As we all celebrate Victoria’s ten-year tenure (how’s that for a homonym holiday!), I think it’s good to remember that the four Artistic Directors before her only remained with us from one to four years. (The eighteen years of our founding Artistic Director, David McLain, is the longest.) Victoria came along at a time when we needed long-term artistic vision -- she has given us that and much, much more.

I am particularly grateful for our personal musical/choreographic collaboration on ThePrincess and the Pea--it was a fun early project for both of us. Victoria has also brought many outstanding guest choreographers to us with their challenging and novel works: people like Val Caniparoli, Kirk Peterson, Stanton Welch, Donald McKayle, Trey McIntyre and many more. Her own work creating a new A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo and Juliet plus many other original pieces has also been outstanding, and I’m looking forward to her latest creation for this season, Boléro.

Victoria has been the perfect “face” of the Cincinnati Ballet for the citizens of our community. Her natural enthusiasm has won us countless new fans. It has also made possible the unique collaborations we’ve managed with BalletMet in Columbus (Balanchine’s Jewels and Stars and Stripes); the wonderful Third Movement of Léonide Massine’s Seventh Symphony during our Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo Festival and our Nutcracker tours to Anchorage, Detroit and Cleveland!

Most of all, I appreciate Victoria Morgan’s commitment to live music for the Cincinnati Ballet. It is what gives our dancers life and artistic flexibility.

What more can we say: she’s a cool lady and her husband, Mark, is a delightful, kind gentleman.

From the Cincinnati Ballet Man-In-The–Pit,

- Carmon DeLeone

Music Director

Victoria has been an enthusiastic leader of the Cincinnati Ballet for the last ten years. She has brought her sense of style and good taste to the repertoire and her selection of dancers. Her energy is boundless. She has worked diligently to make this company a grand slam home-run.

- Johanna Wilt, Ballet Mistress

We are reminded of Victoria's remarkable abilities and talents every time Cincinnati Ballet performs. She has created a wonderful Ballet company that reflects her great artistry and ability. Cincinnati is very fortunate to have her as Artistic Director of Cincinnati Ballet.

- Paul Kaine, Executive Director, Cincinnati Ballet

I've watched the Cincinnati Ballet for 40 years, since the days it was a gaggle of talented kids known as the Cincinnati Civic Ballet.

Since then, I've seen the company look inspired and wretched, blissful and mournful. I've seen flush years and ones where it teetered near bankruptcy. I thought there was nothing the Cincinnati Ballet could do that would
surprise me.

But in 2002, when I was dance critic at the Detroit Free Press, the company brought "The Nutcracker" to Detroit. I saw something I'd never seen from the company before – consistency. That may not seem like much.

But don’t underestimate the value of being able to come to any Cincinnati Ballet performance and see great dancing, first-rate choreography and a production worthy of any stage. It’s a prodigious accomplishment.

In the course of 10 years here, Victoria Morgan has brought many things to the Cincinnati Ballet. She's brought imagination and inspiration. She's assembled a finer creative and administrative staff than the company has ever known. And, of course, she has staged a raft of memorable productions.

Most of all, I thank her for a consistency that has turned a well-meaning civic undertaking into the real deal – a mature ballet company worth watching any day, any time, any place.

– David Lyman, The Cincinnati Enquirer

Victoria brings her wide-eyed childlike curiosity to the world via her very much adult intelligence, savvy, and innovation. She has crafted a company that is willing to push forward and explore the boundaries of what is possible, all while keeping a firm grasp on the needs of her community, making Cincinnati Ballet an organization that the people of Cincinnati, as well as the greater dance community, can take tremendous pride in. Her unending passion and her warm, generous spirit make me proud to call her a colleague and a friend.

- Trey McIntyre, Choreographer

My first real “moment” with Vic came during our first year touring The Nutcracker. While quickly putting the show together in Detroit we had a very interesting argument. One of the technical elements was not working the way it should. She was upset because she worried that this great moment of the transition would never work, and I was upset that I could not figure out a way for us to achieve this. We ended up arguing over who was more upset, going on and on basically like kids. I realized that I had finally found an Artistic Director with a vision like mine. My belief in the theatre and dance world is that there is nothing wrong with wanting perfection on stage at all times. Here’s to another ten years of Cincinnati Ballet perfection!

Love, Trad.

- Trad A Burns, Designer

When I think of Victoria Morgan, many ‘V’ words leap to mind: vitality, vivaciousness, vigor, vision — because she works brimming with conviction and passion. She embodies dance, through and through, inside and out and is always eager to talk enthusiastically about her work on the Ballet’s latest projects — and as a journalist, I especially appreciate that.

Julie Mullins

Dance Editor, CityBeat

One of the most rewarding relationships that I have had in my long and varied career in the dance world has been my relationship with Victoria Morgan.  We have been dancers, choreographers, co-directors.  We have toured together, performed together, partied together and argued together.  We even danced together in the finale of George Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes even though on pointe she is a good deal taller than me.

Victoria is a true collaborator and is one of the most resiliently patient directors I have ever experienced.  Even when all seems bleak and the resource well is dry, Victoria will always find a way to make things work and to soldier on.  I admire this tremendously in her.

