By Steve Sucato (with contributions from Lydia Weyrich)

After a multi-month, international search to replace popular outgoing artistic director Edwaard Liang who held the position for the last 11 years (and is now The Washington Ballets’ new director), the company has named multi-talented dancer, choreographer, fashion designer, and sculptor Remi Wörtmeyer as its new artistic director. He becomes only the sixth director since the company’s founding in 1978.  

“BalletMet was excited to receive 80 applications from around the world as part of our search process,” said Susan Douglass, BalletMet Board member and Chair of the Search Committee. “We were thrilled with the breadth of experience and commitment to ballet from so many incredible artists who wanted to help lead BalletMet, and we feel confident that Remi will exemplify that commitment and so much more.”

The 41-year-old Australian-born Wörtmeyer has been a soloist with The Australian Ballet, a company dancer with American Ballet Theatre, and most recently an étoile (star dancer) at Dutch National Ballet. While there, he was a choreographer for the company and its academy, a costume designer, and a teacher in the academy. In his choreographic career thus far he has created over 30 ballets including for The Australian Ballet and 2023’s Significant Others for Atlanta Ballet.

In addition to his extensive dance experience, Wörtmeyer established his own line of bespoke fashion accessories, Maison Remi, and has been Jewelry Designer & Runway Director at Paris Fashion Week for sustainable couture fashion brand RVDK. Further collaborations have included projects with Indigenous Australian Brands, the Amsterdam Fashion Institute, Paco Rabanne, and G-Star Raw. Wörtmeyer has also earned diplomas and certifications from the Museum of Modern Art New York, University of Arts London (Central St Martin’s), The Australian Ballet School, and King’s College London. 

“When we set out on the journey to find our next artistic director, we were prepared to take as much time as was needed to find an extraordinary fit,” said Sue Porter, BalletMet’s executive director. “Remi has spent the bulk of his career creating and leading in the fields of ballet, opera, theatre, film, and fashion, and he is extremely well suited to lead our company. We couldn’t be more excited to have him join us.”

For fans of BalletMet, Wörtmeyer says he is not looking to come in and overhaul the company. Rather he wants to get to know the organization, the company dancers, and the Columbus community before making any decisions on changes. While not ready to divulge his full vision for the company yet, expect a similar repertory mix of story ballets, contemporary classics and new commissions as before, along with a healthy dose of his choreography. One overarching and ongoing goal he says, is to position the company to be a part of a more diverse and inclusive future of ballet as an art form.

“I am honored to join this incredibly capable and innovative company. The dancers, staff, and board have already been so warm and welcoming to me and my vision for further expanding our beloved art form both within and beyond Central Ohio,” said Wörtmeyer.

Wörtmeyer’s tenure at BalletMet begins later this summer and he will make the move to Columbus with his partner Malcolm Rock who writes, directs and produces large-scale theatre, ballet and opera productions, and their dog Milou.

BalletMet’s new 2024-25 season kicks off Oct. 25-Nov. 5 with Dracula. Individual tickets and subscriptions for the season are still available and can be purchased online at www.balletmet.org and at the CAPA Ticket Center (39 E. State St.). To purchase tickets by phone, call (614) 229-4848.