Managing Director of the School
School Administration, School Leadership, Staff, Washington School of Ballet
Katie Sopoci Drake joined The Washington School of Ballet in 2022 as Managing Director, bringing her expertise in business operations, strategic vision, and sustainable growth to one of the nation’s premier ballet schools. In this role, Sopoci Drake oversees a $4.2 million annual budget and manages a team of over 80 faculty and staff across two campuses and 14 studios, serving a diverse student body of more than 3,000 students annually.
In collaboration with the leadership team of The Washington Ballet, Sopoci Drake spearheads initiatives in business development, strategic programming, and international pre-professional recruitment. She is also committed to fostering a culture of transparency and inclusion, strengthening connections across campuses and programs to build a cohesive and inclusive community.
Before joining The Washington School of Ballet, Sopoci Drake served as Administrative Director for the Maryland Youth Ballet, where she played a crucial role in steering the organization through the challenges of the global pandemic. In that role, she managed all operations, directed internal communications, and coordinated school-wide events. Her extensive background in arts administration includes roles with The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, Danceworks Inc., Zenon Dance Company & School, and the Children’s Theatre Company.
Alongside her administrative career, Sopoci Drake has distinguished herself as an educator, holding teaching positions at Lawrence University, Carthage College, the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Nova Southeastern University, Miami-Dade College, and the University of Maryland–College Park. Her research in dance theory and practice has been published in the Journal on Dance Education and presented at the National Dance Education Organization and Somatic Dance Conferences.
A seasoned performer, Sopoci Drake has danced with Rosy Simas Danse in Minneapolis, Wild Space Dance Company in Milwaukee, and Momentum Dance Company in Miami. She is also the founder of Spacetime Dance, which has received a Dance Metro DC Presentation Grant and grants from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Sopoci Drake holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, a Graduate Certificate in Laban Movement Analysis from Columbia College Chicago, and a BA in Theatre/Dance with a minor in Vocal Performance from Luther College.
Photo by XMB Photography.
