Queensland Ballet has chosen Ivan Gil-Ortega to be its next artistic director. The Spanish-born international artist will be the company’s seventh AD. He will start in February after a period of considerable turmoil for QB. Gil-Ortega’s high-profile predecessor, Leanne Benjamin, stayed in the role for only six months.

In a statement at the time Benjamin said it had become “very clear that my artistic aspirations for our company, including the opportunity to engage diverse choreographic voices, both international and Australian, and venture outside of the traditional theatre environment with immersive opportunities, is not immediately possible within the funding constraints faced by the company”.

Gil-Ortega joins QB with those funding constraints still evident. In the media release announcing the appointment QB executive director Dilshani Weerasinghe made a delicate reference to the company’s “intense growth and transformation since 2013”. They brought “unique considerations”, she said. Gil-Ortega’s appointment makes it clear QB intends, nevertheless, to keep the international profile developed by starry former artistic director Li Cunxin rather than look more inward. 

In November QB chair Brett Clark said in a statement that the Board would “be actively seeking to engage our next Artistic Director from within our inner circle”. While that could have been read as a sign that acting artistic director Greg Horsman or another local ballet luminary would be first in line for the job, it seems the company had a broader view of what constitutes its inner circle.

In QB’s announcement release Weerasinghe said consideration was given to “those who have collaborated with us and therefore have an innate understanding of our culture, our business levers, and our sustainability strategy. Ivan has worked with us on multiple occasions, knows our team and many of our dancers, and is a friend of our collaborators around the world.”

Gil-Ortega, 48, first worked with QB in 2016 as an assistant to choreographer Derek Deane when Deane’s Strictly Gershwin was staged and came to Brisbane in 2023 for its return season. He was, fortuitously, most recently in Brisbane in December last year when he appeared in Shanghai Ballet’s production of The Lady of the Camellias, choregraphed by Deane. 

Gil-Ortega is a former principal artist with Stuttgart Ballet and Dutch National Ballet and while he has not previously led a company has had an extensive freelance dance career and worked as an assistant director, rehearsal director, stager and coach with many companies.

Clark said Gil-Ortega is “brimming with ideas around nurturing home-grown talent here in Australia as well as exploring world-stage collaborations and exchanges which will see him leaning into his international peers and networks”.

Gil-Ortega said: “I am truly excited to step into the role of Artistic Director at Queensland Ballet. This is a Company I have always admired and one that has dared to dream big. It feels like everything has aligned perfectly to make this the right opportunity for me and for Queensland Ballet —the people, the place, and the potential. This is a dream come true for me and my family, and I am eager to add my energy and passion to the inspiring Queensland Ballet team.” 

Gil-Ortega will oversee the 2025 program already in place and take charge of planning the 2026 program. 

Horsman will resume his position as QB’s assistant artistic director. 

In a sign that QB intends a robust approach to fund-raising, Li has agreed to become the inaugural chair of the company’s all-important Endowment Fund. In a signal honour, Li will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Prix de Lausanne.