet Arkansas the following July.​ Ballet Arkansas has since evolved into a dynamic institution, curating an eclectic repertoire that includes the classics, masterworks of American Dance, and original works by distinguished dancemakers such as George Balanchine, Christopher Wheeldon, Gerald Arpino, David Bintley, Tsai Hsi Hung, Agnes De Mille, Ma Cong, Madison Hicks, Simon Kuban, Alia Kache, FLOCK, Yuka Oba-Muschiana, Maddie Falconer, Yury Yanowsky, Yoshito Sakuraba, Ashley Green, Mariana Oliveira, Lorenzo Di Loreto, and Thang Dao among others.
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As Executive and Artistic Director, Michael oversees all aspects of Ballet Arkansas's professional company and its affiliated school, the Ballet Arkansas School for Dance, which he co-founded with his wife, Catherine, in August 2022. In fewer than 5 years, Michael transformed the organization's vision and programming, eliminated its debt, and doubled its gross operating budget to exceed $1.3M. Today, the organization is ranked among the Largest 75 Ballet Companies in America by the Dance Data Project and has been twice named Best Performing Arts Organization in Arkansas by the Arkansas Times. ​The organization's innovative pandemic-era holiday programming garnered national attention from CBS, and its steady growth has been profiled by Pointe Magazine and Broadway world in recent years.
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In addition to his work at Ballet Arkansas, Michael is a sought-after choreographer whose work has been performed professionally and academically across the United States and internationally in Iceland, Australia, France, Romania, Dubai, Spain, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Japan. His choreography for film was featured in Dance the Dream at 50, an international documentary produced by acclaimed filmmaker Richard Karz. Over seven seasons, Michael has created several full-length productions for Arkansas audiences, including Dracula, Sleepy Hollow, The Great Gatsby, The Nutcracker, Wonderland: Alice's Epic Adventure, Cinderella, and Carmen, all of which received rave reviews.
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Michael is a dedicated educator and the founding director of the Cecchetti Council of America's Enhanced Men's Training Program. He frequently serves on the faculty of CCA's International Summer School and Teacher Training Seminars. His teaching experience spans numerous professional companies and schools both in the USA and internationally. Notable institutions include the Japan Ballet Association, STEPS on Broadway, Peridance Capezio Center, Ballets des France, Ballet Austin, Ballet des Etoiles, Noriko Koizumi Ballet, Kuniyuki/Sahara Dance, Ballet Des Moines, Ballet Theater of Maryland, Alabama Ballet, Arova Contemporary Ballet, California Ballet, City Ballet of San Diego, Milwaukee Ballet, Scripps Performing Arts Academy, Southold Dance Theater, Takako Classical Ballet, Chida Toshiko Ballet, Hiroko Masuya Classic Ballet, Midorigoaka Ballet, Samford University, and Belhaven University, where he was recently a guest artist in residence. Michael has lectured for the Cecchetti Council of America, UA-Little Rock, the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, the Walton Arts Center, and UA-Pulaski Technical College's Center for Humanities and Arts. Michael has adjudicated for the CCA Classical Ballet Competition and representing the United States, he has served on multiple juries of the Hokkaido Ballet Competition. Michael is an adjunct faculty member of arts and humanities at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).
In recognition of his business acumen, he has received accolades such as being named one of the Top 100 Professionals in Arkansas in 2020 and one of the Top Influencers of 2022 by Arkansas Money & Politics Magazine. He was inducted into Who's Who in America in 2022, and Soirée Magazine further acknowledged his impact by naming him one of only 25 Men on a Mission statewide in 2023.In his spare time, Michael is an avid runner and freelance nonprofit consultant. He enjoys music, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.