Michael Pappalardo is an Australian-born choreographer, artistic director, creative producer, and
arts leader whose career has spanned ballet, opera, theatre, festivals, and contemporary
performance across Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the United States.
Michael began his dance training in Brisbane, Queensland, before being accepted into the New
Zealand School of Dance in 2002. He went on to join Royal New Zealand Ballet, performing
works by choreographers including Jiří Kylián, Frederick Ashton, Val Caniparoli, Stanton Welch,
and George Balanchine. He subsequently performed with Queensland Ballet, Australian Dance
Theatre, Australian Dance Collective, Leigh Warren and Dancers, Melbourne Ballet Company,
Victoria State Ballet, and Opera Victoria.
His career soon expanded beyond performing into choreography, producing, and artistic
leadership. At Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Michael worked as a Tours Coordinator,
where he was involved in major touring and community engagement initiatives, including a rural
dance outreach program reaching more than 100 schools and the Brisbane Out of the Box
Festival.
In 2013, Michael was appointed Artistic Director of Melbourne City Ballet and was subsequently
promoted to Artistic Director and CEO. During his tenure, he led the company through
substantial artistic and organizational growth, overseeing touring across Australia, New
Zealand, and Japan, developing new productions and education programs, and building
pathways for young dancers from introductory training through to professional performance.
As a choreographer, Michael has created more than 25 full-length ballets alongside numerous
contemporary works. His repertoire reflects a particular interest in storytelling, music, dramatic
structure, and finding new ways to approach familiar stories. His works include Swan Lake — A
Sculptor’s Oath, Dracula, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, The Rite of Spring, 1984, The Picture of
Dorian Gray, and The Crucible.
Michael’s work also extends deeply into opera and interdisciplinary performance. He has
choreographed for Cincinnati Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera San José, Detroit Opera, Opera
Austin, and Spoleto Festival USA. His opera credits include Fiddler on the Roof, Ariodante,
Aida, Dido and Aeneas, West Side Story, and Thaïs. His choreography for Fiddler on the Roof
was part of a production recognized with an International Opera Award nomination. He also
choreographed Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio at Cincinnati Music Hall.
In the United States, Michael served as Artistic Director of Canyon Concert Ballet, where he led
the organization through a period of artistic and programmatic development. He expanded the
company’s repertoire and touring activity, developed new performance and education initiatives,
and established CCB2 as a training and performance pathway for emerging professional
dancers. His work with the organization included productions such as Dracula, Giselle, Romeo
and Juliet, and Swan Lake — A Sculptor’s Oath.
Michael has also worked in development and community engagement, including as Artistic
Associate and Development Manager with San Jose Dance Theatre. During his time in San
Jose, he helped develop the San Jose Movement Festival, creating free opportunities for the
community to experience dance and movement.
Across his career, Michael has moved fluidly between the roles of performer, choreographer,
director, producer, educator, and executive. That breadth has shaped an approach to leadership
grounded in both artistic experience and practical knowledge of how productions and
organizations actually work. He is particularly interested in creating ambitious performance
experiences that connect artists and audiences, developing new models for dance and live
performance, and building sustainable pathways for the next generation of artists.
Now based in Chicago, Michael continues to work across choreography, producing, artistic
leadership, and creative development, bringing more than two decades of experience in the
performing arts to new projects and collaborations.