Ben Stevenson, British ballet dancer and teacher, died on March 28, 2026.
Born in Portsmouth, England, he trained at the Arts Educational Schools in London and received the Adeline Genée Gold Medal upon graduation. He joined the Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet at 18, later danced with the London Festival Ballet as a principal dancer, and performed leading roles in the classics.
Stevenson also danced with The Royal Ballet and English National Ballet. He served as co-director of National Ballet of Washington, D.C., artistic director of Chicago Ballet, artistic director of Houston Ballet from 1976 to 2003, and artistic director of Texas Ballet Theater from 2003 to 2022.
Benjamin Stevenson OBE (4 April 1936 – 29 March 2026) was a British ballet dancer with The Royal Ballet and English National Ballet, co-director of National Ballet of Washington, D.C. (1971–1974), artistic director of Chicago Ballet (1974–1975), artistic director of Houston Ballet (1976–2003), and artistic director of Texas Ballet Theater (2003–2022).