DANCING INTO A NEW DECADE: JOFFREY CEO GREG CAMERON

Greg Cameron, President and CEO of the Joffrey Ballet, sees dance and music as the essence of who we are. “We dance before we walk, and we sing before we talk. Together, we can inspire the world to create joy through dancing and singing.”

Cameron, who grew up in Westchester, Illinois, says his parents encouraged curiosity and discovery. “My role models have been and will always be my parents, my grandparents, and my Aunt Margie. In the lyrics of a Jerry Herman song, my family always encouraged me to ‘Open a new window. Open a new door. Travel a new highway …’”

“Our garage was the neighborhood theater playhouse, where I learned the clarinet, memorized song lyrics, practiced acrobatics, and tried my hand at the visual arts. Yet, I thrived most in connecting the dots, appreciating and supporting artists rather than being an artist.”

A graduate of both Proviso West High School and Illinois State University, Cameron started as a special education major. “Following a semester abroad in Salzburg, Austria, I added art history, German, and literature to the mix and ultimately graduated with a German major and an Art History minor.”

Cameron’s first job post-college was a far cry from what he’s doing now, yet he credits this experience with building valuable skills.

“In 1980, following graduation, employment opportunities were scarce. I returned to my summer job at O’Hare Airport to clean airplanes for Republic Airlines. Being employed full-time I was required to join a union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.”

“Post-college I wasn’t expecting to be emptying ashtrays (yes, smoking was still allowed in flight) and servicing lavatories. However, looking back, I’m grateful for the experience. I learned how a diverse team could work together under tight schedules to ensure excellence and always prioritize the customer.”

While working for Republic, Cameron began a Public Administration graduate program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “My flexible work schedule and union salary allowed me to cover all expenses without student loans,” he recalls.

“The final requirement of the master’s program was an internship. I connected with Janet Carl Smith, then the director of the Chicago Office of Fine Arts and the predecessor of what is now Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Almost 40 years have passed, and we remain trusted friends and devoted Chicagoans committed to uplifting the arts community.”

The internship was a meaningful career kick-start connecting Cameron with arts leaders across disciplines. Leadership roles at the Museum of Contemporary Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, and WTTW/WFMT led to his 2013 appointment as the Joffrey’s Executive Director. In 2022, Cameron was named as the Joffrey’s President and CEO.

“Along with Ashley B. Wheater MBE, Joffrey’s Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director, and Anne Kaplan, Joffrey’s Board Chair, we have created a pathway together for Joffrey’s perpetual growth and transformation. We do so by honoring Robert Joffrey’s 1956 founding vision each day. The work is fulfilling, engaging, and inspiring, but most importantly, is making Chicago and the world a better place.”

“I am an artist at connecting dots and bringing people together toward a greater goal. My preferred discipline is kindness,” observes Cameron. Cameron has used this artistry to forge collaborations with organizations like the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Los Angeles Opera, and the Miami City Ballet and to lead the Joffrey during a period of record-breaking ticket sales.

To celebrate Cameron’s decade of extraordinary vision and leadership, the Joffrey will host not one, but two events. On June 23, the Joffrey will first host a formal fashion forward surrealist-themed gala, complete with Joffrey Company artists, at Chicago’s Old Post Office. On June 25, “The Joffrey Ballet’s Joffrey for All Celebration” featuring performances from Joffrey’s community engagement programs, the Joffrey Academy of Dance, and the Joffrey Company Artists will take place at Millennium Park’s Pritzker Pavilion and is free of charge as a gift to the people of Chicago.

For more information, visit joffrey.org.