Karina Gonzalez
Karina Gonzalez is a native of Caracas, Venezuela, and a silver medal winner of the New York International Ballet Competition in 2007. She trained at the Gustavo Franklin Ballet School in Caracas, Venezuela, and has danced professionally with Ballet National of Caracas and Tulsa Ballet, where she reached the rank of principal in 2007. Ms. Gonzalez joined Houston Ballet as a soloist in 2010 and was
promoted to principal dancer in 2013. She has danced in principal roles by the worlds foremost choreographers including Ben Stevenson, Andre Prokovsy, John Cranko, George Balanchine, Nacho Duato, Jiří Kylián, John Neumeier, Jerome Robbin, Wayne McGregor, Justin Peck, Jorma Elo, James Kudelka, and many others.
Gonzalez has been a guest artist at Gala International Colombia (2006) and the New York International Ballet Competitions Gala (2009). Guested with Ballet Estable del Teatro Colon in Argentina, performing the role of Aurora in Sleeping Beauty. In 2011, she participated in the Career Transition For Dancers; 26th Anniversary Jubilee in New York City and The Festival de Danza Cordoba in Mexico. In the summer of 2012, Ms. Gonzalez performed in the International Ballet Gala in Malaysia and was invited as a guest artist with Michele Wiles and Charles Askegards up-and-coming company Ballet Next at the Joyce Theater in NYC. In 2014, She was invited to guest with The Australian ballet to dance the
role of Nikiya in Stanton's La Bayadere.
Ms. Gonzalez has been featured on the cover of Pointe Magazine's February/March 2008 issue, Dance Magazine's November 2011 edition, and A+C Houston Magazine's November 2011 edition. Gonzalez was named "Best dancer" in 2013 by the Houston Press and was one of Pointe magazine's favorite performances ofthe year. Also, Gonzalez was featured in Kimberly Clark’s and Honda Civic's 2016 Television and Marketing campaign. In December 2016 Gonzalez was recognized by The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at their annual Gala. In 2017, Gonzalez
was named one of the 30th Most Influential Women in Houston. In 2018, Gonzalez was invited to guest with the Leipziger Ballet in Germany and was invited to participate at the 26th International Ballet Festival of Havana. In 2019, Ms. Gonzalez was invited to represent the first American Company to dance at the NHK Ballet Festival in Tokyo. Ms. Gonzalez also made her second appearance with the Australian Ballet dancing the role of Sylvia.
Gonzalez is a proud mother of a beautiful baby girl, named Julia.