Artistic Directors

Artistic Director - Helen Wilkins

After completing the Advanced Certificate from the Royal Academy of Dancing, London, and performing with the Banff Festival Ballet Company, Wilkins accepted a scholarship to study in New York City. Within six months she was touring parts of the country professionally with Marvin Gordon’s Ballet Concepts, performing in summer stock at MusiCarnival in Cleveland, as well as dancing at the Royal Alexander Theatre in Toronto. In Toronto, she choreographed the opera Dido and Aeneas, under Colin Graham of the Sadlers Wells, London. An eight-month tour of Europe followed, including study with Rosella Hightower in Cannes. Upon returning to the U.S. she became ballet mistress of Fort Wayne Ballet and later the Delaware Regional Ballet. She served as school director of the Canton Ballet until coming to Edmonds to found Olympic Ballet Theatre with her late husband, John Wilkins. She produced OBT’s annual showcase of emerging choreographers for eight years and commissioned a score for the 1996 premiere of a NW artists’ collaboration.  Most recently she directed the Regional Dance America / Pacific Festival 2003 in Everett, bringing together 20 Companies representing almost 700 dancers and chaperones for

3 days of classes, seminars, and performances.

Associate Artistic Director - Daniel Wilkins

Daniel Wilkins began his training at Olympic Ballet and went on to the School of American Ballet where he danced principal roles in works by Balanchine at Lincoln Center in the graduating Workshop. There he was coached by Peter Martins and Suzanne Farrell who invited him to tour with "Suzanne Farrell presents Masters of the 20th Century." He danced for two years under the direction of Patricia Wilde with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Returning to NYC, Wilkins joined Donald Byrd/The Group, performing featured roles in Life Situations, the Harlem Nutcracker, and Carmina Burana at Lincoln Center. He danced principal roles with Complexions during its first international tour to Brazil. He is in his third season as Artistic Director of his own NYC based contemporary company, danielandsomesuperfriends, which has premiered three full-length works at Diane von Furstenberg - The Theater. Wilkins has performed many roles as guest artist with OBT including 5 seasons as Cavalier in The Nutcracker. Returning to Seattle, he danced one season with Spectrum Dance Theater and now joins Olympic Ballet full-time.