The American Ballet Theatre announced Wednesday that Janet Rollé will take over as CEO on Feb. 1. She will succeed Nancy Kalish, who has led the company since 1996 and is leaving to pursue other opportunities.
This will be Rollé’s third tenure with ABT, having served as a board member, director of development and senior producer, in addition to being a partner at the William Morris Endeavor Agency.
Rollé is the founder and director of the National Dance Theater of Harlem, a nonprofit center that focuses on providing training in dance technique, creating performances, and creating arts environments. “My hope is to continue all of what she’s done,” Rollé said of Kalish. “But change some of the challenges. [We have] long-term contracts with people and we should use them in a different way.”
She believes today’s audiences are active, demanding and not willing to tolerate stagnation. “We have to meet them where they are,” she said.
