Diana White

Diana White, former soloist of New York City Ballet, is a Répétiteurfor the George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins Trusts.

Born in Park Ridge, Illinois, she began ballet lessons at age four. At age ten, she made her NYC Ballet debut in Chicago as a bug in Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. That experience set her on a lifetime course of studying, performing, staging and coaching his masterpieces.

At fourteen, she joined the Lyric Opera of Chicago Ballet under the direction of the legendary American ballerina, Maria Tallchief. There, she was seen by Balanchine himself. He offered her a scholarship to the School of American Ballet and the following year, she joined his company. During her twenty-year performing career, Diana White worked directly with Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, dancing principal, soloist, and corps de ballet roles in over seventy-five works by both masters. She toured internationally with NYC Ballet and as a guest artist. She was mentored and coached in her principal roles by the ballerinas Suzanne Farrell, Violette Verdy, Sara Leland and Karin Von Aroldingen, all for whom Balanchine created roles in Jewels.

Several years before retiring from the stage, Diana White began teaching. This process sparked her passion to work with dancers around the world. She has now staged ballets for major professional companies and conservatoires on six continents.

She will be staging Emeralds and Diamonds from George Balanchine’s Jewels for the Vienna State Ballet for the first time in the 2025/26 season.