Carlos Agudelo

CARLOS AGUDELO, Artistic Director Emeritus of Ballet Spartanburg, is a native of Colombia, South America. He began his training with the Atlantic Foundation for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, under the direction of Ruth Petrinovic before receiving a scholarship to study at the Harkness Ballet School in New York City with David Howard.

His professional performing career included engagements with Israel Classic Ballet in Tel Aviv, Israel, International Ballet de Caracas under the direction of Vicente Nebrada, and Ballet Hispanico of New York under the direction of Tina Ramirez. During this time, he toured extensively throughout the United States and internationally, performing works by renowned choreographers including George Balanchine, Alvin Ailey, John Butler, Margo Sappington, Vicente Nebrada, Tally Beatty, Jeoffrey Holder, and Lynn Taylor Corbett. Mr. Agudelo was personally coached by Alvin Ailey in The Riverand performed internationally with Ballet de Caracas, including a season at New York City Center.

In 1991, Mr. Agudelo became Artistic Director of Ballet Spartanburg, a role he held for more than three decades. During his tenure, he helped shape the artistic identity of the organization through an ambitious body of choreographic work that includes The Nutcracker, Coppélia, Peter and the Wolf, The Magic Pearl, Altered States, Carmina Burana, The Hobbit, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland, Carnival of the Animals, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Great Gatsby, and The Wizard of Oz.

Under his leadership, Ballet Spartanburg expanded its artistic reach through performances at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, the Koger Center for the Arts in Columbia, and the Peace Center in Greenville. He also created choreography for numerous collaborative productions, including Hello, Dolly!, My Fair Lady, and a co-production of West Side Story with Spartanburg Little Theatre, as well as operatic productions with Converse University's Petrie School of Music including Oh Susannah, La Traviata, Carmen, and Hansel and Gretel.

Beyond the stage, Mr. Agudelo has remained deeply committed to the power of dance as a tool for connection, education, and wellness. A certified Dance for Parkinson's instructor through the acclaimed Mark Morris Dance Group, he has led Ballet Spartanburg's Dance for Parkinson's program since 2006, helping bring the benefits of movement and artistic expression to members of the community.

In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the arts, Mr. Agudelo received the 2023 South Carolina Governor's Award for the Arts for Outstanding Individual Artist. Today, as Artistic Director Emeritus, his artistic vision, choreography, and leadership continue to influence Ballet Spartanburg and its ongoing commitment to excellence in dance.