Zane Booker

Philadanco: Principal, Guest
Nederlands Dans Theater: Soloist
Les Ballets De Monte Carlo
Complexions: Guest
National Theatre of Tokyo: Guest
Opera of Monte Carlo: Guest
Rhythmek: Guest
White Oak Dance Project
Smoke, Lilies and Jade Arts Initiative: Artistic Director

A native Philadelphian, Zane Booker began his dance training at the age of seven with the Philadelphia School of Dance Arts under the direction of Joan Myers Brown. By age 14, he was selected by Ms. Brown to perform with Philadanco. He went on to become one of the company’s principal artists, dancing roles created by Talley Beatty, Louis Johnson, and Gene Hill Sagan. Booker went on to pursue a degree at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Encouraged by his teachers to continue his training at the School of American Ballet, Booker moved to New York, auditioned, and was accepted into SAB. Once there, he was invited by Mikhail Baryshnikov to augment his studies at the American Ballet Theatre. Booker maintained a rigorous training schedule at both institutions for two years.

During a trip to Holland with the School of American Ballet to perform on a joint program with the Vagonava School, Booker auditioned for the Nederlands Dans Theater. He was quickly accepted into the company and spent the next six years dancing under the direction of Jiří Kylián. As a soloist, he danced roles created by Kylian, Nacho Duato, William Forsythe, Mats Ek, and Ohad Naharin. In 1996, Booker accepted an offer to join Les Ballets De Monte Carlo under the direction of Jean Christophe Maillot. During his tenure there he was featured in ballets created by John Alleyne, Ted Brandsen, and Jean Christophe Maillot.

Booker left Les Ballets De Monte Carlo in 1999 to accept invitations to appear as a guest artist with major ballet companies around the world including the new National Theater of Tokyo, Philadanco, Complexions, the Opera of Monte Carlo, and Rhythmek. During this period Booker also focused his energies on choreographing for universities, ballet companies, operas, and musical productions. His credits include works for the Philadelphia Dance Company, Théâtre Mogador in Paris, the Jackson Ballet Competition, and the Opera of Monte Carlo. Mr. Booker has also taught for companies and schools in the US, Europe, and Australia. After moving back to the US, Booker was invited to dance with Baryshnikov’s White Oak Dance Project. There he danced for two years before the group disbanded.

In 2006, Booker became the founder and artistic director of the Smoke, Lilies and Jade Arts Initiative (SLJ), a socially conscious, multimedia, dance theater company, promoting HIV/AIDS awareness. He created Ebony, Beige and Bronze: The Philadelphia Show to inspire social consciousness about HIV/AIDS. Dance Magazine chose SLJ as one of 25 companies to watch in 2007. Booker is a master lecturer at University of the Arts and Howard University.