Lona Gomez

LONA GOMEZ serves as Artistic Director of Ballet Spartanburg, where she leads the artistic vision of the professional company while championing artistic excellence, dancer development, and the creation of new work. Since her appointment as Artistic Director in 2023, Gomez has guided Ballet Spartanburg through a period of artistic growth, expanding the company, broadening its repertoire, and strengthening its commitment to both classical tradition and contemporary innovation.

A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Gomez began her serious ballet training after receiving a Ford Foundation Scholarship to study at Boston Ballet School. She later danced with Boston Ballet II and Boston Ballet under the direction of the late E. Virginia Williams before joining Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, where she performed for nine seasons under the legendary Patricia Wilde. During her professional career, Gomez danced a wide range of classical and Balanchine repertoire, performing corps de ballet, soloist, and principal roles.

Prior to becoming Artistic Director, Gomez spent 28 years leading Ballet Spartanburg's Center for Dance Education, helping to train and mentor generations of dancers. In recognition of her commitment to dance education, she was selected as a 2021–2022 School of American Ballet National Visiting Fellow, where she studied curriculum development, pedagogy, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and taught classes at the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet.

As Artistic Director, Gomez has expanded Ballet Spartanburg's artistic reach through the presentation of classical masterworks, contemporary ballet, and new choreography. Her choreographic works for Ballet Spartanburg include full-length productions of The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, Giselle, The Swan Princess, and Cinderella, in addition to numerous original classical and neoclassical works created for the company's mixed-repertory and studio performances.

Under her leadership, Ballet Spartanburg has grown from 18 to 21 professional dancers and continues to attract artists from many of the world's most respected training institutions and companies. Gomez has championed opportunities for emerging choreographers through initiatives such as Studies in Motion while also expanding the company's artistic repertoire through works by influential voices in dance, including Martha Graham and George Balanchine. During the company's 60th Anniversary Season, Ballet Spartanburg will welcome nationally and internationally recognized choreographers while continuing to honor the traditions of classical ballet and embrace the future of the art form.

Her vision for Ballet Spartanburg reflects a belief that great ballet companies can celebrate tradition while cultivating new voices, creating meaningful artistic experiences for audiences and opportunities for artists to grow, create, and thrive.