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From the company: ALESSANDRA FERRI TO PERFORM JULIET IN AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S ROMEO AND JULIET, JUNE 23, 2016 AT METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE Alessandra Ferri, a former Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre, will return as a Guest Artist to dance the role of Juliet in the Company’s production of Romeo and Juliet at the Metropolitan Opera House, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. In her first return to the ABT stage since her retirement in June 2007, Ferri will perform Juliet opposite Herman Cornejo as Romeo on Thursday, June 23, 2016. “I am so pleased to have Alessandra dance this role,” said McKenzie. “It so rarely occurs that an audience can revisit the career of a favorite artist in real time.” Born in Milan, Ferri trained at Teatro alla Scala Ballet and The Royal Ballet School in London. She joined The Royal Ballet in 1980 and became a principal dancer in 1983 before joining American Ballet Theatre in 1985 as Principal Dancer. With ABT, she has danced the title roles in Giselle and Manon, Nikiya in La Bayadère, Titania in The Dream and leading roles in Pillar of Fire, Les Sylphides, Gaîté Parisienne and Fall River Legend. She has performed as a guest artist with La Scala in Milan and with companies around the world. Ferri retired from American Ballet Theatre in 2007, dancing the role of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Following her retirement from ABT, Ferri was named Director of Programming at Spoleto Festival. In 2013, she choreographed and danced The Piano Upstairs at Spoleto and starred opposite Cornejo in Chéri for Signature Theatre. Most recently, she danced the lead in Woolf Works with The Royal Ballet. Ferri’s awards include the Prix de Lausanne in 1980, the Sir Laurence Oliver Award in 1982 and Benois de la Danse in 2000. In 2006, she was made a Cavaliere della Repubblica (the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic). Subscriptions for American Ballet Theatre’s 2016 Spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House go on sale October 26, 2015. For more information, please visit www.abt.org.

From ABT: JULIE KENT APPOINTED SUMMER INTENSIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Julie Kent has been named artistic director of American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive programs, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. In addition to her leadership responsibilities with ABT’s Summer Intensives, she will serve as a teacher and coach for ABT’s main Company, Studio Company and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. Kent succeeds Melissa Allen Bowman who served as the Summer Intensive artistic director from 2008 through 2015. Bowman remains with American Ballet Theatre as the Director of the ABT JKO School Children’s Division and advisor to the ABT William J. Gillespie School at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. "I am very excited about my new role at American Ballet Theatre and the opportunity to help shape, nurture and develop the next generation of dancers,” said Kent. “My goals are to help cultivate our nation’s most promising talent, offering the highest quality summer ballet experience to aspiring young dancers across our country." “I am so happy that the influence of Julie's performing career, as an example of artistic excellence to aspiring professionals, can continue to be felt at ABT and for future generations of dancers,” said McKenzie. Julie Kent began her dance training at the Academy of the Maryland Youth Ballet, and attended summer sessions at American Ballet Theatre II and the School of American Ballet before joining ABT as an apprentice in 1985. Her awards include a Prix de Lausanne in 1986, the Erik Bruhn Prize in 1993 and the Prix Benois de la Danse in 2000. In 2012, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Performing Arts from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Dance Magazine. Her film appearances include starring roles in the Herbert Ross film Dancers (1987) opposite Mikhail Baryshnikov and Center Stage (2000), directed by Nicholas Hytner. She was appointed Soloist with ABT in 1990 and Principal Dancer in 1993, dancing all of the major classical, dramatic and neo-classical roles in the repertoire. Kent is married to ABT Associate Artistic Director Victor Barbee, and they have two children. Kent retired from the stage in June of this year as ABT’s longest serving dancer. For more information on ABT’s Summer Intensive Programs and the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, please visit www.abt.org/education. Northern Trust is the Leading Corporate Sponsor of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School.

From the company: Casting Announced for American Ballet Theatre's Performances of The Nutcracker at Segerstrom Center for the Arts Veronika Part and Marcelo Gomes lead opening night cast December 10 – 20, 2015 in Segerstrom Hall; tickets go on sale September 13 COSTA MESA, CA – Casting for American Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker, co-presented by Segerstrom Center for the Arts and ABT, was announced today by Kevin McKenzie, ABT Artistic Director. Choreographed by ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky, The Nutcracker will be given 14 performances at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, December 10-20, 2015. Veronika Part and Marcelo Gomes will lead the opening night cast of The Nutcracker dancing the roles of Clara, the Princess and Nutcracker, the Prince, respectively. Subsequent casts include Gillian Murphy and James Whiteside, Isabella Boylston and Alban Lendorf, Stella Abrera and Alexandre Hammoudi, Hee Seo and Cory Stearns, Misty Copeland and Herman Cornejo and Sarah Lane and Joseph Gorak in the leading roles. At the matinee performance on Saturday, December 12, Isabella Boylston and Alban Lendorf will dance the roles of Clara, the Princess and Nutcracker, the Prince for the first time with ABT. Lendorf, a principal dancer with Royal Danish Ballet, will join ABT as a Principal Dancer in September. Principal Casting for The Nutcracker at Segerstrom Center the Arts Artists and program are subject to change. Thursday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m. Veronika Part Marcelo Gomes Saturday, December 12 at 2 p.m. Isabella Boylston* Alban Lendorf* Sunday, December 13 at 1 p.m. Stella Abrera Alexandre Hammoudi Friday, December 11 at 7:30 p.m. Gillian Murphy James Whiteside Saturday, December 12 at 7:30 p.m. Veronika Part Marcelo Gomes Sunday, December 13 at 6:30 p.m. Gillian Murphy James Whiteside Tuesday, December 15 at 7:30 p.m. Hee Seo Cory Stearns Thursday, December 17 at 7:30 p.m. Isabella Boylston Alban Lendorf Saturday, December 19 at 2 p.m. Stella Abrera Alexandre Hammoudi Sunday, December 20 at 1 p.m. Hee Seo Cory Stearns *Indicates debut in role Wednesday, December 16 at 7:30 p.m. Misty Copeland Herman Cornejo Friday, December 18 at 7:30 p.m. Sarah Lane Joseph Gorak Saturday, December 19 at 7:30 p.m. Misty Copeland Herman Cornejo Sunday, December 20 at 6:30 p.m. Sarah Lane Joseph Gorak The Nutcracker, set to a score by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, features choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, scenery and costumes by Richard Hudson and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. This production was given its World Premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Howard Gilman Opera House on December 23, 2010, led by Gillian Murphy as Clara, the Princess and David Hallberg as Nutcracker, the Prince. Center President Terrence W. Dwyer said, "We are so pleased to introduce a new Orange County holiday tradition by presenting American Ballet Theatre’s prestigious and acclaimed production of The Nutcracker. This ballet holds a very special place in the hearts and memories of audiences and will continue to inspire a new generation of dance fans. And we are especially thrilled that students from our ABT William J. Gillespie School will share the stage with the celebrated ABT dancers.” The engagement of The Nutcracker continues an on-going relationship between Segerstrom Center and American Ballet Theatre. The company has appeared at the Center 23 times, beginning in 1987. At the Center, ABT gave the world premiere of Mikhail Baryshnikov’s Swan Lake in 1988, the West Coast premiere of Kevin McKenzie’s new production of The Sleeping Beauty in 2007 and the world premiere of a new production of Firebird by Alexei Ratmansky in 2012. In 2008, the Center and ABT co-commissioned Twyla Tharp¹s Rabbit and Rogue, receiving its world premiere in New York and West Coast premiere at the Center. In 1999, the ABT production of Le Corsaire was taped in Segerstrom Hall for broadcast on PBS’ Dance In America, winning an Emmy Award. In 2003, The Dream was also taped at the Center for broadcast on Dance In America. Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker start at $29 and will go on sale Sunday, September 13 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets will be available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling (714) 556-2787. The TTY number is (714) 556-2746. Free Preview Talks will be conducted by Elizabeth Kaye one hour prior to each performance. Artists and program are subject to change. Segerstrom Center’s International Dance Series is made possible by: Audrey Steele Burnand Endowed Fund for International Dance and The Segerstrom Foundation Endowment for Great Performances. This engagement is presented with lead underwriting support from William J. Gillespie. Segerstrom Center for the Arts applauds Kia, the Official Automotive Partner of the Center and United Airlines is the Official Airline of the Center. Classical KUSC and COAST Magazine are Media Partners of the International Dance Series. American Ballet Theatre gratefully acknowledges Lead Underwriter of The Nutcracker, David H. Koch as well as Linda Allard for her generous support of costumes for The Nutcracker. Additional support is generously provided by Joan Taub Ades and Alan M. Ades, The Susan and Leonard Feinstein Foundation and Brian and Darlene Heidtke are Co-Underwriting Sponsors of The Nutcracker. A gift as Co-Underwriting Sponsor of costumes for The Nutcracker has been provided in loving memory of Ellen Everett Kimiatek, The Nutcracker is generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. American Ballet Theatre is one of the great dance companies in the world. Few ballet companies equal ABT for its combination of size, scope and outreach. Recognized as a living national treasure since its founding in 1940, ABT annually tours the United States, performing for more than 400,000 people, and is the only major cultural institution to do so. Over its 75-year history, the Company has appeared in a total of 132 cities in 50 countries and has performed in all 50 states of the United States. ABT has recently enjoyed triumphant successes with engagements in Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Hong Kong and Tokyo. On April 27, 2006, by an act of Congress, American Ballet Theatre became America’s National Ballet Company®. Pacific Symphony, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, is the largest orchestra formed in the United States in the last 50 years, and is recognized as an outstanding ensemble making strides on both the national and international scene as well as in its own community of Orange County, Calif. Pacific Symphony offers moving musical experiences with repertoire ranging from the great orchestral masterworks to music from today’s most prominent composers, highlighted by the annual American Composers Festival and a series of multi-media concerts called “Music Unwound.” Pacific Symphony is dedicated to developing and promoting today’s composers and expanding the orchestral repertoire – illustrated through its many commissions and recordings, in-depth explorations of American artists and themes. The Symphony’s innovative approaches to new works received the ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming in 2005 and 2010. In 2010, Pacific Symphony was named one of five orchestras profiled by the League of American Orchestras in a study on innovation. Since 2006, the Symphony has performed in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, designed by Cesar Pelli with acoustics by Russell Johnson. In March 2006, the Symphony embarked on its first European tour – receiving an unprecedented 22 rave reviews. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is unique as both an acclaimed arts institution and as a multi-disciplinary cultural campus. It is committed to supporting artistic excellence on all of its stages, offering unsurpassed experiences, and engaging the entire community in new and exciting ways through the unique power of live performance and a diverse array of inspiring programs. Previously called the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Segerstrom Center is Orange County’s largest non-profit arts organization and owns and operates the 3,000-seat Segerstrom Hall and intimate 250-seat Judy Morr Theater, which opened in 1986, and the 2,000-seat Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, which opened in 2006 and also houses the 500-seat Samueli Theater, the studio performance space and Boeing Education Lab. A spacious arts plaza anchors Segerstrom Center for Arts and is home to numerous free performances throughout the year as part of Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ ongoing Free for All series. The American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School at Segerstrom Center opens in 2015. The Center presents a broad range of programming for audiences of all ages, including international ballet and dance, national tours of top Broadway shows, intimate performances of jazz and cabaret, contemporary artists, classical music performed by renowned chamber orchestras and ensembles, family-friendly programming, free performances open to the public from outdoor movie screenings to dancing on the plaza and many other special events. The Center’s arts-in-education programs are designed to inspire young people through the arts and reach hundreds of thousands of students each year. In addition to the presenting and producing institution Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the 14-acre campus also embraces the facilities of two independent acclaimed organizations: Tony Award®-winning South Coast Repertory and a site designated as the future home of the Orange County Museum of Art. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is also proud to serve as the artistic home to three of the region’s major performing arts organizations: Pacific Symphony, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County and the Pacific Chorale, who contribute greatly to the artistic life of the region with annual seasons at Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

