Charlottesville Ballet unveils leadership transitions for new chapter
Our take
Charlottesville Ballet's leadership transition arrives at a moment when the dance world desperately needs visible proof that artistic excellence and organizational savvy can coexist in the same body, and Jordan-Elizabeth Long embodies that proof with the kind of grace that makes you want to stand taller in your own kitchen. Her return to Virginia after a principal soloist career with Miami City Ballet, armed with both international stage cred and formal business training, signals a maturing sector that finally values the dancer's brain as much as the dancer's line — a shift that resonates whether you are rehearsing Giselle in a studio or working the pole in your living room while the baby naps. We see the same spirit of community-driven momentum in Battery Dance presents free performances in Wagner Park this Summer and the creative studio culture insights from Bring the magic of Disney to your studio culture with 42nd Street Tours, reminders that leadership ripples far beyond the boardroom.
What makes this appointment feel genuinely fresh is the message it sends to every young dancer watching from the wings: you do not have to choose between being the artist and being the architect. Long's hybrid profile — elite performer turned academy managing director — dismantles the false binary that has kept too many talented women on the periphery of decision-making. For those of us who build strength around a vertical apparatus, the parallel is obvious: the same core engagement that holds a développé à la seconde also stabilizes a budget spreadsheet, and the confidence you earn spinning eight feet off the floor translates directly into the confidence to speak up in a staff meeting. When organizations elevate leaders who have lived the daily grind of rehearsal, injury, and comeback, they inherit a culture that treats every body — student, professional, or recreational — as worthy of investment.
The sustainability angle matters because the dance ecosystem is fragile, and Charlottesville Ballet's eighteenth season milestone proves that longevity is earned through intentional succession, not luck. By positioning Long at the academy helm, the organization ensures that the pipeline — those tiny humans in pink tights and those grown women discovering pole fitness for the first time — receives guidance from someone who knows exactly how hard it is to show up day after day. That empathy trickles down into curriculum choices, faculty hiring, and the subtle but powerful messaging that says your journey matters, whether it ends on a mainstage or in a home studio where the mirror reflects a mother reclaiming her
Charlottesville Ballet has announced a series of leadership transitions designed to support long-term sustainability and continued growth as the organization concludes its 18th season.
Jordan-Elizabeth Long will return to her home state of Virginia to join Charlottesville Ballet as Managing Director of Charlottesville Ballet Academy, beginning in May. Long recently concluded her tenure as a Principal Soloist with Miami City Ballet and brings a rare combination of international performance distinction alongside formal training in business and organizational leadership. She holds degrees from Liberty University and recently completed her MBA at the University of Miami.
A Virginia native, Long trained alongside Charlottesville Ballet’s Co-Founder Emily Hartka in their early years in Roanoke. She returns to the Commonwealth following an international career that includes soloist roles with the Dutch National Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, and Miami City Ballet. Her appointment reflects Charlottesville Ballet’s investment in building a leadership team rooted in both national excellence and deep connections to the Virginia arts community.
As part of this next phase, Co-Founder Emily Hartka will transition from her full-time Director role this spring, stepping out of day-to-day operations. Following a summer sabbatical, Hartka will remain engaged in a strategic capacity supporting special projects, partnerships, and institutional initiatives.
Co-Founder Sara Clayborne will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer effective July 1, 2026, providing continuity in leadership as the organization evolves its structure to support future growth.
“Emily and I have always shared the helm of Charlottesville Ballet, and we are thrilled with how this dream has grown into a community institution,” said Clayborne. “As I step into the role of CEO, I’m grateful to be supported by a strong and expanding leadership team and a community that believes dance is for every BODY.”
With a community-led strategic planning process underway, these transitions reflect a period of intentional investment in organizational capacity and internal systems. Several longtime staff members will step into expanded leadership roles to be announced this summer, including Kathryn Tokar Conley, Lori Jablonski, Claudia Strawderman, and Cordelaine Klyne.
“Charlottesville Ballet was recently recognized (by the Dance Data Project) as the 57th largest ballet company in the United States,” said Hartka. “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built over the past eighteen years and look forward to supporting this next chapter.”
Founded in 2007, Charlottesville Ballet has grown into one of Central Virginia’s leading arts organizations, with an annual operating budget exceeding $2 million. The Ballet is the region’s only full-time professional dance company and serves as Resident Dance Company at the Academy Center of the Arts in Lynchburg, VA.
Through its professional company, academy, and community engagement programs, Charlottesville Ballet reaches over 19,000 patrons across Charlottesville, Albemarle, Lynchburg, Louisa, Culpeper, and Rappahannock. Charlottesville Ballet Academy serves more than 975 students with over 180+ classes per week and extensive scholarship programs through the new Keith Lee Dance Fund ($280K in tuition assistance annually).
Charlottesville Ballet celebrates this moment as one of both personal transition and organizational strength, grounded in a shared commitment to artistic excellence, access, and community impact.
For more information, visit www.CharlottesvilleBallet.org
The post Charlottesville Ballet unveils leadership transitions for new chapter appeared first on Dance Informa Magazine.
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