PRESS RELEASE

Two-year leadership development initiative supports Company dancers seeking to lead in the global dance and arts sectors 

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA) October 8, 2026—San Francisco Ballet (SF Ballet) has named Soloist Victor Prigent as the Company’s new Raising Leaders fellow. Established in 2024, Raising Leaders is SF Ballet’s innovative two-year leadership development initiative, offering selected Company dancers an individually tailored curriculum designed to complement their performance careers and support their professional growth as future leaders of ballet beyond the stage. 

Through his fellowship, Prigent will work closely with Artistic Director Tamara Rojo, Executive Director Branislav Henselmann, and Program Lead Kerry Nicholls over the next two seasons, and will collaborate with and learn from each of SF Ballet’s department directors to deepen his understanding of the organization’s structure and operation. He will also engage with the Stanford School of Medicine, LinkedIn, and Google, a new program partner, which will each provide leadership training sessions and access to professional development specialists through their ongoing relationships with the Ballet. 

Raising Leaders reflects SF Ballet’s role as a catalyst for the future of ballet and its broader portfolio of artist development offerings, including Creation House, the Company’s incubator for choreography and new work development.  

“I am greatly looking forward to working with Victor toward his professional goals,” said Nicholls. “Building on the success of our inaugural fellows, we continue to invest in the next generation of leaders in dance, on and off the stage, by expanding our own offerings and deepening our partnerships with thought leaders in the Bay Area and around the world.” 

SF Ballet Artistic Director Tamara Rojo added, “Victor’s curiosity, ambition, and thoughtful approach to leadership are inspiring. I am delighted to support him as he carries Raising Leaders into its next chapter and look forward to the ideas he will bring to SF Ballet and the broader dance ecosystem.”   

Prigent succeeds Raising Leaders’ inaugural fellows, Principal Dancer Sasha De Sola and Soloist Julia Rowe, who each charted a distinct path through the program: De Sola’s fellowship culminated in a residency with the artistic leadership teams at Royal Swedish Ballet and Dutch National Ballet, while Rowe focused on operations, strategy, and organizational leadership, working with SF Ballet staff on strategic planning, attending Positioning Ballet’s Forum for Future Dance Leaders in Amsterdam, and helping produce SF Ballet Orchestra’s 50th anniversary concert at the Legion of Honor. 

“As a dancer, I have spent my career learning how to tell and share stories on stage,” said Prigent. “I am excited now to deepen my understanding of how strong leadership and administration can help shape the future of our art form. I look forward to learning from visionary leaders, broadening my perspective beyond the stage, and contributing to the continued growth of San Francisco Ballet and the wider dance community.” 

Originally from Poissy, France, Prigent trained at Paris Opera Ballet School, Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, Joffrey Ballet School’s Trainee Program, and San Francisco Ballet School, including the Trainee program from 2015–2016. He danced with English National Ballet from 2017 until joining SF Ballet as a soloist in 2024. Highlights of his recent repertory include van Manen’s Solo and 5 Tango’s, the lead soldier in Khan’s Dust, Autumn Spirit in Possokhov’s Eugene Onegin, King of the Snow in Tomasson’s Nutcracker, Lescaut in MacMillan’s Manon, and The Creature in Scarlett’s Frankenstein. 

Alongside his performing career, Prigent has completed the Harvard Business School Online CORe program, studying business analytics, economics, and financial accounting. Prigent’s Raising Leaders fellowship will include informational meetings and experiences, executive coaching sessions, and bespoke capstone projects developed during the second year of his fellowship. 

About San Francisco Ballet  
San Francisco Ballet, led by Artistic Director Tamara Rojo, is a world-leading ballet company and a trailblazing commissioner, collaborator, and presenter in dance. With a deep commitment to new and contemporary works and the classical repertoire, SF Ballet is a catalyst for the future of ballet, investing in commissions and acquisitions; presenting established and emerging choreographers with a breadth of viewpoints; uplifting dancers, artists, and creatives across disciplines; and cultivating the next generation of the world’s top dancers in its School. 

Contact  
Public Relations, San Francisco Ballet  
press@sfballet.org