Eric Best, a Rising Star at the Houston Ballet, Reflects on His Journey to Soloist

Eric Best, a first soloist at the Houston Ballet, has experienced an astonishing rise within the company. When he joined in 2022, he set a personal goal: "I aimed to become a soloist within five to ten years, if possible." For a 20-year-old dancer, this was an ambitious but achievable vision. Many dancers spend their entire careers as part of a ballet company's corps de ballet, yet Best's journey took a different course. By the end of the 2022-2023 season, he was promoted directly to soloist, bypassing the demi-soloist position. Just a season later, he ascended to first soloist. Reflecting on the moment when the promotion was announced to the company, Best shared, "It was surreal, a real 'pinch-me' moment. But my focus was on living up to the trust they had in me."

Best's passion for performance began at a very young age in his hometown of Indianapolis. At the age of three, he spent hours waiting outside his older brother's dance classes until the instructor invited him to join. Alongside dance, Best pursued musical theater and acting. By 13, however, he knew that ballet was his true calling. Despite his rapid rise, Best has excelled in his new role, performing in every production staged by the Houston Ballet since his promotion. In 2024, he was honored with the Princess Grace Award, an annual accolade recognizing rising stars in dance, theater, and film. "Ive been fortunate to receive support from incredible teachers and mentors," he said, reflecting on his success.

In 2025, Best also worked on a film project that he anticipates will be released soon. At the time of our conversation, he was gearing up for a major event in the dance world: "Were about to start performing The Nutcracker, and even after all these years, I still love it," he shared enthusiastically.