Grace Holmes

A conversation about leadership and equality in the dance world.

What events have led you to become a director of a major ballet school? Was this always your post-career aspiration?

“It definitely was not a post-career aspiration. I never really saw myself in a position where I was in charge of a school.

It wasn't until I was in my 30s that I realized that I actually do like to teach and to guide people. And it's not just about teaching the steps, but actually helping people manage the profession.

My career took me in many different directions: marketing, philanthropy, basic fundraising, grant writing, and community engagement. I worked in a lot of different areas and crafted a broad understanding of all of the elements that need to come into creating a safe and successful organization.

When the position in Kansas City and later in San Francisco opened up, I thought that they were the perfect opportunities to put to use everything that I’ve learned throughout my career, together, in one place, and build the schools in a way that hasn't necessarily been done before.”

Do you have any role models in the dance world? 

“The first person that comes to mind is Mavis Staines. She is the [former] School Director at Canada's National Ballet School. The way she has brought her school into the 21st century has made a tremendous difference for her students. She has made sure they have all the support they need as humans, not just as dancers. And, she's done it with generosity, grace, and a beautiful spirit.

And then another role model is Ayesha Kravata. She's the School Director at Charlotte Ballet. She also leads with dignity and grace, but you can also see she's quite firm in her beliefs and aspirations, and she's unwavering when it comes to quality and policy, as well as making sure that her students are safe and that the environment is good for learning.”

According to various sources, only 33% of artistic directors have been female, and only 20% of ballets have been choreographed by women, yet 93% of teachers are female, and 78% of ballet dancers are female. Did you realize it was such a male-dominated position before starting down this path? From your experience, what would you consider the main factors that contribute to this discrepancy?

“I think this is a really complex question.

Anyone who is in ballet for any length of time sees that there are many more women than men in ballet. That is interesting because when ballet started, they were all men. Women weren't allowed on the stage.

I think that the tradition has always been that men are in charge. They're the providers. They're the people who make things happen. And the women have been the caretakers, traditionally, of the family.

Society has a tendency to perpetuate stereotypes, to perpetuate activities that are assigned to one gender or the other. And reversing that is difficult. But I do believe we're moving in that direction.

Times are changing, and more women are taking charge. The new generations are much more open to people being who they want to be. The idea of ‘if you want to do it, you should go for it,’ is going to help with that discrepancy.”

Do you have any personal experiences that attest to this inequality?

“I've not had any personal experiences that have negatively affected me, not with my peers.

It can be a bit uncomfortable to sit down in an executive staff meeting and be one of two women. But, in the last few years, it's actually really evened out, and there are many more women taking charge.”

How did you maneuver those situations when you were one of the few women in the room?

“I didn't try to become ‘one of the boys.’ I just continued to be myself.

At the end of the day, I had a job to do. So, I stayed professional. I did what I needed to do, and said what I needed to say. That's the best way to approach it.”

What do you believe is the most important asset that the introduction of females into leadership and choreographic roles is bringing to the ballet community?

“It's a different perspective. Even from one person to the next, you're going to have different styles, different approaches.

It’ll result in a more well-rounded organization when you have a diverse group of leaders.”

What is the most significant skill that you have developed from your time as the director of Kansas City Ballet School and San Francisco Ballet School? 

“Listening to hear and not listening to respond…I think that's the most important thing I've learned.

That perspective can take you far in life.”

Do you see yourself as breaking the glass ceiling for future women looking for leadership roles?

“I don't think of myself as a career leader or a trailblazer. I simply come from the perspective of just wanting to move the profession on. Let's make sure kids are taken care of. Let's make sure that ballet as an art form is well-supported and has a future.”

What legacy do you hope to create and pass to the next generation of females in the ballet community?

“I've actually had some people say to me, ‘I want to follow in your footsteps.’ I'm always surprised by that. I always tell them, ‘No, do your own thing. You can end up in the same spot, but take your own route.’

I want people to remember me as a nice, compassionate, caring, gracious person that still gets the hard work done.”

Is there anything specific that you'd like to see change in the dance world?

“I would like to see more equality.

I hope the right people get the right jobs. That's what I really hope happens.

And then, as far as change, there are changes coming that classical ballet companies are going to have to examine, and I think some hard decisions will have to be made about tradition. I hope we're up to it, really.”

Is there any way in which you would like the world's perception of women in leadership roles to change?

I get this sense that the idea of putting women in leadership roles, whether it's in ballet or in business, is the current trend. ‘Let's get some women in place because that's what we need to do.’

I hope that the gravity of our impact will make people go, ‘Actually, that was a really good idea.’ It's not just a phase that's going to go away. It was actually something that needed to happen.”