Deanna Carter

Resident Choreographer

Deanna Carter, Resident Choreographer for Ballet Quad Cities, has been working as choreographer and ballet teacher in Mexico, the USA, and throughout Europe.  Ms. Carter is from Seattle, WA where she began ballet training with Delphine McDade.  She has also studied with Joffrey Ballet, the First Chamber Dance Company, Maggie Black on scholarship and Phillip Beamish. 

Her choreography has been performed in over 16 countries.  Ms. Carter has received Monticello scholarships for her choreography, and been awarded the National Choreography Plan Award for her works Same Old Song and Controposto by Regional Dance America.  She was awarded Best American Choreography at the Nijinsky International Ballet Gala Festival in Kazan, Russia.  She has choreographed for the Leipzig and Dessau Ballets, the Anhaltisches Theater in Germany, Stars of La Scala in Milan, Italy and Teatro di San Carlo in Naples.  In Mexico, she has choreographed for Tanya-Perez Salas Dance Company and Nemian (INBA).  She has created works for principals and soloists of leading ballet companies such as the Royal Ballet, Deutsche Oper, and the Royal Danish Ballet.  She has also choreographed for various operas and musicals in Europe such as Les Miserables, Nacht In Venedig, and Zar Und Zimmerman.  Carter’s creation Colores De Alma for Ballet Met of Columbus, Ohio was one of the three works the company presented for their New York debut at the Joyce Theatre in June 2004.  Her first original work for Ballet Quad Cities (Bach Orchestral Suite No. 1 In C Major) debuted spring 2007 in collaboration with the Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra.

As a ballet teacher, Ms. Carter has been Ballet Mistress (Company Teacher) for Italy’s premier producing and touring company Aterballetto, Germany’s Leipzig Ballet, Dessau Ballet and Mexico City’s Taller Coreografico de la UNAM and Assistant to the Director of Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Italy.  She has been Guest Teacher for La Scala in Milan, Italy; Maggio Danza in Florence, Italy; Semperoper (Saxon State Opera Dresden); Northern Ballet Theater; The Scottish Ballet; ABCDancecompanie of Austria and other companies throughout Europe, USA, and Mexico.

In fall 2004, Ms. Carter joined the faculty of the University of Iowa as Assistant Professor in the Dance Department, where she teaches all levels of Majors Ballet and Choreography. She has co-directed Dancers in Company, the UI performing ensemble and has created over eleven original works while collaborating with theatre, opera, and music departments.  Her ballet Bach Concerto Suite No. 1 In C Major was chosen to represent the UI at the American College Dance Festival in 2006 where it received Gala Honors.