Harper Watters

Harper Watters is a Principal Dancer with Houston Ballet. Originally from Dover, New Hampshire, he trained at the Portsmouth School of Ballet, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and Houston Ballet Academy before joining Houston Ballet in 2011. In 2025, he made history as the first African American male Principal Dancer in Houston Ballets history. Over his fifteen-year career with the company, Watters has performed leading roles including The Shepherd in Stanton Welchs Sylvia, Dandini in Cinderella, Puck in John Neumeiers A Midsummer Nights Dream, Camille in Ronald Hynds The Merry Widow, and featured roles in works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Jiří Kylián, Hans van Manen, Jorma Elo, and Stanton Welch. He has also originated roles in world premieres by Justin Peck, Aszure Barton, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Silas Farley, and Welch, and has performed internationally throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. A recipient of the Contemporary Dance Award at the Prix de Lausanne, Watters is recognized both for his artistry onstage and his commitment to expanding visibility within ballet. Beyond performance, he is an advocate for LGBTQ+ communities and arts accessibility, serving as Chair of the 2024 Montrose Center Gala and supporting numerous charitable initiatives throughout Houston and beyond. Through his work onstage, in the community, and across digital platforms, Watters continues to champion a vision of ballet that is both artistically excellent and broadly inclusive