Darla Hoover started her ballet training at age 6 at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary. After attending three SAB Summer Courses, she was invited to enroll as a full-time student in the fall of 1976. At George Balanchine’s invitation, Ms. Hoover joined New York City Ballet in 1980, where she danced for 12 years. Ms. Hoover was named CPYB’s Associate Artistic Director in 1995 and rose to Artistic Director in 2019. Concurrently with her work at CPYB, Ms. Hoover joined the faculty of Ballet Academy East in 1996, rising to Associate Artistic Director in 2006, and Artistic Director of BAE’s Pre-Professional Division in 2014. In June of 2022 Ms. Hoover accepted the position of Chair of Faculty of School of American Ballet where she served until August of 2023. Ms. Hoover is a recipient of the Marcia Dale Weary Legacy Award in recognition of her lifelong commitment to education in the arts, and in 2021 she received a Congressional Commendation for outstanding public achievement in New York’s 12th Congressional District. Additionally, Ms. Hoover has been a répétiteur for The George Balanchine Trust since 1996, staging Balanchine works for leading dance companies in the U.S. and around the world.
