John Meehan
Professor of Dance
- Office: Kenyon Hall
- Phone: 437-7832
- Box: 54
- Email: jomeehan@vassar.edu
Australian born, John Meehan has been a member of the international dance world as a performer, teacher, choreographer and an artistic director for the past 39 years.
John studied at The Australian Ballet School, joined The Australian Ballet in 1970 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 1974. He joined American Ballet Theatre as Principal Dancer in 1977. He was also a frequent guest artist with the New York City Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada and toured with Stars of World Ballet. A versatile dancer, John danced leading roles in all of the classics as well as contemporary works by many of the world’s leading choreographers. He has partnered many of the world’s great ballerinas including Dame Margot Fonteyn, Natalia Makarova, Merrill Ashley, Gelsey Kirkland, Cynthia Gregory, Karen Kain and the Australian ballet stars Marilyn Rowe and Marilyn Jones.
John began choreographing early in his career. His ballets entered the repertoire of The Australian Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Washington Ballet, Metropolitan Opera Company and Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
John was Artistic Director of Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet from 1990 to 1993, and of The American Ballet Theatre Studio Company from 1997 to 2006. Currently graduates from the Studio Company dancing with American Ballet Theatre are the principal dancers Michelle Wiles, Herman Cornejo and David Hallberg as well as 6 company soloists.
In 2005-06 John was invited to teach at Vassar College as Professor of Dance before traveling to Hong Kong where he was appointed Artistic Director of the Hong Kong Ballet in July 2006.
He returns to Vassar to join the faculty of the Department of Dance as Professor of Dance and Director of Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre.