Guest Faculty - 2023 Summer Intensive, 2024 Guest Choreographer
Director, School of Classical Ballet and Dance
Serkan Usta was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and received his early classical training at the Ballet Conservatory in Istanbul. Upon moving to the United States in 1991, he furthered his dance education at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. and the School of San Francisco Ballet. Usta is a recipient of the Hellman’s Scholarship Award and was featured on the cover of the September 2002 issue of Dance Magazine. Usta has been featured in the roles of Champion Roper in Rodeo, Dartanian from Three Musketeers, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Basilio in Don Quixote and Prince Albrecht in Giselle. His performing experience also includes roles in Company B, Rosalinda, La Fille Mal Gardee, Troy Game, Prawn-Watching, and Coming Together as well as Nacho Duato’s Arenal, Duende, Na Floresta, and Rassemblement. Usta danced the role of Cavalier in Ballet Des Moines’ The Nutcracker in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2012.
In July 2005, Serkan joined Ballet Des Moines as Artistic Director. Since then he has choreographed “Kélé Mandi” in Ballet Des Moines’ 2006 triple bill, New Beginnings, “Primavera” in Ballet Des Moines’ 2007 triple bill, Continuum, “Bubbles!” in the 2008 triple bill Elevation, “Bir Demet Yasemen” in Ballet Des Moines’ 2009 production Momentum, and Ballet Des Moines’ annual productions of The Nutcracker since 2010. Usta produced Alice in Wonderland at the Civic Center in 2011 and co-choreographed and produced The Wizard of Oz held at the Civic Center April of 2012. In 2012 Serkan choreographed “The Awakenings” for Ballet Des Moines’ fall production of Prelude: A Triple Bill. Usta also produced and co-choreographed snow White in 2013.
