Full Season Packages Now Available
March 29, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Lisa Albert, Ben Stevenson Trust
682-225-0391
lisa.albert@fleurdelismarketing.com
FORT WORTH, Texas – (March 29, 2026) — Ben Stevenson, O.B.E., the decorated and acclaimed ballet dancer, teacher, and choreographer, passed away March 29, 2026. He was just days shy of his 90th birthday. A native of Portsmouth, England, Stevenson’s influence spanned decades and continents, shaping countless dancers and elevating companies such as Houston Ballet and Texas Ballet Theater to international acclaim.
Trained at London’s Arts Educational School and winner of the Adeline Genee Gold Medal, Stevenson joined Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet at just 18 before becoming a principal dancer with London Festival Ballet. His U.S. career began in 1968, and in 1976 he became Artistic Director of Houston Ballet, where over 27 years he transformed the company into one of the world’s leading ensembles and founded Houston Ballet Academy.
In 2003, Stevenson brought his vision and celebrated storytelling to Texas Ballet Theater, leading the company through significant artistic and organizational growth. His acclaimed productions—including “Swan Lake”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Cinderella”, and “Dracula”—were performed worldwide. He was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999, and later received the Dance Magazine Award and the Texas Medal of Arts.
“Ben was more than a mentor to me—he was family… His spirit will live on in every performance, every dancer, and every audience moved by his work,” said Tim O’Keefe, Artistic Director of Texas Ballet Theater.
Details on memorial services will be announced at a later date.
To learn more about Ben’s life and to honor his legacy, click here.
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