Lona Gomez
Lona Gomez
Artistic Director
LONA GOMEZ is a native of Boston, Massachusetts. She began her serious ballet studies when she was awarded a Ford Foundation Scholarship to train with the Boston Ballet School in 1972. From 1979-1982, she was a member of Boston Ballet II as well as an apprentice with the Boston Ballet Company under its founder and director, the late E. Virginia Williams. In 1982, she joined Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre under the directorship and tutelage of the late Patricia Wilde where she danced for nine years in corps, soloist, and principal roles in full-length classical ballets as well as many Balanchine ballets. Her favorite roles were The Scotch Lass in Balanchine’s Scotch Symphony, Dew Drop and Lead Marzipan in The Nutcracker, Donizetti Variations, Valse Fantasie, Square Dance and Serenade. Her professional choreographic works include I am, I am, I am, Tenets, Passages, which was performed at Ted X Tryon, and sections from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Snow White, Cinderella, and Beauty and The Beast. She is looking forward to presenting her first full length ballet, The Sleeping Beauty, in October 2023.
Mrs. Gomez was honored to be a 2021-22 School of American Ballet National Visiting Fellow. She was introduced to the curriculum and technique at the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet, and took part in numerous workshops including class planning, curriculum building, topics on diversity and inclusion, and taught classes at the School of American Ballet.
For the past 28 years, Lona directed Ballet Spartanburg’s Center for Dance Education, and with much excitement, she will now take on the role of Artistic Director, directing, coaching, and choreographing for the Professional Company.
Carlos Agudelo, 2023 SC Governor's Award for an Individual
Ballet Spartanburg's Artistic Director, Carlos Agudelo, was awarded the South Carolina Governor's Award from the South Carolina Arts Commission on May 23, 2023, at the Chapman Cultural Center. The award was presented by Mr. David Platt, Executive Director of the South Carolina Arts Commission. "We recognize the unparalleled energy, enthusiasm, devotion and love for dance that Carlos has gifted to our community out of his passion for all to experience the arts for the past 32 years. We are overjoyed that Carlos has been recognized by the South Carolina Arts Commission, " Teresa S. Berline, Executive Director. "The South Carolina Arts Commission is an extraordinary organization in our state which promotes and advocates opportunities in the arts which values equality, access, diversity and inclusion. Ballet Spartanburg is honored by the support of the South Carolina Arts Commission and the recognition of Carlos Agudelo."