Espen Giljane

Espen Giljane is a Norwegian dancer, ballet teacher, and arts administrator born in Oslo on 28 February 1962. He trained initially under Eva Haalke and at Den Norske Opera's ballet school from 1976 to 1978, then continued his studies at the School of American Ballet.

Giljane danced with the New York City Ballet from 1981 to 1995. During that period he also appeared on Broadway with Makarova and Company in 1980, and performed in Cynthia and Fernando Live at City Center. His teaching relationship with the New York City Ballet began in 1994, when he joined the company as a guest teacher.

Beyond the New York City Ballet, Giljane has taught at a wide range of institutions, including the Royal Swedish Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, the Finnish National Ballet, the School of American Ballet, Alvin Ailey, Feld Ballets NY, Carte Blanche, Cullberg Ballet, Maggio Danza, the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, the Washington Ballet, Cedar Lake, Steps on Broadway, the David Howard Dance Center, and Ballet Academy East.

In August 2002 Giljane assumed the role of head of ballet at Den Norske Opera & Ballet, serving as Artistic Director of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet until 2012. That same year he was knighted by the King of Norway. In 2009 he received the Anders Jahres kulturpris alongside Mari Boine. Since 2015 he has been a faculty member at the Juilliard School in New York City.