Official release: 6 PROMOTIONS AND 11 NEW DANCERS PETER STARK JOINS AS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BOSTON BALLET II Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen has announced the 2015-2016 season roster, featuring 11 new dancers and six promotions from within the Company. The Company will be comprised of 68 dancers-including 10 dancers in Boston Ballet II (BBII)-representing 20 nationalities. The full company has returned to its 19 Clarendon Street studios in preparation for the 2015-2016 season. Ji Young Chae (South Korea) and Patrick Yocum (USA) have been promoted to soloist; Diana Albrecht (Paraguay), Irlan Silva (Brazil) and Junxiong Zhao (China) have been promoted to second soloist; and Albert Gordon (USA) has been promoted to the corps de ballet from Boston Ballet II. Boston Ballet welcomes Maria Baranova (Finland) of Finnish National Ballet, Rachele Buriassi (Italy) of Stuttgart Ballet, and Federico Fresi (Italy) of Teatro alla Scala as soloists; and Jillian Barrell (USA) of Ballet Arizona and Drew Nelson of Royal Danish Ballet as dancers in the corps de ballet. New members of Boston Ballet II are Angela Bishop and Erin O'Dea of Boston Ballet School, Elenora Morris from National Ballet of Canada, Ethan Chudnow from San Francisco Ballet School, and Samuel Ainley and Aaron Hilton from School of American Ballet. Thirty-six percent of the main company are BBII alumni and 22% of the full roster are Boston Ballet School alumni. "Boston Ballet maintains a diverse and high-caliber roster of dancers year after year. The versatility of the artists continues to inspire me and support our wide-range of repertoire," says Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. "I am thrilled to announce the promotions of six exceptional individuals, and welcome new, talented artists to Boston Ballet and Boston Ballet II. We look forward to showcasing our dancers on the Opera House stage, starting in October." Peter Stark, who has been called "Ballet's Pied Piper" by the Sarasota Herald Tribune, joins Boston Ballet as Associate Director of Boston Ballet II and Head of Men's Program of Boston Ballet School. Stark began his performing career with New York City Ballet and Boston Ballet, followed by a successful tenure at The Washington Ballet. He is the founding artistic director of Next Generation Ballet (NGB) in Tampa, Florida, and most recently served as Chair of the Patel Conservatory's Dance Department. "I am extremely pleased to welcome Peter Stark to the organization. His reputation as an exceptional master teacher precedes him and he has trained some of the finest male dancers in North America today," Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen comments. "Peter is a great addition to the artistic staff of Boston Ballet." Company Promotions Soloist Ji Young Chae of Seoul, South Korea, joined Boston Ballet in 2013. She trained at Seoul Arts High School and Korea National University of Arts. Chae was awarded the gold medal at the 2010 International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, and first prize at the 2010 International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria. In 2011, she received the gold medal at the Boston International Ballet Competition. Chae recently represented Boston Ballet at the Eleventh International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize in Toronto, Canada. Mikko Nissinen comments, "Ji Young has enjoyed a meteoric rise in her two seasons with Boston Ballet and she has made incredible progress." Soloist Patrick Yocum of Souderton, Pennsylvania, joined Boston Ballet in 2011. Yocum trained in the Graduate Program of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and the Trainee Program of Boston Ballet School as its Sydney Leonard Scholar. Yocum was invited to join Boston Ballet II in 2009. In 2011, he joined the corps de ballet. Mikko Nissinen explains, "Patrick has shown tremendous talent and consistency from day one and he has improved steadily. His hard work has paid off and he has matured as an artist." Second Soloist Diana Albrecht of Asunción, Paraguay, joined Boston Ballet in 2011. She began her studies at Academia Elizabeth Vinader, followed by Studio Nicole Dijkhuis and Centro de Danca Rio in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Albrecht's training continued at San Francisco Ballet School and The Washington School of Ballet on scholarship. Prior to joining Boston Ballet, Albrecht danced with Companhia Jovem de Ballet do Rio de Janeiro and The Washington Ballet. She is a recipient of the National Award of Dance. Albrecht was featured as one of "25 to Watch" by Dance Magazine in 2008. Mikko Nissinen expresses, "Diana has excelled in a wide variety of roles and she has a lovely stage presence." Second Soloist Irlan Silva of Rio de Janiero, Brazil, joined Boston Ballet in 2011. He received his dance training at Centro de Dance Rio under the direction of Mariza Estrela, and also worked with Carlos dos Santos. Silva previously danced with American Ballet Theatre II and as a guest artist in Rio de Janiero. He won the Best Contemporary Dancer Award at Youth America Grand Prix in 2008. In 2007 he won First Place in the Senior Division of Youth America Grand Prix Brazil. Silva is the subject of Only When I Dance, a documentary following his journey from a favela of Rio de Janiero to an international ballet school. Mikko Nissinen explains, "Irlan is a very versatile dancer and I am excited to see how far he's going to go. There is no shortage of talent in Irlan." Second Soloist Junxiong Zhao of Chongqing, China, joined Boston Ballet in 2014. He began his training with Shanghai East Ballet School in Shanghai, China. In 2010, he trained with The Washington Ballet School under Kee Juan Han and Carlos Varcarcel. He then joined The Washington Ballet studio company and in 2012, joined Ballet Arizona. Among numerous national and international awards, Zhao has won the following: Senior Silver Medal at World Ballet Competition 2012; Senior Gold Medal at the 2012 Cape Town International Ballet Competition; Senior Bronze Medal at the 2011 Youth American Grand Prix, New York; and Junior Bronze Medal at the 2009 Helsinki International Ballet Competition in Helsinki, Finland. Zhao recently represented Boston Ballet at the Eleventh International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize in Toronto, Canada. Mikko Nissinen states, "With a strong classical foundation and very good sense of contemporary dance, Junxiong has made a terrific start with Boston Ballet. I'm looking forward to seeing him in a wide range of roles in the future." Corps de Ballet dancer Albert Gordon of McLean, Virginia, joins Boston Ballet in 2015. He began dancing at The Washington School of Ballet at the age of eleven, studying exclusively with Director Kee Juan Han. Gordon joined Boston Ballet II in 2013. He is the recipient of a multitude of recognitions and awards including the following: finalist in the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) in 2012 and 2013; Gold Medal, junior category, at The Boston International Ballet Competition; and third place, senior category, at the Seoul International Dance Competition. Gordon is a recipient of the prestigious 2012 Princess Grace Scholarship Award. Mikko Nissinen declares, "It is great to see a young male dancer with so much classical talent and potential. He is a dancer to watch out for." New Company Dancers Maria Baranova of Helsinki, Finland, joins Boston Ballet as a soloist. As a student of the Helsinki Dance Institute, she participated in the prestigious Prix de Lausanne where renowned artistic director John Neumeier invited her to join the Hamburg Ballet School on scholarship. At age sixteen, Baranova won the Helsinki International Ballet Competition (2009) and joined the Hamburg Ballet. In 2011, she won the International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize. Later that same year, she joined the Finnish National Ballet as a Principal Dancer. Baranova has danced leading roles in many classical ballets including Nikiya in La Bayadere, Swanilda in Coppelia, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, and Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. Her neo classical and contemporary repertoire is large, and she has worked with many of today's leading forces in dance, including choreographers Jorma Elo, Wayne Eagling, William Forsythe, and Ivan Liska. "Maria is the very first Finn I've hired during my tenure at Boston Ballet! She is a dancer with a strong will and determination and all of the capability that comes with that," exclaims Mikko Nissinen, Artistic Director. "I'm looking forward to integrating her into the Company." Rachele Buriassi of Sarzana, Italy, joins Boston Ballet as a soloist. She began her dance training at the age of four at the Scuola di Danza 4 Movimento, later studying with the Ecole de Danse de Cannes/France Rosella Hightower and the John Cranko Schule in Stuttgart. Buriassi joined Stuttgart Ballet's corps de ballet in 2006, was promoted to Demi Soloist in 2010 and Soloist in 2012. She has toured extensively appearing at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, Sadler's Wells Theatre in London, and the Esplanade Theater in Singapore, among others. Her repertoire includes Kitri in Guerra's Don Quixote, Odette/Odile in Cranko's Swan Lake, as well as lead roles in La Sylphide (Schaufuss), Theme and Variations, Allegro Brillante, The Four Temperaments (Balanchine), The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude (Forsythe) Slice to Sharp (Elo), and Yantra (McGregor). Buriassi has created many roles in works by Marco Goecke, Christian Spuck, Kevin O'Day, Edward Clug, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, to name a few. "A refined artist, Rachele brings lots of experience from her time with Stuttgart Ballet," Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen explains. "I'm sure our audiences will welcome her radiant presence." Federico Fresi of Turin, Italy, joins Boston Ballet as a soloist. Fresi trained at the School of Maria de Avila in Spain under the direction of Lola de Avila. He has received numerous awards, such as the International Ballet Competition in Zaragoza (2003) and the Audience Prize at the International Competition of Dance "Roseta Mauri" (2004). In 2005, Fresi joined English National Ballet as a soloist, followed by Compañia de Ballet Clasico Arte 369 in Madrid in 2006. He was promoted to Principal Dancer the following year, dancing the role of Albrecht and Peasant pas de deux in Giselle, the Prince in The Nutcracker, and Basil in Don Quixiote. Fresi joined the corps de ballet of the Teatro alla Scala in 2008 and was promoted to Soloist in 2014. His repertoire includes The Prince in The Nutcracker, Basil in Don Quixote, The Golden Idol in La Bayadère (Natalia Makarova), Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream (George Balanchine), Albrecht in Giselle (Yvette Chauviré), the Gypsy Chief in Don Quixote (Rudolf Nureyev), as well as leading roles in The Prodigal Son, Rubies, Emeralds (George Balanchine), Herman Shmerman (William Forsythe), and Swan Lake (Rudolf Nureyev), among others. Mikko Nissinen states, "Federico is an Italian virtuoso technician and powerhouse sure to create a buzz in Boston." Jillian Barrell of Wilmington, Delaware, joins Boston Ballet as a corps de ballet member. She trained at Delaware Dance Company and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, as well as privately with Sherry Hiott. Barrell joined Ballet Arizona in 2007 where she danced the title roles in Ib Andersen's Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and A Midsummer Night's Dream and has also performed leading roles in Alexei Ratmansky's Le Carnaval Des Animaux and Christopher Wheeldon's Polyphonia. Barrell's Balanchine repertoire includes principal roles in Theme and Variations, Rubies, Serenade, Apollo, Monumentum pro Gesualdo, and The Four Temperaments, among others. Mikko Nissinen explains, "She is a talented American who comes with integrity and experience in the field. I'm looking forward to getting to know her work." Drew Nelson of Omaha, Nebraska, joins Boston Ballet as a corps de ballet member. He trained at the School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theatre's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. In 2009, Nelson moved to Florida to train with Peter Stark, Olivier Munoz, and Ivonne Lemus. He and Boston Ballet dancer Hannah Bettes were awarded the silver medal for pas de deux at the 2011 Youth America Grand Prix finals. He was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Ballet School in London, and upon graduation in 2014, Nelson joined the Royal Danish Ballet. Nelson has performed in many ballets, including Manon, Napoli, La Bayadere, I Føling, Nikolaj Hübbe's Twelfth Night, Lady of the Camellias, La Sylphide, Etudes, A Folktale, Cacti, Swan Lake, and Liam Scarlett's Viscera. Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen states, "Drew is a tall and dynamic young talent, returning to the U.S., via London and Copenhagen." Dancers Joining Boston Ballet II "These talented young dancers are full of potential and come to us from professional schools around the country, including two from our own Boston Ballet School," explains Mikko Nissinen, Boston Ballet Artistic Director. Angela Bishop of Hingham, Massachusetts, trained with Boston Ballet School for seven years, and became a Trainee in 2014. Bishop is a recipient of the Mikko Nissinen Artistic Scholarship and was selected to represent Boston Ballet as an exchange student with Canada's National Ballet School in 2014. Bishop's additional training includes summer programs with Boston Ballet School, School of American Ballet, and Exploring Ballet with Suzanne Farrell. Elenora Morris of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, began her training with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School. Morris attended summer intensives at School of American Ballet and on full scholarship at San Francisco Ballet School and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Morris joined National Ballet of Canada as an Apprentice in 2013. During the summers of 2013 and 2014, she was invited to attend the Professional Dance Program at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada. Erin O'Dea of San Clemente, California, began training at age 10 in her hometown. She participated in Pacific Northwest Ballet's summer intensive in 2009 and Boston Ballet School's Summer Dance Program in 2010, 2011 and 2012. O'Dea joined Boston Ballet School in 2011, and became a Trainee from 2013-2015. O'Dea is the recipient of the Pao Scholarship. In 2013, she represented Boston Ballet as an exchange student at Canada's National Ballet School. Samuel Ainley of Sacramento, California, began training at The School of Sacramento Ballet at the age of nine under the direction of Melanie Haller, followed by Crockett-Deane Ballet under the direction of Barbara Crockett. Ainley joined School of American Ballet in 2013 with mentorship of Jock Soto. He participated in the following summer intensives on full scholarship: Boston Ballet School, Pacific Northwest Ballet, School of American Ballet, Ballet Austin, and Sacramento Ballet. Ethan Chudnow of Napa, California, began training at the Royal Academy of Ballet under Connie Vaughan, ARAD, followed by the Napa Regional Dance Company under Wanda McGill. In 2009, Chudnow was invited to join San Francisco Ballet School under Jeffrey Lyons and Patrick Armand on full scholarship, including the David Palmer Scholarship. He has attended summer intensives at the Royal Academy of Dance at Dancepointe Singapore, American Ballet Theater Orange County, School of American Ballet, San Francisco Ballet School, and Houston Ballet Academy, with full scholarships. Aaron Hilton of Washington, District of Columbia, trained at The Washington School of Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet School, and School of American Ballet from 2013-2015 on scholarship. He received the Mary Day Scholarship from the Laurel Fund for the Performing Arts. Hilton was named a 2015 United States Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Hilton is a graduate of the Professional Children's School, New York.

