Kennedy Center names new director of dance programming, days after former workers firings

A choreographer and former dancer with The Washington Ballet, Stephen Nakagawa, has been named the brand new head of the Kennedy Center’s dance programming, days after your complete workers of the famend performing arts establishment’s dance division was fired.

In a press assertion despatched to NPR on Monday, the president of the Kennedy Center, Richard Grenell, stated: “Stephen is a celebrated ballerino who has been trained by world-renowned artistic directors and was a company dancer right here in Washington, D.C. with The Washington Ballet. Stephen is passionate about Dance education and finding ways to reach new audiences.”

Neither Nakagawa’s online skilled biography nor the one despatched as a part of the Kennedy Center’s announcement mentions any related expertise he might have as a curator or as an arts administrator. It is uncommon for somebody with out that sort of expertise to ascend to a administration place at such a high-profile group.

The Kennedy Center is without doubt one of the nation’s largest performing arts establishments, and earlier this year, it requested a big increase in its funding from Congress to greater than $250 million. The new funding request handed final month as a part of the House Appropriations’ funds for fiscal 12 months 2026, however Senate Republicans voted to delay the substantial funding will increase until the opera home is renamed for First Lady Melania Trump.

In Monday’s assertion, Nakagawa stated: “It is a tremendous honor to join the Kennedy Center at such a pivotal moment for the performing arts. The arts have always been at the heart of my life. I am eager to help inspire and uplift audiences, while ensuring dance continues to thrive as a vibrant and essential part of our culture and community.”

Nakagawa’s predecessor, Jane Raleigh, despatched NPR an announcement on Friday by which she accused the Kennedy Center of dismissing her in a retaliatory transfer for her help of a union organizing marketing campaign earlier this 12 months. She wrote: “From the beginning, I have been supportive of this effort as the staff were fighting to maintain the trust we have with our artists and audiences, maintain our free speech and artistic integrity, and maintain our ability to do the work we are committed to day in and day out.”

“While I was told my dismissal was due to a ‘loss of confidence in my leadership,'” Raleigh’s assertion continued, “I believe this firing to be in retaliation for my public support of the ongoing union organization drive at the Center.”

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