Harper Watters

Last updated
Harper Watters
Born
Education Walnut Hill School
Occupation Ballet dancer
Years active2011—present
Parent David H. Watters (father)
Relatives Jesse Watters (cousin)
Career
Current group Houston Ballet
TikTok information
Page
Followers570.4K
Likes16.8M

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.

Contents

Early life and family

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

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

Watters is gay. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Harper Watters – I Am Life". houstoniamlife.com. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  2. "It's open season in New Hampshire for Democrats not named Joe Biden". The Washington Post . Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  3. 1 2 Desantis, Marissa (2024-01-24). "How First Soloist Harper Watters Creates Community at Houston Ballet". Dance Spirit. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  4. 1 2 3 "Harper Watters". Houston Ballet. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  5. Caldwell, Rachel (2021-06-23). "Houston Ballet Soloist Harper Watters Shares His Style Inspiration". Dance Magazine. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  6. https://www.wondermind.com/article/harper-watters/
  7. Swartz, Mimi (2021-10-20). "Can Harper Watters Make Ballet Matter Again?". Texas Monthly. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  8. "On Texas Time: Harper Watters". Dan Q. Dao. Retrieved 2025-01-05.