Leila Drake, Character Artist

Santa Cruz, California

Leila Drake, Character Artist from Santa Cruz CA, is a graduate of UCSB. As a State Street Ballet dancer, she performed the principal roles in William Soleau’s Carmen, An American Tango, Carmina Burana, and Appalachian Spring, as well as Autumn Eckman’s Scheherazade. She has been a featured soloist in works by Robert Sund, Nancy Colahan, Robert Battle, and Josie Walsh; and with The Ithaca Ballet, danced the dual roles of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake. Leila transitioned into numerous administrative roles at State Street Ballet, and in 2022, joined Music Academy of the West, where she is currently Director of Donor & Community Engagement.