Guest Artist from Kirov

[stan]

Any truth to the rumor that a soloist from the Kirov will be guesting with ABT next year?

[Alexandra]

Stan, you must have had your ear to the ground Could this be that rumor?

Here's a press release from ABT: (Mary Cargill has posted about this on the Dancers forum, too)

VERONIKA PART TO JOIN AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE

AS A SOLOIST

Veronika Part, a soloist with the Kirov Ballet, will join American

Ballet Theatre as a Soloist effective August 1, 2002, it was announced

today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. Part will make her debut

with ABT during the Company?s tour of Japan, September 12-22.

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Part began her early training in

rhythmic gymnastics before entering the Vaganova Ballet Academy in

1988. She joined the Kirov Ballet in 1996 and was promoted to soloist

in 1998. Part?s repertoire with the Kirov Ballet includes Nikiya in La

Bayadère, Queen of the Dryads in Don Quixote, Myrta, Moyna and Zulma in

Giselle, Raymonda and Henrietta in Raymonda, Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping

Beauty and Odette-Odile in Swan Lake. She has also danced roles in

George Balanchine?s Apollo (Terpischore), Jewels (Emeralds and

Diamonds), Symphony in C (second movement) and Serenade, and in John

Neumeier?s The Sounds of Empty Pages.

Part was the winner of the BALTIKA Prize in 1999.

[Patricia]

Good for her! Great for us! She and Monique will make seeing ABT more exciting than it already is.

Best wishes for the weekend from a balmy NYC.

[stan]

I've seen her a couple of times during the current season and she's terrific, particularly in last night's Emeralds with Ayupova.