Casting grid.

From the company: CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S 2015 FALL SEASON AT DAVID H. KOCH THEATER Casting for American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Fall Season at the David H. Koch Theater was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. American Ballet Theatre opens its Fall season on Wednesday, October 21 at 6:30 P.M. with a special opening night Gala performance, highlighted by the New York City premiere of a new work by Mark Morris, with music by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (Septet in C Major, No. 2 “Military”) and costumes by Issac Mizrahi, and the Company Premiere of Frederick Ashton’s Monotones I and II set to music by Erik Satie with costumes by Ashton. The Opening Night Gala performance will also feature the Revival Premiere of Twyla Tharp’s The Brahms-Haydn Variations led by Sarah Lane, Daniil Simkin, Gillian Murphy and Herman Cornejo with debuts by Isabella Boylston, Alban Lendorf, Maria Kochetkova, James Whiteside, Christine Shevchenko and Joseph Gorak. Misty Copeland, Sterling Baca, Luciana Paris, Arron Scott, Stephanie Williams, Blaine Hoven, April Giangeruso, Calvin Royal III, Skylar Brandt and Craig Salstein will debut in these roles on Saturday evening, October 24. The Brahms-Haydn Variations is set to music by Johannes Brahms (Variations on a Theme by Haydn for Orchestra), with costumes by Santo Loquasto and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. JPMorgan Chase is the Lead Sponsor of American Ballet Theatre’s Opening Night Fall Gala. On Tuesday evening,, October 22, Marcelo Gomes will debut in the role of Death in Kurt Jooss’ The Green Table. Set to music by F.A. Cohen, The Green Table features costumes by Hein Heckroth, with masks by Hermann Markard and lighting by Brad Fields after the Jooss/Markard design. Gomes will reprise the role at the matinee on Sunday, October 25 and Tuesday evening, October 27. Sarah Lane will make her debut as the Young Girl in Michel Fokine’s Le Spectre de la Rose opposite Herman Cornejo as the Spirit of the Rose on Friday evening, October 23. Cassandra Trenary and Daniil Simkin will dance the roles for the first time at the matinee on Saturday, October 24. Set to music by Carl Maria von Weber (Invitation to the Dance), Le Spectre de la Rose features costumes by Léon Bakst, recreated by Robert Perdziola, scenery by Perdziola and lighting by Brad Fields. Hee Seo and Alban Lendorf will lead the Company Premiere of George Balachine’s Valse Fantaisie on Friday evening, October 23. Devon Teuscher and Joseph Gorak will debut in these roles at the Saturday matinee, October 24. Staged for ABT by Stacey Caddell, the ballet is set to Valse-Fantaisie in B minor by Mikhail Glinka. The Company Premiere of AfterEffect, choreographed by Principal Dancer Marcelo Gomes, will be given on Wednesday evening, October 28 with Misty Copeland and James Whiteside in the leading roles. Cassandra Trenary and Cory Stearns will make their debuts in the ballet on Saturday matinee, October 31. Set to Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence, Op 70, Gomes’ work features a set design by artist Françoise Gilot and costumes by Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung. Gomes’ work will consist of four movements, the first of which was premiered by American Ballet Theatre as Aftereffect on October 30, 2013 at the David H. Koch Theater. The first of two performances of Piano Concerto #1 will be given on Thursday evening, October 29 led by Gillian Murphy, Cory Stearns, Daniil Simkin and Maria Kochetkova in her American Ballet Theatre debut in the role. At the November 1 matinee, the cast will be led by Christine Shevchenko, Calvin Royal III, Skylar Brandt and Gabe Stone Shayer. Piano Concerto #1, choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky and set to music by Dmitri Shostakovich (Concerto No. 1 for Piano, Trumpet and Strings, Op. 35), features scenery by George Tsypin, costumes by Keso Dekker and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Fall season also includes three performances of Paul Taylor’s Company B. Staged for ABT by Cathy Buck, Company B is set to songs sung by the Andrews Sisters, with costumes by Santo Loquasto and lighting by Jennifer Tipton, recreated by Brad Fields. Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Fall season at the David H. Koch Theater, priced from $25, are available online, at the Koch Theater box office or by phone at 212-496-0600. Performance-only tickets for the Opening Night Gala begin at $25. The David H. Koch Theater is located at Lincoln Center, Broadway and 63rd Street in New York City. For more information, visit ABT’s website at www.abt.org. American Airlines is the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre. Northern Trust is the Leading Corporate Sponsor of the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. ABT is supported, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. The Mark Morris Premiere has been generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. The Company Premiere of AfterEffect has been generously underwritten by the Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund. Additional support provided by Lillian E. Kraemer. This production has been generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. Monotones I and II has been generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. Valse-Fantaisie has been generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. The Brahms-Haydn Variations has been made possible by the generous support of Patsy and Jeff Tarr and the JCT Foundation. Additional support provided by Michele and Steve Pesner. Company B has been generously supported by a gift from Marjorie S. Issac in honor of ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. David H. Koch is the Lead Underwriter of Piano Concerto #1. Additional leadership support has been generously provided by The Susan and Leonard Feinstein Foundation. ABT gratefully acknowledges Linda Allard for her generous support of costumes for this production. Mary Jo and Ted Shen, Mrs. Marjorie S. Isaac, and an anonymous donor are Leading Sponsors of this production. Additional support has been provided by Edward and Caroline Hyman, Charlotte and Macdonald Mathey, Michele and Steven Pesner, and Michael and Sue Steinberg. This production has been generously supported through an endowed gift from the Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. This production has been made possible with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. The 75th Anniversary performances of The Green Table have been generously underwritten by Marjorie S. Isaac in honor of Kevin McKenzie. The 75th Anniversary performances of Le Spectre de la Rose have been generously underwritten by Marjorie S. Isaac in honor of Kevin McKenzie.

The schedule.

