Ana Ines King
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR EMERITA
Ana Ines King
Director Emerita, Founder
Holds a BFA in Dance/Choreography and Design from Instituto de Bellas Artes, Colombia, has over twenty-five years of experience teaching, performing and designing nationally/internationally. She started dancing Spanish Ballet at early age with her mother, Dora Olarte de Barragán in Colombia and has been constantly training in contemporary, Latino/Caribbean and flamenco dance forms with many acclaimed artists from Colombia, Venezuela and Spain such as Sonia Arias, Juan Monzón, Jacinto Jaramillo, Matilde Coral, Manolo Marín, Domingo Ortega, Ángel Muñoz Inmaculada Aguilar, Inmaculada Ortega. She founded and was Artistic Director of the Santander Ballet, Colombia, the designer of travel and leather accessories for international companies such as LAND, Tumi, Mario Hernandez and Capelli; designer of accessories and interior store displays for NLDA (National Dealer Association) that represents more than 400 stores in the United States. She was a faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University for 9 years. She currently coordinates educational/cultural programs nationally, directs the Latin Ballet of Virginia professional company, design the productions, costumes, props and scenery of numerous original ballets in the United States and Colombia.
Ana has been highly acclaimed for over a decade, receiving awards and recognitions including: 2016 Virginia Women in History presented by the Library of Virginia for her important contribution to Virginia, the nation and the word, 2015 Entrepreneur Bridge Builder presented by the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for commitment to education and culture, 2015 Outstanding Woman of the Year presented by YWCA for making arts accessible, empowering youth, and making Hispanic culture alive and vibrant in the community. The 2018 Person of the Year by Richmond Times for her commitment to the arts. Best Choreographer of the year 2019 by The RVA Dance Awards, The Poe Film Festival's 2020 Director's Award for outstanding achievements in the creative arts of Virginia, The 2021 Hispanic Women of Power for her commitment to serve minority low income families in the U.S through the arts. 2018 National Endowment for the Arts feature “Finding Love, Passion and Pride with Ana and the Ballet of Virginia”. The 2007 Richmond Magazine Editor’s Pick award choose Ana as “The Richmonder We Love”. 2007 - Southern Living Magazine’s recognized Ana “The Ambassador of Dance and Culture”. 2005 - U.S. Virginia Women Magazine publish “Coffee, Flowers and Ana, Colombia’s Finest Exports”. 2004 - Jane Baskerville Award for the best community education program for World Languages in Chesterfield County Public Schools in Virginia. 2002 - Hispanic Woman of the Year Award by CNN en Español. 1992 - Best Children’s Film of the Year with her choreography of Annie for Televisa, Mexico. 1991 - Best National Choreographer for One Hundred Years of Solitude written by Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez in Colombia.
“El Amor es el poder real entre todos los poderes.”
AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS
2017 - Richmond Times Dispatch Person of the Year honoree for her continued commitment to the artistic community of Richmond.
2017 - Style Weekly's Women in the Arts Award for her contributions to making Richmond’s art community more inclusive, more accessible and more exuberant.
2016 - Virginia Women in History award presented by the Library of Virginia for Mrs. King’s important contribution to Virginia, the nation and the word.
2015 - Entrepreneur Bridge Builder Award presented by the Virginia Hispanic of Commerce for commitment to education and culture.
2015 - Outstanding Woman of the Year Award, presented by YWCA for making the arts accessible to low income families, empowering youth, and making the Hispanic culture alive and vibrant throughout our community.
2015 - The PBS film of Latin Ballet’s production, “El Pintor”, won at the 36th Annual Telly Awards.
2011 - 14th Annual Theresa Pollak Prize for Excellence in the Arts awarded for "Dance.”
2010 - Richmond Region Magazine recognized Ana Ines King as the Artist of the Year for Arts and Culture in Virginia.
2009 - Nominated for Best Choreography for Boleros for the Disenchanted.
2009 - Dance Teacher Magazine spotlighted the Latin Ballet of Virginia as one of only three organizations who teach English as a Second Language through Dance in the United States.
2008 - “25 Most Influential Artists in Arts and Culture” award presented by Style Magazine
2007 - Editor’s Pick “20 Richmonders We Love” Award presented by Richmond Magazine
2007 - Southern Living Magazine’s December issue published an article on the educational programs of the Latin Ballet, and recognized Ana Ines King as an “Ambassador of Dance and Culture.”
2006 - PBS showcased the Latin Ballet by broadcasting the program “Danza & Pasion.”
2005 - Best Artists in Residency award in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, presented by the North Carolina Arts Council for excellence in multicultural educational programs.
2005 - Richmond Woman Magazine described Ana Ines King as “Coffee, Flowers and Ana, Colombia’s Finest Exports”.
2004 - Jane Baskerville Award for the best community education program for World Languages in Chesterfield County Public Schools in Virginia.
2003 - Soul of Virginia Magazine spotlighted the Latin Ballet Company as “Dancing to a New Beat in Virginia.”
2002 - Hispanic Woman of the Year Award presented by AT&T Broadband & CNN en Español for services to the community.
1992 - Best Children’s Film of the Year with her choreography of Annie for Televisa, Mexico.
1991 - Best National Choreographer for One Hundred Years of Solitude in Colombia, SA.