Dancers Promoted at San Francisco Ballet

04/16/2019

San Francisco Ballet Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson has announced the promotions of Soloist Esteban Hernandez to principal dancer, and Corps de Ballet members Madison Keesler and Cavan Conley to soloist.

Esteban Hernandez, Madison Keesler, and Cavan Conley
Esteban Hernandez, Madison Keesler, and Cavan Conley

Esteban Hernandez is a native of Guadalajara, Mexico. He trained at the Rock School for Dance Education, the Royal Ballet School, American Ballet Theatre, and the Vaganova Academy. In addition to his many principal and featured roles at San Francisco Ballet, he performed at Gala Despertares in 2016 and 2018; at Fall for Dance at New York City Center in 2017; and at the Expresiones gala in Guadalahara, Mexico, in 2017. He is a recipient of the Latino Spirit Award from the California Latino Legislative Caucus and was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Mexico. Esteban also received a Jerome Robbins Foundation Award and gold medals at the Youth America Grand Prix.

A native of Carlsbad, California, Madison Keeslert trained at Zamuel Ballet School, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet School. She first danced with San Francisco Ballet from 2009 to 2013 as a member of the corps de ballet. From 2013 to 2017 she danced with the English National Ballet and then the Hamburg Ballet from 2008 to 2009. In 2017 she rejoined San Francisco Ballet and was promoted to soloist. In addition to many principal roles, she has appeared in film and televison, including Darcey Bussell's BBC documentary Darcey's Ballerina Heroines, and John Neumeier's The Little Mermaid on PBS Great Performances.

Cavan Conley was born in Bozeman, Montana and trained at the Nutmeg Conservatory and the Harid Conservatory. At Harid he received a full scholarship and the Rudolf Nureyev Fellowship Award and the Jeannot B. Cerrone Award for Excellence. Cavan became a Tulsa Ballet corps de ballet member in 2013 and joined San Francisco Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2018. He was a finalist at Youth America Grand Prix in New York City in 2011.
The promotions will become effective in May of this year.

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