Official release: NEW YORK CITY PREMIERE BY MARK MORRIS AND COMPANY PREMIERES OF FREDERICK ASHTON’S MONOTONES I and II, GEORGE BALANCHINE’S VALSE-FANTAISIE AND MARCELO GOMES’ AFTEREFFECT TO HIGHLIGHT AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S FALL SEASON AT DAVID H. KOCH THEATER, OCTOBER 21-NOVEMBER 1, 2015 REVIVALS OF TWYLA THARP’S THE BRAHMS-HAYDN VARIATIONS, MICHEL FOKINE’S LE SPECTRE DE LA ROSE AND KURT JOOSS’ THE GREEN TABLE ALSO PLANNED Programming for American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Fall season at the David H. Koch Theater was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. Highlighting the season will be the New York City Premiere of a new work by Mark Morris and the Company Premieres of Frederick Ashton’s Monotones I and II, George Balanchine’s Valse-Fantaisie and AfterEffect by Marcelo Gomes. The 2015 Fall season at the David H. Koch Theater, October 21 through November 1, marks the conclusion of ABT’s 75th Anniversary celebration. Principal Dancers for the 2015 Fall season include Stella Abrera, Isabella Boylston, Misty Copeland, Herman Cornejo, Marcelo Gomes, Maria Kochetkova, Alban Lendorf, Gillian Murphy, Veronika Part, Hee Seo, Daniil Simkin, Cory Stearns and James Whiteside. PREMIERES AND OPENING NIGHT GALA American Ballet Theatre’s Opening Night Gala on Wednesday, October 21 at 6:30pm will feature a New York City Premiere by choreographer Mark Morris, the Company Premiere of Frederick Ashton’s Monotones I and II and the Revival Premiere of Twyla Tharp’s The Brahms-Haydn Variations. Set to music by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (Septet in C Major, No. 2 “Military”), Morris’ new work for 12 dancers features costumes by Isaac Mizrahi and lighting by Michael Chybowski. Morris’ new work will receive its World Premiere on October 9, 2015 at the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The new Morris work will be given six performances during ABT’s Koch Theater season. Frederick Ashton’s Monotones I and II features music by Erik Satie and costumes by Ashton. A one-act ballet in two parts, Monotones II was given its World Premiere on March 24, 1965 performed by Vyvyan Lorraine, Anthony Dowell and Robert Mead. Ashton expanded the piece in 1966 with the World Premiere of Monotones I featuring Antoinette Sibley, Georgina Parkinson and Brian Shaw. Monotones I and II, staged for ABT by Lynn Wallis, will be given five performances for the season. A revival of Twyla Tharp’s The Brahms-Haydn Variations will round out the opening night Gala program. Set to music by Johannes Brahms (Variations on a Theme by Haydn for Orchestra), the ballet for thirty dancers features costumes by Santo Loquasto and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. The Brahms-Haydn Variations, which will have five performances during the Fall season, received its World Premiere by American Ballet Theatre on March 21, 2000 at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC. Staged for ABT by Susan Jones, the ballet was last performed by the Company in 2010. JPMorgan Chase is the Lead Sponsor of American Ballet Theatre’s Opening Night Fall Gala. George Balanchine’s Valse-Fantaisie will be given its Company Premiere on Friday evening, October 23. Staged for ABT by Stacey Caddell, the ballet is set to Valse-Fantaisie in B minor by Mikhail Glinka. Valse-Fantaisie was given its World Premiere by New York City Ballet on January 6, 1953 performed by Diana Adams, Melissa Hayden, Tanaquil Le Clerq and Nicholas Magalanes. The ballet will receive three performances during the Fall season. The Company Premiere of AfterEffect by Principal Dancer Marcelo Gomes will be given on Wednesday evening, October 28. Set to Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence, Op 70, Gomes’ work features a set design by artist Françoise Gilot and costumes by Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung. Gomes’ work will consist of four movements, the first of which was premiered by American Ballet Theatre as Aftereffect on October 30, 2013 at the David H. Koch Theater. The ballet will receive three performances during the Fall season. REVIVALS Kurt Jooss’ The Green Table, a Dance of Death in Eight Scenes, last performed by American Ballet Theatre in 2006, will receive its Revival Premiere on Thursday evening, October 22. Set to music by F.A. Cohen, The Green Table features costumes by Hein Heckroth, with masks by Hermann Markard and lighting by Brad Fields after the Jooss/Markard design. The ballet received its Company Premiere at City Center in New York City on October 21, 2005. The Green Table was given its World Premiere by Jooss Ballet at the Théåtre de Champs-Élysées, Paris, France on July 3, 1932 with the choreographer in the role of Death. Staged for ABT by Jeanette Vondersaar, The Green Table will be given six performances during the Fall season. Michel Fokine’s Le Spectre de la Rose, last performed by the Company in 2005, will receive its Revival Premiere this fall on Wednesday evening, October 23. Set to music by Carl Maria von Webster (Invitation to the Dance), Le Spectre de la Rose features costumes by Léon Bakst, recreated by Robert Perdziola, scenery by Perdziola and lighting by Brad Fields. Le Spectre de la Rose was first presented by Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at the Theatre de Monte Carlo on April 19, 1911 with Tamara Karsavina and Vaslav Nijinsky in the roles of the Young Girl and the Spirit of the Rose. The ballet was given its United States premiere by the same company at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York on April 3, 1916, danced by Lydia Lopoukhova and Alexander Gavrilov. Twenty five years later, for the last time before his death, Fokine taught the roles to Ballet Theatre’s Annabelle Lyon and Ian Gibson and the Company presented it for the first time at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City on October 31, 1941 with Lyon and Gibson in the leading roles. It was given its New York Premiere at the 44th Street Theatre on December 4, 1941. Le Spectre de la Rose, staged by Lyon and Andre Eglevsky, was given its American Ballet Theatre premiere at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York on July 7, 1972, danced by Carla Fracci and Paolo Bortoluzzi. An excerpt of Le Spectre de la Rose was performed at a gala on May 12, 1997, danced by Vladimir Malakhov with Alicia Alonso. Le Spectre de la Rose was previously revived in 2004 at New York’s City Center with Herman Cornejo and Xiomara Reyes in the leading roles. American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Fall season also includes three performances of Paul Taylor’s Company B and two performances of Alexei Ratmansky’s Piano Concerto #1. Staged for ABT by Cathy Buck, Company B is set to songs sung by the Andrews Sisters, with costumes by Santo Loquasto and lighting by Jennifer Tipton, recreated by Brad Fields. The ballet was given its World Premiere by Houston Ballet in 1991 and received its ABT Premiere in 2008. Piano Concerto #1, choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky and set to music by Dmitri Shostakovich (Concerto No. 1 for Piano, Trumpet and Strings, Op. 35), will be given two performances, Thursday evening, October 29 and Sunday matinee, November 1. The ballet features scenery by George Tsypin, costumes by Keso Dekker and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. Piano Concerto #1 was given its World Premiere by American Ballet Theatre on May 31, 2013 with Diana Vishneva, Cory Stearns, Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in the leading roles. Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Fall season at the David H. Koch Theater go on sale beginning July 20, 2015. Tickets priced from $25 are available online, at the Koch Theater box office or by phone at 212-496-0600. Performance-only tickets for the Opening Night Gala begin at $25. The David H. Koch Theater is located at Lincoln Center, Broadway and 63rd Street in New York City. For more information, visit ABT’s website at www.abt.org. American Airlines is the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre. Northern Trust is the Leading Corporate Sponsor of the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. ABT is supported, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. The Mark Morris Premiere has been generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. The Company Premiere of AfterEffect has been generously underwritten by the Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund. Additional support provided by Lillian E. Kraemer. This production has been generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. Monotones I and II has been generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. Valse-Fantaisie has been generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. The Brahms-Haydn Variations has been made possible by the generous support of Patsy and Jeff Tarr and the JCT Foundation. Additional support provided by Michele and Steve Pesner. Company B has been generously supported by a gift from Marjorie S. Issac in honor of ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. David H. Koch is the Lead Underwriter of Piano Concerto #1. Additional leadership support has been generously provided by The Susan and Leonard Feinstein Foundation. ABT gratefully acknowledges Linda Allard for her generous support of costumes for this production. Mary Jo and Ted Shen, Mrs. Marjorie S. Isaac, and an anonymous donor are Leading Sponsors of this production. Additional support has been provided by Edward and Caroline Hyman, Charlotte and Macdonald Mathey, Michele and Steven Pesner, and Michael and Sue