Emily Speed

Emily Speed is a bold and forward-thinking leader in American dance, known for her dynamic artistry onstage and her entrepreneurial vision offstage. Originally from Argyle, Texas, she began her training at Denton Ballet Academy under Hugh Nini and graduated from the Marina Almayeva School of Classical Ballet. Early in her career, she earned First Place at Youth America Grand Prix, was a finalist at the World Ballet Competition, and competed internationally at the prestigious Varna and USA International Ballet Competitions.

As a professional dancer, Emily has performed leading roles across a wide range of repertoire spanning neoclassical, contemporary, and dramatic narrative works. Her credits include works by George Balanchine, Jiří Kylián, Antony Tudor, Twyla Tharp, Clark Tippet, Derek Deane, Fernand Nault, Danielle Rowe, Gerald Arpino, Christopher Wheeldon, and Yuri Possokhov, as well as a full range of classical roles. She has danced as a Soloist with Colorado Ballet and Ballet Idaho, appeared as a Principal Guest Artist across the country, and been featured at major festivals including the Vail Dance Festival, Battery Dance Festival, Little Island, and the Arpino Dance Festival at The Joyce Theater. Among her favorite roles are Russian Girl in Serenade (Balanchine), Petite Mort (Kylián), Jardin aux Lilas (Tudor), and Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty.

Emily is the Founder and Artistic Director of Artistic Ventures in Dance (AVID), a company committed to cultivating new voices, producing innovative work, and expanding access to professional dance. She is currently working with The Antony Tudor Ballet Trust, learning to stage Fandango and helping carry Tudor’s legacy forward. In 2023–24, she was honored as an Artist-in-Residence at Perry-Mansfield in Steamboat Springs, CO.

Beyond the stage, Emily is an active mentor and educator, a real estate investor, and an arts entrepreneur. Her leadership reflects not only a deep love for the art form, but a belief in building lasting infrastructure for artists to thrive, not just survive. Whether performing or directing, she brings a spirit of rigor, curiosity, and joy to every endeavor.