Who We Are

Benjamin Sterling Cannon,
Executive & Artistic Director

Mr. Cannon is a native of the Southbridge community, and is the grandson and nephew of Wilmington Jazz legends Millie Cannon and Lem Winchester. He was awarded the Helena Antonova Scholarship by James Jamieson,  studied dance exclusively at the Academy of the Dance, toured in Jamieson's iconic Lecture Demonstration, and

performed in the Academy's annual production of The Nutcracker before embarking on an eclectic professional career in the arts, spanning over 30 years.  While attending Delcastle Technical High School, Mr. Cannon starred opposite film legend Burt Lancaster in the ACLU film In Pursuit of Justice, and was offered to join The North Carolina Dance Theater (now Charlotte Ballet) as a Soloist, by the late Artistic Director and Choreographer Salvatore Aiello. Benjamin chose to graduate high school, and joined the company a year later, performing and originating roles in Aiello's innovative, theatrically driven works: The Rite of Spring, Carnival of the Animals, Clowns & others, Journey, Senza Fretta, and The Nutcracker, among others. Intentional about becoming a "triple threat" artist, he moved to New York City to study acting at Playwrights Horizons Theater School, and studied voice with Kurt Peterson ("Rolfe" in the film The Sound of Music).

  • He made his Broadway debut as the comically maniacal Banzai in Disney's The Lion King, and has starred in regional, national, and touring productions of Blues in The Night, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, A Chorus Line, The Who's Tommy, and Smokey Joe's Cafe to name a few.

    Mr. Cannon is a highly sought multidisciplinary Arts Educator, Director / Choreographer, and Producer. He has led and created arts programming for The VSA New Jersey, The Haddonfield Theater Arts Center, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, The McCarter Theater, The Christina Cultural Arts Center, and Washington College, among many. He directed the compelling drama "Stick Fly", by Lydia R Diamond at Detroit's Meadow Brook Theater, and collaborated with Grammy Nominated artist Urie Caine, and Barbara Walker to pen " Stuff Happens" for Caine's Plastic Temptation album and European tour.

    Mr. Cannon was appointed Executive and Artistic Director of The Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance in 2020, the first African American in the organization's 65+ year history. He proudly takes the mantle of continuing the legacies begun by the founding Executive and Artistic Directors of The Wilmington Ballet and The Academy of the Dance.

Teaching Artist Collective

  • LaChelle Dickenson

  • Karen Hostler

  • Anya Ward

  • Debbie Coupe

  • Hannah Snyder

  • Rachelle Rafailedes

  • Samuel Antonio Reyes

  • Miguel Quinones

  • M. Amber Spivey

Founded in 1956, James Jamieson & Madame Helene Antonova imbued the state of Delaware with excellent dance training that has produced successful, world-class dancers and artists.  

*Judith Jamison was a student of founder James Jamieson at The Philadelphia Dance Academy (now the University of the Arts)

Alumni

  • Susan Stroman

    Tony Award winning Director & Choreographer

  • Tina Fehlandt

    Founding member and Mark Morris Dance Group muse

  • Akua Noni Parker

    Former Principal Dancer Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Dance Theater of Harlem

Our legacy lives on through these and many other notable alumni:

  • Ellen Rosa

    Dance Department Chair, Idyllwild Arts Academy, California

  • Lateef Williams

    The Royal Ballet of Flanders

  • Kimberly Cilento

    Washington Ballet

  • Benjamin Sterling Cannon

    Executive & Artistic Director Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance