Rafik Hegab is the Artistic Director and Choreographer for Virginia National Ballet, where he has been leading the company since 2013. He is a prolific choreographer who creates at least one to two original World Premieres each season. Mr. Hegab has choreographed the world premieres of Aida, Aladdin, Ballet Evolution, Bohemian Rhapsody, Bolero, Carmen, Carmina Burana, Cinderella, Collection, For those we lost, La Boheme, Led Zeppelin, Life in the Fast Lane, Moonlight, Pictures at an Exhibition, Snow White, Tango Nights, The Beatles, The Four Seasons, andThe Nutcracker for Virginia National Ballet.  He was also a guest choreographer for the Regional Emmy Award Winning production of  "The Circle of Life:  The Music of Time Rice" at the Music Center at Strathmore by Young Artists of America, which was televised on PBS.  His work has been performed at the International Ballet Festival in Nicaragua, and he is in demand as a choreographer for students participating in YAGP, etc.  His former students have gone on to work at Milwaukee Ballet, San Antonio Ballet, Gelsey Kirkland Ballet, and the Stara Opera Zagora in Bulgaria. He won the 2019 Seefeldt Award for Outstanding Individual Artist, and his work has received great reviews on Broadwayworld.com, DCMetroTheaterArts.com  Inside NOVA, Bull Run Observer, and more.  Originally from Egypt, he received his Diploma from the Higher Institute of Ballet in 2000, and his Bachelor Degree in Dance Pedagogy (Vaganova Syllabus) and Choreography from the Academy of Arts in Cairo in 2009. He joined the Cairo Opera Ballet Company in 1999, won 1st place in the Egyptian National Ballet Competition in 2000, became Soloist in 2002, and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2004. As a Principal Dancer, Mr. Hegab toured with the company in China, Lebanon, the Czech Republic, Jordan, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain, Mexico, India, Greece, and Russia. He danced the Matador in Don Quixote with Julio Bocca, John in Zorba the Greek, Ali in Le Corsaire, Siegfried in Swan Lake, the principal dancer in Carmina Burana, the Cavalier in The Nutcracker, and more.  He coached award winning ballet dancers who won first place in the Egyptian National Ballet competition. He is fluent in Arabic, Russian, and English.