Alexandra Damiani

Appointed Artistic Director of BJM – Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal in the spring of 2021, Alexandra Damiani has been a major player in the dance community for over two decades. During her 10 years with New York's Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet (2005-2015), first as Ballet Mistress and then as Artistic Director, Damiani had the opportunity to work with and present a wide selection of contemporary dance choreographic languages by such internationally renowned choreographers as Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Crystal Pite and Hofesh Schecter. Damiani also presented the company in major cities and international festivals, including at the Lyon Biennale in France and Sadler's Wells in London.

Originally from France, Damiani is a multidisciplinary artist who has been lending her expertise to the world of film, television and advertising for many years. Her credits include playing the ballet mistress in Darren Aronofsky’s cult film Black Swan and working alongside Tanisha Scott on Cardi B’s performance for the 2019 BET Awards. Damiani is also passionate about training the young dancers of tomorrow and has excellent connections with highly regarded institutions like Jacob’s Pillow and The Juilliard School.

Damiani trained in classical dance at the Geneva Dance Center, and later in the French capital with teachers from the Paris Opera Ballet. After winning the Bayonne competition in France, she received a scholarship to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in the US. She began her career as a dancer-performer in New York where she danced as a soloist with Donald Byrd/The Group and with the company Complexions, directed by Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson. Her career continued in Montreal with the Rubberband dance company and later with the Ballets Jazz de Montreal under the direction of Louis Robitaille (2002-2005).