Founders + Advocates
Kenna Draxton
Founding President, Director
Kenna Draxton is from Rapid City, South Dakota. She was a founding member of the Artist Relief Fund, created in 2013. She served as President and Director from 2013 to 2017.
Kenna joined Ballet Arizona in 2003, where she danced many leading and featured roles until her retirement in 2017.
Joseph Cavanaugh
Founding Vice President, Co-Director
Joseph Cavanaugh is a native of Phoenix, Arizona. He was a founding member of the Artist Relief Fund, created in 2013. He served as Vice President and Co-director from 2013 to 2016.
Joseph joined Ballet Arizona in 2001, where he danced many leading and featured roles until his retirement in 2013. He now serves as a Ballet Master with Ballet Arizona
Ib Andersen
Director of Ballet Arizona, Advocate of Artist Relief Fund
Ib Andersen is from Copenhagen, Denmark. He helped inspire the creation of the Artist Relief Fund.
Since 2000, Ib has been the Artistic Director for Ballet Arizona, as well as the Director for the School of Ballet Arizona. Beginning with ballroom at a young age, he was accepted to the School of Royal Danish Ballet at the age of 7. He joined the Royal Danish Ballet at age 16 and became a principal dancer at age 20 — the youngest principal in the company’s history. In 1980, he joined the New York City Ballet by invitation from George Balanchine, where he was a principal and danced leading roles until his retirement in 1990.