Tiit Helimets

Tiit Helimets was born in Estonia and trained in the classical Vaganova ballet tradition. He began his career with the Estonian National Ballet, where he was promoted to Principal in his very first season. He went on to dance leading roles with Birmingham Royal Ballet and later with San Francisco Ballet, where he was engaged as a Principal Dancer for almost two decades.

Renowned for his exceptional technique and compelling stage presence, Tiit has embodied many iconic roles, including works by Helgi Tomasson, George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Kenneth MacMillan, Frederick Ashton, David Bintley, Christopher Wheeldon, Wayne McGregor and Alexei Ratmansky. He has received numerous awards, among them the Isadora Duncan Award and Estonia’s Culture Capital Award.

Alongside his performing career, Tiit has established himself as a choreographer, répétiteur and artistic leader. His choreographic work includes a full-length reimagining of Giselle for Oregon Ballet Theatre, as well as original creations for the Estonian National Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet School, and projects for film. Internationally, he has staged repertoire for companies such as Houston Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Nevada Ballet Theatre and Oregon Ballet Theatre, often in close collaboration with choreographer Yuri Possokhov.

As Co-Chair of San Francisco Ballet’s Inclusion Advisory Group, he helped drive meaningful institutional change. His innovative projects, including the dance film Sequentia, which brought together dancers from major American companies during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflect his commitment to connection, representation and expanding ballet’s reach through new media.

Tiit currently works at the School of Philadelphia Ballet and also teaches at the Conservatoire de Paris. Most recently, he served as Director at the Bayer Ballet Academy. This marks his first collaboration with Staatsballett Berlin.