This is Dance Data Project’s® sixth annual study examining the gender distribution of leadership at ballet and classically based companies in the United States. For the third year, DDP’s expanded leadership report examines the Largest 150 U.S. ballet companies and their gender distribution of Artistic Directors, Executive Directors, Associate/Assistant Directors, Heads of Schools, Heads of Second Companies, and Rehearsal Directors.
“We are excited to share that Dance Data Project® (DDP) has once again expanded this report to include a broader range of key positions within the dance sector,” said DDP President & Founder Elizabeth ‘Liza’ Yntema. “By leveraging data, we emphasize transparency and provide critical insights into every facet of the industry. This expanded focus not only enhances our understanding of trends across the field, but also strengthens the pipeline for future industry leaders, as these leadership roles are crucial for nurturing and developing the next generation of dance professionals.”
Of the 154 artistic directors at the Largest 150 U.S. ballet companies, 61 are women (39.6%), 92 are men (59.7%), and 1 is gender expansive (0.6%%). In last year’s report, there were 66 female (41.8%), 86 male (56.2%), and 1 gender expansive (0.7%) artistic directors, indicating little change in the gender distribution among the Largest 150. Globally, men are replacing women as artistic directors at almost two times the rate, as seen in DDP’s 2023+ Leadership Transitions Data Byte. When artistic director positions become available, women are less likely to be hired. Women are more often replaced by men when they leave artistic director roles and less frequently succeed a male predecessor. In the U.S., the most common type of artistic director transition is from a female to a male (15 transitions). This is followed by male-to-male artistic director transitions (14 transitions), while female-to-female (12 transitions) and male-to-female (11 transitions) are less frequent. This trend highlights a concerning shift in leadership dynamics within the dance sector.
Within the Largest 50, there are 11 female (21.6%) and 40 (78.4%) male artistic directors. The gender distribution of artistic directors among the Largest 50 companies has remained relatively unchanged between 2018 and 2023, with men holding nearly four times more artistic director positions than women. Artistic leadership continues to be more equitable among the Next and Additional 50 companies in comparison to the Largest 50. Within the Next 50, there are 27 female (51.9%), 24 male (46.2%), and 1 gender expansive (0.6%) artistic directors and within the Additional 50, there are 23 female (45.1%) and 28 male (54.9%) artistic directors. However, for the first time, DDP recorded more male artistic directors than women among the Additional 50 companies. As of the 2024 report, women only hold more artistic director positions than men within the Next 50.
As outlined in this year’s Largest U.S. Ballet and Classically Based Companies report, there was a 62.76% increase in total expenditures among the Largest 150 from FY2021 to FY2022, with a total aggregate expenditure of $719,228,871. The Largest 10 (#1-10) accounted for 59.30% of expenditures within the Largest 50 with $380,115,421 in FY 2022, reflecting a substantial boost in financial resources among the largest ballet and classically inspired companies. This financial growth correlates with a notable increase in female leadership, as the number of female artistic directors within the Largest 10 has doubled since 2022 and increased fourfold since 2021. Between 2020 and 2021, there was only one female artistic director within the Largest 10 companies. As of September 2024, there are 4 female artistic directors within the Largest 10, marking significant progress in opportunities for women at these prestigious, well-resourced organizations in the United States.
“Size equals power: the power to commission, hire, and innovate. As budgets grow, so do the opportunities for transformative leadership,” said Isabelle Ramey, DDP’s Chief External Affairs Officer. “Higher budgets and more resources mean more influence across the field. If the Largest 10 are leading with female leadership, it sets a powerful precedent, suggesting that this positive trend will continue to spread throughout the industry.”
Within the Largest 150 companies, more women hold the positions of assistant/associate artistic directors (28 women, 62.2%), heads of schools (82 women, 73.2%), and rehearsal directors (79 women, 61.2%). The gender distribution of heads of second companies is nearly at parity, with 12 women (48.0%) and 13 men (52.0%) holding such positions. Of the 121 executive directors at the Largest 150 companies, 70 are women (58.7%) and 50 are men (41.3%). Gathering additional data regarding various leadership positions besides artistic and executive directors deepens our understanding of industry trends and strengthens the pipeline for future dance leaders. Since 2018, there has been a consistent trend of more women holding executive director positions compared to artistic director roles, where male leadership still predominates.
“Compared to last year’s report, more women hold key positions within the Largest 150 companies, including executive directors, associate or assistant artistic directors, heads of schools, and rehearsal directors,” said DDP Research Lead Jenna Magrath. “While this increase is worth celebrating, it’s crucial to note that women are still underrepresented in artistic director roles – a concerning imbalance in a field dominated by women. Artistic directors play a pivotal role in shaping a company’s programming, selecting dancers, and choosing choreographers, making their exclusion from these decisions all the more significant.”
The gender distribution of Resident Choreographers was previously examined in the Global Resident Choreographers 2024 Data Byte.