Steinberg. This production has been generously supported through an endowed gift from the Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. This production has been made possible with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Official press release: PROMOTIONS ANNOUNCED AT AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE STELLA ABRERA AND MISTY COPELAND PROMOTED TO PRINCIPAL DANCER; SKYLAR BRANDT, THOMAS FORSTER, LUCIANA PARIS, ARRON SCOTT AND CASSANDRA TRENARY PROMOTED TO SOLOIST MARIA KOCHETKOVA AND ALBAN LENDORF TO JOIN COMPANY AS PRINCIPAL DANCERS; JEFFREY CIRIO TO JOIN AS A SOLOIST Stella Abrera and Misty Copeland have been promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre and Skylar Brandt, Thomas Forster, Arron Scott and Cassandra Trenary have been promoted to Soloist effective August 1, 2015. In addition, Maria Kochetkova, a principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet and Alban Lendorf, a principal dancer with Royal Danish Ballet will join the Company as Principal Dancers and Jeffrey Cirio, a principal dancer with Boston Ballet, will join ABT as a Soloist, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. Stella Abrera of South Pasadena, California, began her studies with Philip and Charles Fuller and Cynthia Young at Le Studio in Pasadena and with Lorna Diamond and Patricia Hoffman at the West Coast Ballet Theatre in San Diego. She also studied the Royal Academy of Dancing method at the Halliday Dance Centre in Sydney, Australia. Abrera joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in 1996 and was appointed a Soloist in 2001. Her repertoire with ABT includes Calliope in Apollo, Gamzatti in La Bayadère, the Ballerina in The Bright Stream, the Fairy Godmother in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, Gulnare in Le Corsaire, Mercedes and the Driad Queen in Don Quixote, Helena in The Dream, Giselle, Myrta and the peasant pas de deux in Giselle, Manon in Lady of the Camellias, Lescaut's Mistress in Manon, His Friend's Wife in The Moor's Pavane, Clara, the Princess in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, Emilia in Othello, the Older Sister in Pillar of Fire, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, the Lilac Fairy and Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty, the pas de trois in Swan Lake, leading roles in Airs, Bach Partita, Baker's Dozen, Ballet Imperial, Birthday Offering, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, C. to C. (Close to Chuck), Fancy Free, In the Upper Room, The Leaves Are Fading, Petite Mort, Sinfonietta, Les Sylphides, Symphonic Variations, Symphonie Concertante, Symphony #9, Symphony in C, Thirteen Diversions, Within You Without You: A Tribute to George Harrison, Without Words. Abrera created the Spanish Dance in Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, the Fairy Violente (Temperament) in Ratmansky's The Sleeping Beauty and leading roles in Pretty Good Year and Seven Sonatas. Abrera received the Gold Medal at the Royal Academy of Dancing's Adeline Genée Awards in London in 1995. She has performed as a guest artist across the United States and Europe, as well as with The Australian Ballet, The Royal New Zealand Ballet and Ballet Philippines. Misty Copeland was born in Kansas City, Missouri and raised in San Pedro, California. She began her ballet studies at the age of 13 at the San Pedro City Ballet and won first place in the Music Center Spotlight Awards. She continued her studies at the Lauridsen Ballet Center. Copeland studied at the San Francisco Ballet School and American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive on full scholarship and was declared ABT’s National Coca-Cola Scholar in 2000. Copeland joined ABT’s Studio Company in September 2000 and joined the main Company as a member of the corps de ballet in April 2001. She was appointed a Soloist in August 2007. Her roles with the Company include Gamzatti in La Bayadère, Milkmaid in The Bright Stream, the Fairy Autumn in Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella, Swanilda in Coppélia, Gulnare in Le Corsaire, Mercedes and the Driad Queen in Don Quixote, Duo Concertant, the title role in Alexei Ratmansky’s Firebird, Flower Girl in Gaîté Parisienne, Zulma and the peasant pas de deux in Giselle, Lescaut’s Mistress in Manon, Clara, the Princess in Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker, Bianca in Othello, the Cowgirl in Rodeo, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty, Sinatra Suite, Odette-Odile in Swan Lake, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, leading roles in Bach Partita, Birthday Offering and Thirteen Diversions and roles in Airs, Baker’s Dozen, Ballo della Regina, Black Tuesday, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Brief Fling, Company B, Gong, In the Upper Room, Les Sylphides, Raymonda Divertissements, Sechs Tänze, Sinfonietta and workwithinwork. Copeland created the Spanish Dance in Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker, the Fairy Fleur de farine in Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty and leading roles in C. to C. (Close to Chuck), Dumbarton, Glow – Stop, One of Three and With a Chance of Rain. Copeland received the 2008 Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Arts and was named National Youth of the Year Ambassador for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in 2013. In 2014, President Obama appointed Copeland to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. She is the recipient of a 2014 Dance Magazine Award and appeared on the cover of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2015. She is the author of the best-selling memoir, Life in Motion and the children’s book Firebird. Skylar Brandt was born in Purchase, New York and began her training at the age of six at Scarsdale Ballet Studio. She also studied with Valentina Kozlova, Fabrice Herrault and Susan Jaffe and attended the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre from 2005-2009. Brandt spent five summers at ABT's New York Summer Intensive, was a National Training Scholar from 2006-2009. Brandt joined the ABT Studio Company in 2009, became an apprentice with the main Company in November 2010 and joined the corps de ballet in June 2011. Her roles with ABT include a Shade in La Bayadère, the Fairy Spring in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, an Odalisque in Le Corsaire, a Flower Girl in Don Quixote, the peasant pas de deux in Giselle, the Chinese Dance and one of the Nutcracker's Sisters in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, the Younger Sister in Pillar of Fire, the Diamond Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, the pas de trois in Swan Lake and roles in Bach Partita, Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes, Gong, In the Upper Room, Piano Concerto #1, Raymonda Divertissements and Sinfonietta. She created the Fairy Canri qui chante (Canary) in Ratmansky's The Sleeping Beauty. Brandt was a silver medalist at Youth America Grand Prix in 2004 and 2008. She was awarded a 2013 Princess Grace Foundation-USA Dance Fellowship. Thomas Forster was born in London, England and began his ballet training at the age of 8 with the Royal Ballet School Associate Programme. He continued his training with Elmhurst School of Dance and joined the Upper School of the Royal Ballet School in 2002. He has performed with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Ballet. Forster joined ABT’s Studio Company in May 2006, became an apprentice with the main Company in January 2007 and joined the corps de ballet in December 2007. His repertory with the Company includes the High Brahmin in La Bayadère, a Step-Sister in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, Lorenzo in Don Quixote, the Duke in Gaîté Parisienne, Hilarion in Giselle, Her Lover in Jardin aux Lilas, the Jailer in Manon, His Friend in The Moor's Pavane, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Fairy Cavalier and Prince Fortune in The Sleeping Beauty, von Rothbart (Ballroom and Lakeside) in Swan Lake and The Poet in Les Sylphides and roles in Bach Partita, Baker's Dozen, Company B, Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes, Duets, Gong, One of Three, Private Light, Raymonda Divertissements, Sinfonietta, Symphony in C and With a Chance of Rain. He created the Mouse King in Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, the English Prince in Ratmansky's The Sleeping Beauty, as well as roles in Aftereffect, Dumbarton, Everything Doesn't Happen at Once, From Here On Out, Thirteen Diversions and Troika. Luciana Paris was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and began her ballet training at the age of seven with Elena Perez. From 1991 through 1996, she studied at the Colón Theater Superior de Art Institute, where she was a recipient of a Colón Theater Foundation Scholarship. In 1996, she toured with Ballet Cámara in Argentina and joined the Teatro Colón Ballet as a soloist. In December 1996, she joined Julio Bocca’s Ballet Argentino as a principal dancer performing classical, neoclassical and modern repertoire. Paris joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in October 2001. Her repertoire with the Company includes a flower girl and the lead gypsy in Don Quixote, the first Shade variation in La Bayadère, an Odalisque and Lead Pirate Woman in Le Corsaire, the pas de trois in Swan Lake, the Flower Girl in Gaîté Parisienne, Bathilde and the peasant pas de deux in Giselle, Prudence in Lady of the Camellias, Her Other Stepsister and Moss in James Kudelka’s Cinderella, Prayer and Lead Mazurka in Coppélia, Columbine and one of the Nutcracker’s