Position: Grande Audition, Director; former Principal Dancer, The Royal Ballet

Affiliation with organization: 2007 – 2012

Years active at YAGP: 2012 – Present

Contact: Instagram

David Makhateli was born in Tbilisi, Georgia and trained with his father, Nikoloz Makhateli (Ex-Principal Dancer Tbilisi Opera Ballet Theatre) and later studied classical ballet at the State Choreographic Institute in Tbilisi until he received an opportunity to study professionally at the Royal Ballet School in London. After graduating from the school, he danced with a number of companies, including Birmingham Royal Ballet, Dutch National Ballet and companies in Europe, Japan, China, Central America and the United States. He has also taught at the Tbilisi State Choreographic Institute and National Ballet of Panama. In 1996, Makhateli was offered a contract to dance with Houston Ballet, where he was promoted to Principal dancer in 2001. He joined the Royal Ballet in 2003 as a First Soloist, was promoted to Principal in 2007, and performed with the company until his retirement in 2012. Mr. Makhateli is a highly sought-after guest teacher, and the Artistic Director of D&D Productions.