Blanca Huertas Joins The Ballet Hispánico School
Company:
Ballet Hispánico
Ballet Hispánico is proud to announce the New Director of The Ballet Hispánico School, Blanca Huertas, who assumes the position immediately.
"Our School stands at the cornerstone of Ballet Hispánico’s mission, and this role demands vision, rigor, and compassion. Blanca embodies all three,” said Artistic Director and CEO Eduardo Vilaro. “Her proven leadership, depth of experience, and alignment with our values of inclusion, empowerment, and cultural pride ensure that she will elevate the school and inspire the next generation of artists.”
Blanca Huertas's journey in the world of ballet began with training in Puerto Rico under the tutelage of her mother, Blanca E. Cortés. She later joined Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico as an apprentice and became a ballet corps member. She joined Ballets de San Juan, where she was a Principal Soloist under the direction of Ana García. She danced lead roles such as Lise in Fille Mal Gardée, Swanilda in Coppélia, Princess Tsarevna in Firebird, and Myrtha in Giselle. During her years at Ballets de San Juan, she performed Balanchine's repertoire with lead roles as Polyhymnia in Balanchine's Apollo and Who Cares? As a soloist and corps of ballet, she performed Serenade, Valse Fantaisie, Rubies, and Concerto Barocco. As a corps de ballet member at Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, she learned classics such as Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Romeo & Juliet, Giselle, and Nutcracker from ballet masters such as Nicolas Beriozoff and José Parés. Autochthonous repertoire from Puerto Rican choreographers includes Los Soles Truncos, Amores, Julieta, Pas de Quatre Criollo, and Misa Criolla. She had guest appearances with Ballet Municipal de San Juan under her father's direction, Victor Huertas.
Blanca is an ABT® Certified Teacher, in Primary through Level 7 & Partnering of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. Her students have been accepted to the Royal Ballet and Paris Opera Summer Programs as well as national programs such as the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive, The School of Ballet Hispánico, The School of Pennsylvania Ballet, Joffrey Academy, Chicago, English National Ballet Trainee Programme, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater Graduate Program, and The Washington School of Ballet. Blanca was the founder and Artistic Director of Pennsylvania Ballet Arts in Chalfont, PA. Blanca completed her certification in CUBALLET with Laura Alonso at the primary and advanced levels.
She was part of the Faculty of the Philadelphia Ballet (Formerly Pennsylvania Ballet) and was an adjudicator in their national audition tour. In addition, she was the lead teaching artist of the Pennsylvania Ballet in their Community Engagement Programs. Blanca was faculty at Ballet Hispanico. Blanca earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Temple University, with a concentration in Risk Management & Insurance and a second concentration in Real Estate. She completed her M.F.A. in Choreography from Jacksonville University. Blanca is the Founder and Director of the Puerto Rico Classical Dance Competition. Additional Directorship positions include the Dance Program Director at Drexel University, Philadelphia, and Academy Director at Cincinnati Ballet. Blanca is thrilled to be back at Ballet Hispanico School in this new role.
The Ballet Hispánico School is a leading dance academy in the United States—serving over 1,000 students and celebrating more than 55 years of dance. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance, the School provides exceptional training across a wide range of dance forms, including Ballet, Flamenco, Hip-Hop, Latin Rhythms, Afro-Caribbean, Salsa, Jazz, Tap, and more. From early childhood to adult classes, the School fosters artistry, creativity, and community in a welcoming, inclusive environment.
Ballet Hispánico: A Legacy of Artistic Excellence
Ballet Hispánico is the nation’s leading Hispanic/Latine dance company and the largest cultural institution of its kind in the United States. For over five decades, it has been a beacon of artistic excellence, celebrated for its bold repertory and exceptional training programs. The Company has commissioned over 100 original works, performed on the world’s most prestigious stages, and inspired generations through performances, education, and community engagement. Recognized as one of America’s Cultural Treasures by the Ford Foundation, Ballet Hispánico continues to redefine what it means to be an American dance company.
