Eric Conrad is a visionary ballet master, choreographer, and educator whose career spans over two decades, bridging classical traditions with innovative digital and AI-driven advancements. As the Founder and Creative Director of Ballet Conrad, a digital content studio based in Winter Garden, Florida, Eric is dedicated to unveiling the inherent artistry in every dancer. He views teaching ballet as a transformative act—much like Michelangelo chiseling a statue from marble—where discerning guidance liberates the masterpiece hidden within raw form, fostering profound technical and expressive growth.

Since 2010, Eric has pioneered Ballet Conrad as a hub for storytelling in dance. He began with producing acclaimed educational DVDs, including The Secrets of Russian Ballet and the six-hour series The Art and Science of Classical Ballet.

A trailblazer in integrating technology with classical dance, Eric established Ballet Conrad as a Microsoft Partner to develop AI-driven models for precision ballet placement training and body motion analysis. His work explores real-time human-AI interactions, offering immediate feedback for technique optimization, injury prevention, and performance enhancement. Eric presented his groundbreaking paper, “How AI Can Accelerate Precision Ballet and Body Motion Training,” to Microsoft’s AI team, showcasing innovative applications that merge cutting-edge tools with timeless pedagogy.

Eric’s coaching legacy includes working with renowned ballerina Misty Copeland, guiding her in iconic roles such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Jane Eyre, and Manon alongside legendary coach Irina Kolpakova. He served as a consultant for Misty’s MasterClass, incorporating elements of his Ballet Conrad placement method. Their collaboration, documented in videos, has significantly influenced Misty’s development and enriched global ballet education. Eric has also choreographed works like Retrograde for the Dance Against Cancer charity performance.

From 2004 to 2009, Eric held prestigious roles in Russia’s ballet elite, including Ballet Master, Teacher, and Choreographer at the Moscow State Choreographic Academy of the Bolshoi Theater. Invited by Dean Alexander Bondarenko, he coached future Bolshoi stars like Principal Dancers Igor Tsvirko and Artem Ovcharenko, Leading Soloist Olga Marchenkova, and Soloist Ilia Artamonov. He created original pieces such as Generation X for the stage and collaborated on projects at institutions like the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS), Imperial Russian Ballet, and the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Ballet Theater. His contributions are captured in a Bolshoi Academy documentary.

Eric’s special projects reflect his commitment to ballet’s heritage. As Executive Director of Ballet Art Magazine in St. Petersburg, he refined content and expanded its global reach. He also conducted an in-depth interview with prima ballerina Natalia Dudinskaya, preserving invaluable insights into 20th-century Soviet ballet.

Eric’s formal training includes a Graduate Degree in Classical Ballet Pedagogy and Choreography from the Institute of Russian Theater in Moscow (2008), under Mikhail Lavrovsky, with a thesis on the “Contemporary Evolution of Classical Ballet.” He mentored with the Maris Liepa Charitable Foundation (2003) and trained as a Ballet Master at the Vaganova Ballet Academy under Professor Nikita Dolgushin (2000-2002).

Today, Eric continues to empower dancers through Ballet Conrad, inviting all to explore the art form’s magic.