She has said to me, “I have got to get back into the studio.  That is where I recharge my batteries, that is my inspiration and after all, that is what it is all about ultimately anyway”.

Never doubt that Victoria loves Cincinnati Ballet.  Never doubt that she is totally devoted to this company.

Victoria, I offer a major ballet reverence to you for an amazing 10 years of selfless dedication to the art form that brings us all great happiness and joy.

Your friend with love and appreciation,
- Kirk Peterson
Resident Choreographer, Artistic Director of the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company

I owe a lot to Victoria Morgan.  I was in the Corps when Victoria became director here, and if she hadn't seen a spark or something in me that caught her eye, I might not be still dancing today.  She has been tough on me and pushed me further than I thought I could be pushed.  At times she been disappointed in me, but at others, she has been prouder than a parent in me. She gifted me with amazing roles that have helped me grow not only as an artist but also as a person.  She trusted me when she promoted me from Corps to Soloist and then to Principal even though I didn't know if I had trust in myself.  She has watched me "grow up" and I too have seen her grow into a director who through her tenacity and determination continues to take Cincinnati Ballet to a whole new level every season.  What an amazing ride this career has been for me!  Every dancer hopes to have someone that appreciates them as a dancer and an artist and I will forever be grateful to Victoria for being that person for me.

- Kristi Capps, Principal Dancer

Victoria Morgan has taken our moderately recognized ballet and made it exceptional with her introduction of new works, new choreography, and a company of outstanding dancers. She has given us a presence in the ballet world. We are very proud of her.

- Blanche Maier, Angel Extraordinaire

On behalf of the George Balanchine Trust:

Victoria Morgan has used her creativity to find innovative ways for
Cincinnati Ballet to perform George Balanchine over the years. With
Ballet Met Columbus, both Stars and Stripes as well as Jewels were produced, which surely would have proved challenging without this unique partnership. Serenade, The Four Temperaments, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Square Dance and Who Cares? have given George Balanchine an ongoing presence at the Ballet and we are pleased that audiences have benefited from Victoria's commitment and resolve to present the very best. We congratulate her on the occasion of her 10th anniversary and look forward to her having a long and productive tenure.

- Ellen Sorrin

Director, The George Balanchine Trust

Managing Director, New York Choreographic Institute

To be a part of Victoria Morgan’s 10 year tenure with Cincinnati Ballet has been such a privilege. Her artistic leadership has inspired, challenged and motivated all those that she has been involved with to reach for new heights. In my time with the company I have seen the company grow artistically by leaps and bounds. I can only imagine what the future holds. Brava Victoria!

– Devon Carney, Cincinnati Ballet Master-in-Chief

Victoria Morgan takes chances. She stages new works. But she has also restored remarkable old ones – most memorably in her Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo tribute of 2002, a citywide cooperation with the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County that evoked an exciting era of ballet history, and again in 2004 when her dedicated collaborators reconstructed Léonide Massine's legendary Seventh Symphony. With such visionary projects, Victoria Morgan has helped make the Cincinnati Ballet a company worth watching in a community worth paying attention to.

- Jack Anderson

Dance writer, New York Times; New York correspondent, The Dancing Times ( London);

Dance critic, New York Theatre-Wire

Congratulations to you, Victoria, on a great 10 year run with Cincinnati Ballet.  I still can't get over the fact that it's been over 25 years since we danced Arabian together with San Francisco Ballet, and did everything possible to make each other laugh.  Well, you were successful with that as well!

- Val Canaparoli, Choreographer

Victoria Morgan has proven herself to be doubly valuable to the Cincinnati Ballet over the past decade of leadership. Her success can be measured on two fronts:

* She has worked to build the talent capabilities of the company dancers to a point where it can show commendable competence in the performances of such demanding works as Swan Lake and Giselle.

* Secondly, she has proven herself to be a resourceful choreographer in bringing new insights and spirits into such works as her  Romeo and Juliet and the comedic infused A Midsummer Night's Dream. 

- Jerry Stein,

Cincinnati Post Arts Writer

Victoria Morgan is a multi-facetted and gifted lady with a personality that is at once endearing, provocative, and witty. She is a born leader with everything it takes to direct a ballet company through all the perils and pitfalls that can and do happen and still achieve

a joyful result. To watch her choreograph is to be inspired. Ideas just pop out of her, she can be brilliance in action. She has rapport with her dancers and an understanding of what they need. I have had a great pleasure of appearing in her Romeo and Juliet and am waiting (with God’s help) to do it once more.

Victoria has led Cincinnati Ballet to great heights and I send her my love and blessings. May she and the company continue to flourish!

Congratulations Victoria – we love you.

As always,

- Freddie

Frederic Franklin, Leading Dancer and Ballet Master of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, and Director Emeritus, Cincinnati Ballet

Thanks to Victoria for working tirelessly to build and maintain a strong, professional company for the fortunate ballet fans of Cincinnati .  The level of dancers has grown with each year of her stewardship.  My only regret - that I never saw her perform at San Francisco Ballet.  Fans have told me that when she entered the stage it was impossible to watch anyone else. 

- Congratulations, Carol Norris, former Dance Writer, The Cincinnati Enquirer