Kevin O’Hare (1965-). British dancer and director

Kevin O’Hare was born in Hull in 1965. He joined The Royal Ballet School in 1976, training there and also on an exchange programme with the Royal Danish Ballet School. He joined Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet in 1984, becoming a principal in 1988. He relocated with the company to Birmingham and stayed with it – as Birmingham Royal Ballet from 1990 – until his retirement from dancing in 2000. As a dancer O’Hare performed all the main classical roles, as well as creating roles for David Bintley, including Amynta in Sylvia. O’Hare also gave a notable performance in the title role of Bintley’s Edward II.

In 2000 O’Hare went to study company management with the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 2001 he became company manager for Birmingham Royal Ballet, and in 2004 took up the same position for The Royal Ballet, becoming administrative director in 2009. In 2012 O’Hare became director of the Royal Ballet, where his tenure has been notable for the promotion of new choreographic work by Wayne McGregor, Christopher Wheeldon, Liam Scarlett, William Tuckett, Carlos Acosta, Crystal Pite and others. Kevin O’Hare was appointed CBE in 2018.