Eugene Barnes was born in Louisville, Kentucky but was raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He studied dance for five years at Baltimore School for the Arts before joining Carolina Ballet. He spent two summers at Miami City Ballet Summer Intensive; one summer with San Francisco Ballet and one summer with the Dancer Theatre of Harlem. Carolina Ballet artistic director Robert Weiss invited Mr. Barnes to audition for the company after he participated in a master class Weiss was teaching in Baltimore in 2003. In 2009 he was promoted to second soloist.

Roles Coreographed on Mr. Barnes
Robert Weiss' Peter & the Wolf
Tyler Walter's Kick

Featured Roles with Carolina Ballet
Kick (choreographed on him by Tyler Walters) Divertimento #15
Candy Canes in Nutcracker