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Darah Hubbard
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Darah Hubbard
3 of 3

Darah Hubbard
Alexandra Light is rewriting the rules of retirement. The longtime principal dancer with Texas Ballet Theater (TBT) will step away from the stage in spring 2025 at the conclusion of her 13th season. Though physically in her prime, she has chosen to pursue choreography full time — a path she’s been paving for years.
Light began her professional dance career with Houston Ballet immediately after high school before joining TBT in 2012. She quickly climbed the ranks to become one of the company’s most esteemed principal dancers, captivating audiences in lead roles across performances of “Swan Lake,” “Cinderella,” “Sleeping Beauty,” and more.
Currently performing her last run as the Sugar Plum Fairy in “The Nutcracker,” Light will take her final bow this spring after dancing “Giselle.” Rather than approaching these performances with a sense of urgency, she’s found unexpected freedom in finality. With the end in sight, she explains, she has discovered more joy and kindness toward herself in the studio.
This mindset shift mirrors the philosophy Light brings to choreography. In a field historically defined by harsh criticism and rigid power structures, she’s committed to fostering environments where dancers feel safe to take risks. “You’re going to have better results if your dancers feel safe, confident, and not afraid to make mistakes,” she explains.
Light’s choreographic vision is deeply informed by her experiences as a woman in ballet. “I think my work will always surround feminism and the lack of that voice that I saw in dance works,” she explains. While she notes that feminist themes likely won’t be the central theme of all her dances, her perspective as a woman in the ballet world — where female choreographers remain rare — continues to shape her artistic viewpoint.
Light’s choreographic career has already gained impressive momentum. Her work has caught attention from Fort Worth to New York, with commissions from TBT, New York-based companies, and selective festivals nationwide. She’s even ventured into music video choreography for electronic artists Laura Brehm and Nikonn, garnering over 100,000 views. In 2021, Light partnered with The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth’s manager of film and performing arts programs, Tina Gorski, to launch Dance at the Modern. This free performance series has become a vital platform, not only for her creative endeavors, but also making dance more accessible to Fort Worth audiences.
In February, Light will debut a piece for TBT’s Lamentation Variations as part of the company’s first-ever, all-female-choreographed production. She’s also participating in Dance Canvas, an Atlanta-based career development initiative offering a six-month incubator for emerging choreographers. The new work she creates through the program will premiere in Atlanta in March 2025.
After TBT’s season ends, Light plans to collaborate with local artists before relocating to the East Coast to pursue new choreographic opportunities. “I’m just trying to get a taste of everything,” she says. Having achieved her childhood dreams of dancing almost every principal role she aspired to, she’s ready to pass the torch. “There’s so much beautiful talent out there,” she reflects. “I’m ready to see the next generation of dancers shine.”
BY THE WAY ...

Darah Hubbard
What is your favorite role you’ve danced with TBT and why?
“Odette and Odile, the white swan/black swan duo of “Swan Lake,” as well as the Sylvie role in William Forsythe’s “In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated.” Those were both absolute career highlights for me and were super beautiful, challenging, and unique in their own ways.”
What’s your favorite thing about being an artist in Fort Worth?
“Fort Worth has a wonderful scene of young artists and creatives that really take care of each other and are interested in working together. Especially on the musician side! Shout out to my DFW musicians, they are so cool and kind! We also have three world-class museums that I live across the street from — truly can’t be beat.”
FROM THE FEED

1. Light, photographed by Joe Johnson.

2. Photos from the world premiere of Light’s work, “Inimical Architecture,” which was selected for the Battery Dance Festival in NYC. Photo by Steven Pisano.

3. Light, photographed by Joe Johnson.

4. Light coaching her dancers through her work, “Inimical Architecture,” at the Battery Dance studios, NYC. Photo by Paul DuBois.

5. Light partnering with collaborator Philip Perez at the inaugural Jacob’s Pillow ChoreoTech Lab.

6. Light and her dancers post-performance of “Ode” for Dance at the Modern. Photo by Joe Johnson.

7. Light and her on-stage partner Valentin Batista before her last Cinderella performance with Texas Ballet Theater.