Jessie Williams
Artistic Director
Jessie Williams, now in her second season as Artistic Director of Central Illinois Ballet, is a graduate of Butler University with a BFA in Dance Performance. Originally from Suwanee, Georgia, Jessie began her dance training at Northeast Atlanta Ballet under Jennifer Gordon and later joined Next Generation Ballet as a trainee under Peter Stark.
While at Butler, Jessie had the privilege of performing corps, soloist, and principal roles in major classical ballets, including The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Cinderella, and Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments. She also danced principal and soloist roles in contemporary works, including a piece by David Ingram featured at the Indiana Governor’s Arts Awards. Jessie’s passion for choreography blossomed during a summer spent training with Sidra Bell, where she contributed to the premiere of Middle Prayer. Later in her studies, Jessie toured Eastern Europe, premiering two of her own contemporary works at the National Opera House in Warsaw.
Following college, Jessie joined Central Illinois Ballet, where she quickly advanced from company dancer to Soloist. Over the years, she has performed numerous soloist and principal roles with the company, including favorites like Phlegmatic in The Four Temperaments, Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, and The Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker.
Jessie’s choreographic achievements include staging Petipa’s The Sleeping Beauty in 2021, as well as the professional company’s production of Giselle and a brand-new, original version of The Nutcracker, both of which premiered in 2024. Additionally, her full-length ballet Sweeney Todd premiered in 2021 at the Scottish Rite Theater and was revived in 2023 to great acclaim.
Before stepping into her current role as Artistic Director, Jessie served Central Illinois Ballet for four years as Academy Director and Associate Artistic Director. With her diverse experience as a dancer, choreographer, and educator, Jessie is committed to continuing to elevate Central Illinois Ballet’s artistic vision and offering inspiring opportunities for both dancers and audiences.