Sisters in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker, the Fairy Autumn in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, a Carnival Dancer in Othello, a Harlot and Rosaline in Romeo and Juliet, the Fairy Fleur de farine and the Silver Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Persephone in Sylvia, the Cowgirl in Rodeo, and leading roles in Fancy Free, The Leaves Are Fading, Pillar of Fire, Jardin aux Lilas, Dark Elegies, Sinatra Suite, In the Upper Room, Brief Fling, The Brahms-Hayden Variations, Rabbit and Rogue, Baker’s Dozen, Bach Partita, Symphony #9, Dumbarton, Firebird, The Bright Stream, Seven Sonatas, Company B, Airs, Black Tuesday, Duets, Allegro Brillante, Theme and Variations, Symphonie Concertante, Symphony in C, Ballet Imperial, Ballo della Regina, Études, Glow – Stop, Gong, Raymonda Divertissements and With a Chance of Rain. She created a leading role in Robert Hill’s Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra. Paris danced Twyla Tharp’s Sinatra Suite with Marcelo Gomes at the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors and at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts Gala opening in Las Vegas in 2012. She is a Certified Teacher of ABT's National Training Curriculum. Arron Scott was raised in State College, Pennsylvania and started his training at the Ballet Theatre of Central Pennsylvania. He has danced on full scholarships at American Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet School and the School of American Ballet summer programs as well as being a 2002-2003 ABT National Training Scholar. He trained for two years at the School of American Ballet where he was awarded the Rudolf Nureyev Scholarship. Scott joined the ABT Studio Company in September 2003 and the main Company as a member of the corps de ballet in April 2004. His roles with the Company include Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, the Bronze Idol and the Head Fakir in La Bayadère, the Jester and Napoleon in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, Birbanto in Le Corsaire, Lead Gypsy in Don Quixote, the peasant pas de deux in Giselle, the Beggar Chief in Manon, Kolia in A Month in the Country, a Carnival Dancer in Othello, the Wolf in The Sleeping Beauty, the Neapolitan Dance in Swan Lake, Eros in Sylvia and leading roles in Airs, Bach Partita, Brief Fling, Company B, Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes, Duets, Dumbarton, Everything Doesn't Happen at Once, Gong, In the Upper Room, The Leaves Are Fading, Mozartiana, Seven Sonatas, Sinfonietta and Symphony #9. He created a Fairy Cavalier in Alexei Ratmansky's The Sleeping Beauty. Cassandra Trenary, a native of Georgia, began training at age three at Lawrenceville School of Ballet. In 2006, she joined the school's company, Southern Ballet Theatre under the direction of Phyllis Allen. Trenary received additional training at Southeast Regional Ballet Association conventions. In 2009, Trenary received a SERBA Star Student award. From 2006-2010, she was an American Ballet Theatre National Training Scholar and attended the Summer Intensive in New York City from 2007 through 2010. She was a 2011 National YoungArts Foundation Winner and a 2011 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts nominee. Trenary studied at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre and performed with the ABT Studio Company on their 2011 European tour. She joined American Ballet Theatre as an apprentice in April 2011 and became a member of the corps de ballet in November 2011. Her repertory includes a Shade in La Bayadère, Columbine, the Chinese Dance and one of the Nutcracker's Sisters in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, the Younger Sister in Pillar of Fire, a Harlot in Romeo and Juliet, the Diamond Fairy and the Fairy Canri qui chante (Canary) in The Sleeping Beauty, the pas de trois and a little swan in Swan Lake and roles in Bach Partita, Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes, Private Light, Raymonda Divertissements and Sinfonietta. She created Princess Florine in Alexei Ratmansky's The Sleeping Beauty. Born in Moscow, Maria Kochetkova trained at the Bolshoi Ballet School prior to dancing with The Royal Ballet and English National Ballet in London. She joined San Francisco Ballet as a principal dancer in 2007 where her repertoire includes the title role in Giselle, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Kitri in Don Quixote, Juliet in Romeo & Juliet, Odette-Odile in Swan Lake and Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. She has performed in George Balanchine’s Coppélia (Swanilda), Divertimento No. 15, Jewels, Serenade, Theme and Variations, Symphony in C and Scotch Symphony, William Forsythe’s in the middle, somewhat elevated, Kenneth MacMillan's Winter Dreams, Frederick Ashton's Symphonic Variations and Voices of Spring and Wayne McGregor's Chroma. Kochetkova has created principal roles in Helgi Tomasson’s On a Theme of Paganini and Trio, Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella, Alexei Ratmansky's From Foreign Lands, Jorma Elo's One Overture, Mauro Bigonzetti's Cinque and Wayne McGregor's Borderlands. Kochetkova’s prizes and awards include the Isadora Duncan Award for the role of Giselle and medals at International Ballet Competitions in Seoul, Italy, Luxembourg, Varna and Moscow. She is also a winner of the Prix de Lausanne (2002). She was nominated for a Critics’ Circle National Dance Award (U.K.) for Best Female Dancer in 2014 and for a Benois de la Danse Award in 2013 for her performance as Tatiana in Cranko’s Onegin. In 2013, Kochetkova debuted as a Guest Artist with American Ballet Theatre and returned for the 2014 and 2015 Spring seasons. Her repertoire with ABT includes Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Odette-Odile in Swan Lake, Kitri in Don Quixote and Nikiya in La Bayadère. Kochetkova remains a principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet and will perform with both companies during the 2015-16 season. Alban Lendorf was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and received his training at the Royal Danish Ballet School. In 2006, he joined the Royal Danish Ballet as an apprentice and a member of its corps de ballet in 2008. He was promoted to Soloist in 2010 and to Principal Dancer in 2011. His repertoire with the Royal Danish Ballet includes Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Prince Désiré in Christopher Wheeldon’s The Sleeping Beauty, Gennaro in Napoli, James in La Sylphide, Armand in Lady of the Camellias, the title role in Apollo, Des Grieux in Manon, The Prince in The Nutcracker, Basilio in Don Quixote, Solor in La Bayadère, Franz in Coppélia, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and principal roles in Études, Other Dances, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Dances at a Gathering, Flower Festival in Genzano, Donizetti Variations, Agon, La Sonnambula, Symphony in C, Bournonville Variations, Les Gentilhommes, Chroma and Le Corsaire pas de deux. He originated roles in Louis Midjord’s Othello, Kim Brandstup’s Eidolon, Iain Rowe’s An Elegy for Us, Alexei Ratmansky’s The Golden Cockerel and Stephen DeLattre’s Unraveling. In 2009, Lendorf won the Golden Ballet award and a D.A.N.C.E. Grant. In 2013, he was awarded “Best Male Dancer” at Prix Benois de la Danse. In 2013, Lendorf debuted as an Exchange Artist with American Ballet Theatre dancing the role of Prince Désiré in The Sleeping Beauty. He returned as a Guest Artist dancing Basilio in Don Quixote in 2014. Lendorf will remain a principal dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet for the 2015-16 season. Jeffrey Cirio began his ballet training at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary. He became a trainee with Boston Ballet School and joined Boston Ballet II for the 2007-2008 season. He continued his training at Orlando Ballet School and returned to Boston Ballet in 2009 as a member of the corps de ballet. He was promoted to second soloist in 2010, to soloist in 2011 and was appointed principal dancer with Boston Ballet in 2012. Cirio’s repertory with Boston Ballet includes Prince Désiré in The Sleeping Beauty, The Prince in Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, the Bronze Idol and Solor in La Bayadère, Oberon and Puck in George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cavalier, Snow King and Russian Lead in The Nutcracker, Mercutio and Benvolio in John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet, the peasant pas de deux in Giselle, a Sailor in Fancy Free and the pas de deux from August Bournonville’s William Tell and Flower Festival at Genzano. His repertory also includes roles in George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Harlequinade, Ballo della Regina, Symphony in Three Movements, The Four Temperaments, Symphony in C, Tarantella and Diamonds and Rubies pas de deux in Jewels, Wayne McGregor’s Chroma and Christopher Wheeldon’s Polyphonia. Cirio originated the principal roles in Jorma Elo’s Awake Only and Elo Experience. For Boston Ballet, Cirio choreographed Trial in 2014 and fremd in 2015. Cirio won a Gold Medal at Youth America Grand Prix in 2005, a Princess Grace Fellowship and a Gold Medal at the Helskini International Ballet Competition in 2009. American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House continues through July 4. For more information, visit www.abt.org. Follow American Ballet Theatre on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ABTBallet on Facebook at http://facebook.com/AmericanBalletTheatre or on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/ABTBalletTheatre

