BalletMet Columbus brought in the New Year with two newly named directors.

Gerard Charles, a Folkstone, England, native was named artistic director and Stanton Welch, an acclaimed Australian choreographer is the artistic associate.

Charles has served as BalletMet Columbus acting artistic director since August 2001. So far he has staged The Sleeping Beauty (2000) and Coppelia (2001).

“I am very excited for the potential of what will come and happen with BalletMet,” said Charles.

Charles trained at the Royal Ballet School in London. He danced professionally for BalletMet Columbus, Ballet International in London and he choreographed four ballets while dancing for Milwaukee Ballet. In addition, Charles served as ballet master for Les Grands Canadiens in Montreal and The National Endowment for the Arts awarded him a choreographic fellowship.

According to a recent press release from BalletMet, “Gerard has the vision and ability to extend the company’s artistic foundation and take BalletMet Columbus to the next level of artistic excellence and recognition,” said Trustee Susan Porter who chaired the search committee.

As artistic director, Charles will select each season’s ballets to be performed, select dancers for the performances, oversee any budgets, choreograph and oversee the company’s performance rehearsals.

“There will be new challenges but now there isn’t that person above me. I make the final decisions,” said Charles.

Charles has choreographed internationally and traveled to many companies to restage the works of various choreographers. Two of his many influences are James Kudelka, with whom he has worked, and Jiri Kuylian.

“I have inherited a strong company from previous directors,” said Charles. “My main interest is to find new voices in choreography and to raise BalletMet’s reputation professionally, nationally and internationally.”

Welch’s insertion as the new artistic associate will scout for new talent, participate in the audition process and teach classes.

Welch has about 20 commissioned ballets under his belt that have been performed by companies such as the American Ballet Theater in New York, The National Ballet of Canada, Houston Ballet and San Francisco Ballet.

He has choreographed ballets such as Madame Butterfly and Cinderella, along with his new ballet Clear, which has been a major success according to The New York Times.

According to The Plain Dealer, “It’s really quite a major coup for us to have attracted a choreographer of Stanton Welch’s internationally stature,” said Cheri Mitchell, BalletMet Columbus executive director.

Welch will present two works a year for BalletMet.