David Heuvel

Director of Costume Production Emeritus

David Heuvel continues to have an illustrious career in costume design and production that has taken him to every corner of the globe. Five decades ago, Heuvel started as an apprentice at the Opera Theatre in Pretoria, South Africa. He quickly moved up the ranks in the state-run arts organization to become the director of the costume shop for PACT Ballet.

In 1979, then-artistic director of Ballet West, Bruce Marks, invited Heuvel to head the fledgling company’s costume shop. Under Marks, Heuvel helped build the reputation of Ballet West from a regional ballet company to one with international stature. The company received worldwide acclaim, with international tours, daring new works, and notable artistry on stage, from the dancers, and, yes, the costumes.

The Ballet West costume shop, under Heuvel’s direction, is unparalleled. Today, few companies have the luxury of the vast talent and experience that he offers. From cohesive designs with historical accuracy, to the ability to dye garments, his costume shop is the definition of full-service. “My philosophy is that the costume must move with the dancer,” says Heuvel. “If they touch the stage feeling comfortable and regal, I have done my job.”

Apart from Heuvel’s work with Ballet West, he has designed and built costumes for ballet companies both nationally and international, including Ballet Du Nord (France), Alberta Ballet, Ballet Met, Singapore Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Carolina Ballet, Ballet Hawaii, Nashville Ballet, and Ballet Memphis.

In December 2018, he received Governor Gary Herbert‘s prestigious Artist Award for Visual Arts.