![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_18b5df4e8e2d4227935ff7663fc4fe66~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_821,h_1018,al_c,q_90,enc_auto/df7007_18b5df4e8e2d4227935ff7663fc4fe66~mv2.png)
![DANCE OPEN LOGO 03.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_131d985bc3ac42239293109def1edd6a~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_342,h_104,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/DANCE%20OPEN%20LOGO%2003.png)
International Dance Competition
Dance Open America Artistic Award 2022
For Excellence and Extraordinary Career is Presented To:
![Ben Stevenson | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_8b7e70eed36d402baf7bf8b0f19741fd~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_357,h_311,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/ben-profile.jpg)
Ben Stevenson, O.B.E.
![Ben Stevenson | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_4e7b3959e97b4f4d869ffe7684da5610~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_762,h_1361,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/df7007_4e7b3959e97b4f4d869ffe7684da5610~mv2.jpg)
Ben Stevenson | Dance Open America
![Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_4673b78c311c4c468afbf6743dc7be1c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1660,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/df7007_4673b78c311c4c468afbf6743dc7be1c~mv2.jpg)
Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America
![Ben Stevenson 4 | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_6b229544ecb740fb84bcf3c06d29043e~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_784,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/df7007_6b229544ecb740fb84bcf3c06d29043e~mv2.jpg)
Ben Stevenson 4 | Dance Open America
![Ben Stevenson | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_4e7b3959e97b4f4d869ffe7684da5610~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_762,h_1361,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/df7007_4e7b3959e97b4f4d869ffe7684da5610~mv2.jpg)
Ben Stevenson | Dance Open America
Texas Ballet Theater's own artistic visionary and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.).
"Dance is a natural part of us - even babies move to music. It’s an inherent form of expression and can be developed in such beautiful ways.” - Ben Stevenson, O.B.E., Artistic Director"
A native of Portsmouth, England, Ben Stevenson, O.B.E. began his training at the Arts Education School in London. He appeared with the Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet and English National Ballet where, as a principal dancer, he performed leading roles in all the classics. During his professional career, Stevenson received numerous awards, including 3 gold medals at the International Ballet Competitions of 1972, 1982, and 1986. His contribution to ballet, as a dancer and choreographer, influences the art of ballet at an international level. In December of 1999, Queen Elizabeth 11 named Stevenson an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
![Ben Stevenson | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_2eaad6e98e53445583cdaf68506f2282~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1096,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/df7007_2eaad6e98e53445583cdaf68506f2282~mv2.jpg)
Ben Stevenson | Dance Open America
![Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_a1a21ff7ca7c445ca96dfaf9c1d4bec4~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_779,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/df7007_a1a21ff7ca7c445ca96dfaf9c1d4bec4~mv2.jpg)
Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America
![Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_6b229544ecb740fb84bcf3c06d29043e~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_784,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/df7007_6b229544ecb740fb84bcf3c06d29043e~mv2.jpg)
Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America
![Ben Stevenson | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_2eaad6e98e53445583cdaf68506f2282~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1096,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/df7007_2eaad6e98e53445583cdaf68506f2282~mv2.jpg)
Ben Stevenson | Dance Open America
Ben is a recipient of the 2000 Dance Magazine Award and was recognized in 2018 by the Chinese government as an influential foreign expert across four decades during China’s Reform and Opening Up policy. Locally, he is celebrated as a Texas legend, winning the Texas Medal of Arts in 2005 for achieving greatness through his creative talents.
![Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_d5b360cc486b465d9e0fd10b26e2d40c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_960,h_673,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/df7007_d5b360cc486b465d9e0fd10b26e2d40c~mv2.jpg)
Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America
![Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_8f45298c9ce7426f8510669af1f15a8a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_960,h_640,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/df7007_8f45298c9ce7426f8510669af1f15a8a~mv2.jpg)
Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America
![Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_8ea6b22ed8924482b18fa5ef38bbe08d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_864,h_658,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/df7007_8ea6b22ed8924482b18fa5ef38bbe08d~mv2.jpg)
Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America
![Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_d5b360cc486b465d9e0fd10b26e2d40c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_960,h_673,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/df7007_d5b360cc486b465d9e0fd10b26e2d40c~mv2.jpg)
Ben Stevenson 2 | Dance Open America
Mr. Stevenson is one of the great storytellers of ballet. Known for creating splendor on stage, his choreography is both world-renowned and in high-demand across ballet companies world-wide. His full length works include: The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, Don Quixote, Peer Gynt, Dracula, The Snow Maiden, and Cleopatra. As the longest-serving artistic director in Texas Ballet Theater history, Ben Stevenson, O.B.E., has been instrumental in elevating the Company from a regional troupe to an internationally acclaimed ensemble.
Since joining the Company in July of 2003, he has established himself as a prominent member of the local arts community, demonstrating his commitment to the future of ballet through education, collaboration, and his artistic vision.
![Ben Stevenson and Queen of England | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_9bfc49d45d0443b8b178c7414f76486d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_463,h_341,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Ben%20Stevenson%20and%20Queen%20of%20England%20(1).jpg)
![Ben Stevenson | Dance Open America](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df7007_e114b10c5eeb476ab041deca825f3eb3~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_665,h_484,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/early-ben-ballet.jpg)
“Dance has no language barrier, making it the perfect visual art.” - Ben Stevenson, O.B.E., Artistic Director".