Miami City Ballet Appoints AnaMaria Correa As Its New Senior Director Of Community Engagement

Miami City Ballet today announced the appointment of AnaMaria Correa as the ballet company's new Senior Director of Community Engagement. Correa, who has 14 years of experience leading community engagement programs at renowned institutions like Avenues: The World School, Ballet Hispánico, and Dancing Classrooms, will assume her leadership role on August 20.

"Miami City Ballet welcomes AnaMaria into the fold," said MCB's Artist Director, Lourdes Lopez. "Her wide-ranging expertise in community engagement and dance education initiatives will enable Miami City Ballet to devise new programming and projects where the transformative power of our art form and social justice come together to effect positive and lasting change in all communities we serve. Under her guidance, we will continue to remain firmly focused on developing programs that unite our diverse neighborhoods right here in Florida as we simultaneously continue building MCB's national presence and international reputation for artistic excellence."

As Senior Director of Community Engagement, she will lead MCB's distinguished community engagement program, creating a rich and accessible environment for learning, self-exploration, and engagement. Supporting the belief that dance can change perspectives and create a strong sense of unity, Correa will have the key responsibility of fulfilling MCB's mission to make high-quality ballet accessible across diverse communities and initiate meaningful dialogue across those communities.

"AnaMaria Correa has the education, experience and vision that we were looking for in this leadership role," said Kristi Jernigan, chair of the Board of Trustees of Miami City Ballet. "Equally as important, she has an infectious enthusiasm that transforms the conversation of equity in the arts into actions and programs which constituents eagerly embrace. In her, I feel that we will have a powerful advocate for innovation in community engagement which is important in our ever-changing community of South Florida."

Correa comes to Miami City Ballet from Avenues: The World School, where she served as Director of Community Engagement and Inclusion since 2016. During her tenure, she successfully cultivated and lead program planning between the elite school and parents, political leaders, community activists, non-profit agencies, and the overall community. As the inclusion director, Correa led the development of cultural competence around themes of power and privilege for an equitable and inclusive school community.

At Ballet Hispánico, Correa held a dual role as the senior director of community engagement and school director for their accredited school of dance, specializing in dance training for youth pre-K to college in classical ballet, contemporary, folklore, and flamenco dance genres. Correa is thrilled to be joining a leadership team reflective of the MCB constituency.

"I am excited to join an organization whose commitment to equity and inclusion is evidenced in their leadership vision, their understanding of the importance of the arts as a tool for social justice and their commitment to arts for all, especially in the invisible and underserved South Florida communities," she said. "I can't wait to engage neighborhoods, children, abuelas and tios in the dynamic vision of MCB as a punto de encuentro where dreams meet opportunity and South Florida's youth find another space to engage the best of themselves in the art form."

Correa holds a B.A. in secondary education and literature from Hunter College and an M.F.A in acting from Brooklyn College. She is also completing her Ph.D. in urban education at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.