Harper Watters
Harper Watters | |
|---|---|
| Born | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Education | Walnut Hill School |
| Occupation | Ballet dancer |
| Years active | 2011—present |
| Parent | David H. Watters (father) |
| Relatives | Jesse Watters (cousin) |
| Career | |
| Current group | Houston Ballet |
TikTok information | |
| Page | |
| Followers | 570.4K |
| Likes | 16.8M |
Last updated: January 4, 2025 | |
| Website | theharperwatters.com |
Harper Watters is an American ballet dancer who is a first soloist with the Houston Ballet and the first black queer soloist in the company's history.
Early life and family
[edit]Watters was born in Atlanta, Georgia.[1] He was adopted as an infant by Jan Alberghene, an English professor, and the Democratic politician David H. Watters, who has served in both the New Hampshire Senate and the New Hampshire House of Representatives.[1] His grandfather, Franklin Benjamin Watters, was a cardiologist at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Newington, Connecticut and a professor at the University of Connecticut Medical Dental School. Watters is a cousin of conservative political commentator Jesse Watters.[2]
Watters grew up in Dover, New Hampshire, and studied at Walnut Hill School, a boarding school in Natick, Massachusetts.[1][3]
Career
[edit]Watters joined the Houston Ballet as an apprentice in 2011.[4] He joined the corps de ballet in 2012 and was promoted to demi soloist in 2016.[4] Watters was promoted as a soloist in 2017 and, in 2021, was promoted to first soloist.[3][5] He is the first black, queer soloist at Houston Ballet.[6] He has performed in various ballets with the company, including Stanton Welch’s The Nutcracker and La Bayadère, Ben Stevenson's The Nutcracker, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, and Don Quixote, George Balanchine's Theme and Variations, Jewels, and Ballet Imperial.[4]
Watters is a social media content creator, with large followings on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.[7][8]
Personal life
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Harper Watters – I Am Life". houstoniamlife.com. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
- ^ "It's open season in New Hampshire for Democrats not named Joe Biden". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
- ^ a b Desantis, Marissa (2024-01-24). "How First Soloist Harper Watters Creates Community at Houston Ballet". Dance Spirit. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
- ^ a b c "Harper Watters". Houston Ballet. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
- ^ Caldwell, Rachel (2021-06-23). "Houston Ballet Soloist Harper Watters Shares His Style Inspiration". Dance Magazine. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
- ^ https://www.wondermind.com/article/harper-watters/
- ^ Swartz, Mimi (2021-10-20). "Can Harper Watters Make Ballet Matter Again?". Texas Monthly. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
- ^ "On Texas Time: Harper Watters". Dan Q. Dao. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
- Living people
- 21st-century African-American people
- 21st-century American ballet dancers
- 21st-century American LGBTQ people
- African-American LGBTQ people
- African-American male ballet dancers
- African American adoptees
- American LGBTQ dancers
- American TikTokers
- Dancers from Georgia (U.S. state)
- Dancers from New Hampshire
- Gay dancers
- Houston Ballet soloists
- LGBTQ ballet dancers
- LGBTQ people from Georgia (U.S. state)
- LGBTQ people from New Hampshire
- LGBTQ TikTokers
- People from Atlanta
- People from Dover, New Hampshire
- Walnut Hill School alumni
- Watters family
- YouTubers from New Hampshire