Names former New York City Ballet Principal Dancer James Fayette as Vice President of Business Development to lead the division

CINCINNATI, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Robbins Sports Surfaces today announced the expansion of Robbins Dance & Performing Arts as a dedicated division, reinforcing the company’s longstanding commitment to dancers and performers with the same focus it has long delivered to professional athletes. Leading the charge is James Fayette, former New York City Ballet Principal Dancer, who joins as Vice President of Business Development.

This expansion reflects a deeper investment in the performing arts community, dedicated leadership, and a sharpened focus on the biomechanics of dance specifically. Robbins has spent decades engineering flooring trusted by professional sports teams like the 2026 Champion New York Knicks, and Robbins Dance & Performing Arts brings that same rigor, research and craftsmanship to dancers—artists whose training and recovery increasingly mirror those of professional athletes.

An accomplished dancer and business leader, Fayette began his performing career with the New York City Ballet, retiring as a principal dancer. He was then recruited by the American Guild of Musical Artists, the union representing professional dancers, where, in addition to improving overall employment conditions, he championed health and safety standards, including ensuring union dancers performed on quality, resilient “sprung” dance floors. Fayette’s passion for dance continued through leadership roles as Associate Dean of Dance at the Colburn School and as Managing Director for the contemporary dance company L.A. Dance Project.

“I have spent my entire life in service to dance, and I am excited to say that this next chapter will be the most impactful of my career. The dance floors at Robbins are marvels of design, informed by biomechanic study to support both artistry and athleticism unique to dancers. With expertise already earned protecting million-dollar pro athletes, Robbins is now bringing that same dedication to the well-being of performing artists at scale. I get to lead a team built to ensure the safest conditions for dance and performance at every school, studio, university and theater, for generations of artists to come,” said Fayette.

In his role, Fayette will manage the go-to-market strategy for Robbins Dance & Performing Arts, focused primarily on supporting the sale, delivery and expert installation of Robbins’ premier dance and performing arts floor systems across the U.S. and Canada. Robbins’ dance and performing arts floor systems are precision-engineered and purpose-built for the unique physical demands of dance and performing arts. They are designed to be completely uniform while reducing ground-reaction force and harmful vibrations that cause muscle fatigue and micro-tears in soft tissue, providing advanced injury protection that helps dancers perform longer, recover faster and move with more confidence on a consistent surface that doesn’t degrade and lasts for decades.

Robbins dance and performing arts floors already protect artists in hundreds of locations around the country, supporting a range of dance genres and disciplines, including ballet, contemporary, modern, tap, jazz, hip-hop, ballroom, dance team and cheer. The floors are installed in theaters, dance studios and K-12 schools, and are trusted by some of the most respected dance organizations in the country, including Jacob’s Pillow (MA), Open Jar Studios (NY), Ballet West (UT), Alberta Ballet (AB) and Wonderbound Contemporary Ballet (CO).

“James’ history as a celebrated dancer and business leader, combined with his longstanding relationships and reputation for protecting dancers, made him the perfect person to lead this next chapter for Robbins. Paired with the award-winning innovation and design already behind our floors, this division and this new leadership will drive the continued growth of our work with the dance and performing arts community for years to come,” said Todd Braun, President & CEO of Robbins Sports Surfaces. “We’re excited for the experienced guidance James brings to Robbins, and together we are setting a new standard for dancer wellbeing.”

About Robbins Dance & Performing Arts

Robbins Dance & Performing Arts is a dedicated division of Robbins Sports Surfaces, a company with a history of more than 130 years of flooring innovation. Drawing from a legacy of engineering high-performance surfaces trusted at the highest levels of athletics, Robbins applies proven sports-flooring science, biomechanical research and American manufacturing expertise to the unique movement demands of dancers and performing artists. Its purpose-built sprung floor systems are designed to support movement, manage impact forces, control vibration and promote long-term performer wellbeing while delivering consistent performance and lasting durability. Trusted by leading studios, universities, theaters and dance organizations, Robbins is committed to advancing dancer health, safety and human performance through flooring systems engineered for the way performers move. For more information about Robbins Dance & Performing Arts, visit www.robbinsdancefloors.com.

Media Contact:
Dan O’Keeffe
O’Keeffe PR
513.235.8638
dan@okeeffepr.com

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SOURCE Robbins Sports Surfaces