Esteban Hernandez, a principal dancer at the San Francisco Ballet, hails from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. His journey in ballet began in his own backyard under the guidance of his father, Hector Hernandez. At the age of 13, Esteban earned a scholarship to The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he honed his skills for three years. During his time there, Esteban showcased his talent in various international competitions across Russia, Cuba, Germany, and the U.S., clinching gold medals and the esteemed Grand Prix title.
Esteban furthered his ballet education at The Royal Ballet School in London, marking his distinction as the first Mexican student to grace the institution. In 2013, Esteban joined the Corps de Ballet of the San Francisco Ballet. He ascended to the rank of soloist in 2017 and was promoted to principal dancer in 2019.
His repertory includes works by Helgi Tomasson, George Balanchine, August Bournoville, John Cranko, William Forsythe, Hans Van Manen, John Neumeier, Mark Morris, Myles Thatcher, Yuri Possokhov, Dwight Rhoden, Stanton Welch, Justin Peck, Alexei Ratmansky, Jerome Robbins, Liam Scarlett, and Christopher Wheeldon.
Esteban received the Latino Spirit Award from the California Latino Legislative Caucus for achievements in the performing arts and was named one of 100 most influential people in Mexico by Quien magazine.