Very sad news. And he obviously touched a generation of dancers as a coach, too. While he was very good in a host of Balanchine roles, some of my favorite performances of his were in somewhat guilty-pleasure pieces, because he could make bad ballets look really good with his beautifully musical dancing. He has passed way too early.

Saw those. Not much is being said clearly, so tread lightly.

From ABT: AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE Metropolitan Opera House - Spring, 2015 SEVENTH WEEKMon. Eve., June 22, 7:30 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Murphy, Gomes, Stearns Tues. Eve., June 23, 7:30 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Seo, Bolle, Forster+++ Wed. Mat., June 24, 2 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Copeland+++, Whiteside, Hammoudi Wed. Eve., June 24, 7:30 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Part, Stearns, Gomes Thurs. Eve., June 25, 7:30 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Murphy, Hammoudi+++, Baca+++ Fri. Eve., June 26, 7:30 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Kochetkova, Cornejo, Whiteside Sat. Mat., June 27, 2 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Boylston, Simkin, Hammoudi Sat. Eve., June 27, 8 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Seo, Bolle, Gomes EIGHTH WEEKMon. Eve., June 29, 7:30 P.M. CINDERELLA – Seo, Stearns+++, Part Tues. Eve., June 30, 7:30 P.M. CINDERELLA – Murphy, Hammoudi+, Boylston+++ Wed. Mat., July 1, 2 P.M. CINDERELLA - Abrera+, Gorak, Teuscher Wed. Eve., July 1, 7:30 P.M. CINDERELLA - Seo, Stearns, Part Thurs. Eve., July 2, 7:30 P.M. CINDERELLA – Nuñez*++, Whiteside, Boylston Fri. Eve., July 3, 7:30 P.M. CINDERELLA - Murphy, Hammoudi, Boylston Sat. Mat., July 4, 2 P.M. CINDERELLA –Abrera, Gorak, Teuscher Sat. Eve., July 4, 7 P.M. CINDERELLA – Nuñez, Whiteside, Part *Guest Artist

Sorry to be late with this. Went to lunch! NATALIA OSIPOVA TO WITHDRAW FROM PERFORMANCE OF ROMEO AND JULIET, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE 17, DUE TO INJURY Due to injury, Natalia Osipova, a Guest Artist with American Ballet Theatre, will not perform the title role in Romeo and Juliet scheduled for Wednesday evening, June 17 at the Metropolitan Opera House, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. Ms. Osipova sustained an injury during a performance of Giselle this season with American Ballet Theatre. “We are hopeful that Natasha will take the time she needs to fully recover,” said Mr. McKenzie. “I join the entire Company in sending her our very best wishes.” American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House continues through July 4, 2015.

Got through Diamonds without an ad! I waited years to see Korbes in Diamonds at NYCB but was not able to travel to Seattle to see it there. Wonderful.

Ugh. The ads. I was hoping this was going to stream on a different platform. It's just not worth it for me to pay for no ads.

Lovette posted on Instagram that she was promoted to principal dancer today. She posted a photo of herself in a walking boot (she had ankle surgery earliest week) in front of the theater. https://instagram.com/laurenlovette/

From the company: AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE Metropolitan Opera House - Spring, 2015 FIFTH WEEKMon. Eve., June 8, 7:30 P.M. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY – Vishneva, Gomes, Part, Raffa, Boylston, Simkin, Trenary Tues. Eve., June 9, 7:30 P.M. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY – Murphy, Whiteside, Abrera, Salstein, Trenary, Zhang, Lane Wed. Mat., June 10, 2 P.M. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY – Seo, Stearns, Teuscher, Salstein, Brandt, Shayer, Copeland Wed. Eve., June 10, 7:30 P.M. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY – Boylston, Gorak, Part, Gomes, Shevchenko, Hoven, Abrera Thurs. Eve., June 11, 7:30 P.M. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY – Lane, Cornejo, Teuscher, Raffa, Brandt, Shayer, Copeland Fri. Eve., June 12, 7:30 P.M. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY – Seo, Stearns, Shevchenko, Gomes, Trenary, Gorak, Boylston Sat. Mat., June 13, 2 P.M. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY – Murphy, Whiteside, Abrera, Salstein, Boylston, Zhang, Lane Sat. Eve., June 13, 8 P.M. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY – Vishneva, Gomes, Part, Raffa, Shevchenko, Simkin, Trenary SIXTH WEEKMon. Eve., June 15, 7:30 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Seo, Stearns, Simkin+ Tues. Eve., June 16, 7:30 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Seo, Hammoudi, Salstein Wed. Mat., June 17, 2 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Murphy, Whiteside, Scott Wed. Eve., June 17, 7:30 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Osipova, Gomes, Salstein Thurs. Eve., June 18, 7:30 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Obraztsova*++, Cornejo, Simkin Fri. Eve., June 19, 7:30 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Vishneva, Gomes, Salstein Sat. Mat., June 20, 2 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Copeland+, Gorak+, Scott Sat. Eve., June 20, 8 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Kent, Bolle, Cornejo *Guest Artist +Editors please note first time in a role: Mon. Eve., June 15 - Simkin (Mercutio) in Romeo and Juliet Sat. Mat., June 20 – Copeland (Juliet) and Gorak (Romeo) in Romeo and Juliet ++Editors please note first time in a role with ABT Thurs. Eve., June 18 - Obraztsova (Juliet) in Romeo and Juliet

Release: OVER 200 AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE ALUMNI TO ATTEND PERFORMANCE OF GISELLE, SATURDAY, MAY 23, 8 P.M. AT METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE COMPANY MEMBERS REPRESENTING SEVEN DECADES TO GATHER FOR EVENTS DURING 75THANNIVERSARY ALUMNI WEEKEND American Ballet Theatre will welcome over 200 former Company members as part of a 75th Anniversary alumni weekend. The weekend will include a special showing by the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School and a dancer seminar. The events will conclude with alumni attending a performance of Giselle on Saturday evening, May 23. The performance features Stella Abrera in her ABT debut as Giselle, opposite Guest Artist Vladimir Shkylarov as Albrecht and Veronika Part as Myrta. Members of American Ballet Theatre’s alumni will be recognized prior to the start of the evening performance. Alumni expected to attend include former Principal Dancers Nina Ananiashvili, Christine Dunham, Robert LaFosse, John Meehan, Christine Sarry, Lupe Serrano and Martine van Hamel and former Soloists Ethan Brown, Ruth Mayer, Elaine Kudo, William Glassman, Carla Stallings-Lippert, George de la Peña, Liane Plane and Lisa de Ribere. American Airlines is the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre. 
Northern Trust is the Leading Corporate Sponsor of the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. 
ABT is supported, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Metropolitan Opera House season, beginning at $20, are available online, at the Met box office or by phone at 212-362-6000. The Metropolitan Opera House is located on Broadway between 64th and 65th streets in New York City. For more information, visit ABT’s website at www.abt.org.

Very influential. I loved this story, from the NY Times obit: I remember reading a Ballet Review interview with Stephanie Saland and Balanchine made the same comment to her. Kirkland wrote quite a bit about working with Maggie Black.

I don't know, if you look in Getty Images, Isabella Boylston also posed on the red carpet. So did Stephanie Williams, although I don't know if she performed. And Christine Shevchenko. Maybe it was something the company wanted.

