David Morse is an educator, choreographer, musician, and Academy Director of the Otto M. Budig Academy at Cincinnati Ballet. Prior to his appointment as Director, Morse served as the Academy Principal and led the Professional Training Division, having been a member of the faculty since 2022.
A former soloist with Cincinnati Ballet, Morse also danced for eight seasons with Charlotte Ballet. His training includes study under Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Darleen Callaghan, Mark Diamond, Patricia McBride, and Kathryn Moriarty. During his performing career, he appeared in leading roles in works by George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Dwight Rhoden, and Twyla Tharp, as well as a broad range of classical repertory.
Morse’s choreographic work has been presented by professional companies and universities across the United States. He has twice participated in residencies at the New York Choreographic Institute, creating original works on dancers of New York City Ballet and the School of American Ballet. At Cincinnati Ballet, he has created several original works, including Our Story, developed in collaboration with the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center.
An accomplished pianist, Morse has served as an accompanist for major ballet institutions nationwide. His work as an educator emphasizes musicality, artistic curiosity, and the development of technically rigorous and expressive dancers.
