Meet Louise
Born in England, Louise Lester received her ballet training at The Royal Ballet School in London. In 1972 she joined the Bavarian State Ballet, in Munich, where she rose to the rank of principal.
Throughout her career she has had numerous opportunities to work with world-renowned choreographers, and perform the works of John Cranko, John Neumeier, Kenneth Macmillan, Balanchine, Glen Tetley, Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe Ohad Naharian, Christopher Bruce, David Bintley. Sir Peter Wright, Hans van Manen, Rudivan Dantzig, Azure Barton.
After a career as a dancer, she became Ballet Mistress for the Bavarian State Ballet, where she remained until 1996. In 1996, she began working as guest teacher and coach with companies such as Teatro La Scala, The Royal Danish Ballet, Ballet du Rhine, Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, Ballet of Santiago Chile, Teatro Communale Florence, Houston Ballet and Philadelphia Ballet. From 1999-2003 she was the assistant to the director of Teatro Municipal Santiago de Chile.
Ms. Lester joined the Artistic Staff of Houston Ballet as Ballet Mistress in 2004 and received the title of Principal Ballet Mistress in 2013. She has assisted in the creation of many of Stanton Welch’s ballets. She has staged his version of “La Bayadere” for Joffrey Ballet in 2013 and “Maninyas” in 2015. “La Bayadere” for Australian Ballet in 2014 and “Sylvia” in 2019 “Tutu” for Atlanta Ballet and Leipzig Ballet.
Ms. Lester has staged ballets for many major companies, including Peter Wright’s production of “The Sleeping Beauty” for Teatro Colon Argentina and Ballet of Santiago Chile, John Neumeier’s production of “The Nutcracker;” for Dresden ballet, and Christopher Bruce’s “Hush” for Ballet Rambert.
Since 2020 Ms. Lester is working as a Guest Teacher and Coach.