Text release: CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THIRD AND FOURTH WEEKS OF AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S 2015 SPRING SEASON AT METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE Gillian Murphy and Marcelo Gomes to Lead New York Premiere of All-New Production of The Sleeping Beauty on Friday, May 29 Kimin Kim and Leonid Sarafanov to Debut as Guest Artists Casting for the third and fourth weeks of American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. The third week will feature five performances of Giselle, May 25-28. Monday night’s performance, May 25, will be led by Julie Kent in the title role opposite Roberto Bolle as Albrecht and Gillian Murphy as Myrta. Guest Artist Steven McRae will make his ABT debut in the role of Albrecht on Thursday, May 28 opposite Guest Artist Natalia Osipova as Giselle and Veronika Part as Myrta. On Wednesday, May 27, Paloma Herrera will dance her final performance with American Ballet Theatre in the title role at the matinee, and Xiomara Reyes will have her ABT farewell at the evening performance, also in the title role. Set to music by Adolphe Adam, with scenery by Gianni Quaranta, costumes by Anna Anni and lighting by Jennifer Tipton, Giselle features choreography after Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa and has been staged for ABT by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. The world premiere of Giselle, one of the oldest continually‑performed ballets, occurred at the Theatre de l’Academie Royale de Musique in Paris on June 28, 1841. The ballet was first presented by ABT (then Ballet Theatre) at the Center Theatre in New York City on January 12, 1940 with choreography by Anton Dolin and scenery and costumes by Lucinda Ballard. The leading roles were danced by Annabelle Lyon and Anton Dolin. American Ballet Theatre’s sixth production, featuring scenery by Gianni Quaranta and costumes by Anna Anni, was created for the film Dancers, produced in 1987 by Cannon Films. This production’s first public performance was given on March 20, 1987 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, with Marianna Tcherkassky as Giselle and Kevin McKenzie as Albrecht. The current staging is by McKenzie, using the Quaranta and Anni designs. The New York Premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty will take place on Friday evening, May 29 led by Gillian Murphy as Princess Aurora, Marcelo Gomes as Prince Désiré, Stella Abrera as the Lilac Fairy, Craig Salstein as Carabosse, Isabella Boylston as the Diamond Fairy, Daniil Simkin as the Bluebird and Cassandra Trenary as Princess Florine. Sarah Lane and Herman Cornejo will debut in the roles of Princess Aurora and Prince Désiré, respectively, on Saturday afternoon, May 30. This all-new production set to the classic score by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, with choreography by Marius Petipa and staging and additional choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, received its World Premiere on March 3, 2015 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California. The Sleeping Beauty features scenery and costumes by Tony Award®-winning designer Richard Hudson and lighting by James F. Ingalls. Hudson’s designs are based on the historic work of Léon Bakst, who created a seminal version of The Sleeping Beauty for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in 1921. This is American Ballet Theatre’s fourth production of the full-length ballet. The Sleeping Beauty received its World Premiere by the Imperial Ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg on January 15, 1890. ABT presented its first full-length production of the ballet with choreography by Mary Skeaping from the original of Marius Petipa and the staging of Nicholas Sergeyev, at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, on June 15, 1976. The Sleeping Beauty, with choreography after Petipa and staging and additional choreography by Kenneth MacMillan, received its World Premiere by American Ballet Theatre at the Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, on February 11, 1987. A new production, with choreography after Petipa and additional choreography and staging by Kevin McKenzie, Gelsey Kirkland and Michael Chernov received its World Premiere at the Metropolitan Opera House on June 1, 2007. The first of eight performances of La Bayadère begin Monday, June 1 featuring Guest Artist Kimin Kim in his ABT debut as Solor opposite Hee Seo as Nikya and Gillian Murphy as Gamzatti. Guest Artist Maria Kochetkova will make her ABT debut in the role of Nikiya on Tuesday evening, June 2 opposite Herman Cornejo as Solor and Misty Copeland as Gamzatti. Guest Artist Leonid Sarafanov will debut with ABT on Wednesday evening, June 3 in the role of Solor opposite Guest Artist Natalia Osipova in her ABT debut as Nikiya with Isabella Boylston in the role of Gamzatti. Choreographed by Natalia Makarova after Marius Petipa, La Bayadère is set to music by Ludwig Minkus, specially arranged by John Lanchbery, and features scenery by PierLuigi Samaritani, costumes by Theoni V. Aldredge and lighting by Toshiro Ogawa. The full‑length La Bayadère received its World Premiere by the Imperial Ballet at the Bolshoi Kamenny in St. Petersburg on February 4, 1877. La Bayadère, Act II (The Kingdom of the Shades) was first performed in the West by the Leningrad‑Kirov Ballet in 196l. Natalia Makarova first staged The Kingdom of the Shades scene for American Ballet Theatre in 1974 and it received its premiere at the State Theater in New York City on July 3 of that year, danced by Cynthia Gregory as Nikiya and Ivan Nagy as Solor. Makarova subsequently produced and choreographed the complete version of La Bayadère (in three acts) for American Ballet Theatre, which received its World Premiere on May 21, 1980 with Natalia Makarova as Nikiya, Anthony Dowell as Solor and Cynthia Harvey as Gamzatti. American Airlines is the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre. 
Northern Trust is the Leading Corporate Sponsor of the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. 
ABT is supported, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Metropolitan Opera House season, beginning at $20, are available online, at the Met box office or by phone at 212-362-6000. The Metropolitan Opera House is located on Broadway between 64th and 65th streets in New York City. For more information, visit ABT’s website at www.abt.org.

3rd and 4th week casting release: AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE Metropolitan Opera House – Spring 2015 THIRD WEEKMon. Eve., May 25, 7:30 P.M. GISELLE – Kent, Bolle, Murphy Tues. Eve., May 26, 7:30 P.M. GISELLE – Vishneva, Gomes, Abrera Wed. Mat., May 27, 2 P.M. GISELLE – Herrera, Bolle, Teuscher Wed. Eve., May 27, 7:30 P.M. GISELLE – Reyes, Cornejo, Abrera Thurs. Eve., May 28, 7:30 P.M. GISELLE – Osipova, McRae*++, Part Fri. Eve., May 29, 7:30 P.M. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY (New York Premiere) – Murphy, Gomes, Abrera, Salstein, Boylston, Simkin, Trenary Sat. Mat., May 30, 2 P.M. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY – Lane+, Cornejo+, Teuscher+++, Raffa+++, Brandt+++, Hoven+++, Abrera+++ Sat. Eve., May 30, 8 P.M. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY – Boylston+++, Gorak+++, Shevchenko+++, Gomes+++, Trenary+++, TBA+++, TBA+++ FOURTH WEEKMon. Eve., June 1, 7:30 P.M. LA BAYADÈRE - Seo, Kim*++, Murphy Tues. Eve., June 2, 7:30 P.M. LA BAYADÈRE – Kochetkova*++, Cornejo, Copeland Wed. Mat., June 3, 2 P.M. LA BAYADÈRE – Seo, Stearns, Abrera Wed. Eve., June 3, 7:30 P.M. LA BAYADÈRE – Osipova*++, Sarafanov*++, Boylston Thurs. Eve., June 4, 7:30 P.M. LA BAYADÈRE – Part, Nedak, Murphy Fri. Eve., June 5, 7:30 P.M. LA BAYADÈRE - Cojocaru, Cornejo, Copeland Sat. Mat., June 6, 2 P.M. LA BAYADÈRE – Seo, Kim, Murphy Sat. Eve., June 6, 8 P.M. LA BAYADÈRE – Osipova, Sarafanov, Boylston *Guest Artist +Editors please note first time in a role Sat. Mat., 5/30 – Lane (Princess Aurora), Cornejo (Prince Désiré) in The Sleeping Beauty ++Editors please note first time in a role with ABT Thurs. Eve., 5/28 – McRae (Albrecht) in Giselle Mon. Eve., 6/1 – Kim (Solor) in La Bayadère Tues. Eve., 6/2 – Kochetkova (Nikiya) in La Bayadère Wed. Eve., 6/3 - Osipova (Nikiya), Sarafanov (Solor) in La Bayadère +++Editors please note first time in a role in New York Sat. Mat., 5/30 –Teuscher (Lilac Fairy), Raffa (Carabosse), Brandt (Diamond Fairy), Hoven (Bluebird), Abrera (Princess Florine) in The Sleeping Beauty Sat. Eve., 5/30 –Boylston (Princess Aurora), Gorak (Prince Désiré), Shevchenko (Lilac Fairy), Gomes (Carabosse), Trenary (Diamond Fairy) in The Sleeping Beauty

Official release: POLINA SEMIONOVA TO WITHDRAW FROM PERFORMANCES WITH AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE AT METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE Due to injury, Principal Dancer Polina Semionova will withdraw from her remaining performances with American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House. It was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. Semionova was scheduled for seven additional performances during the Company’s 2015 Spring season. Guest Artist Maria Kochetkova will replace Semionova in an excerpt from Act II of Giselle in this evening’s 75th Anniversary Gala performance. Soloist Stella Abrera will replace Semionova in the title role of Giselle on Saturday evening, May 23. Principal Dancer Hee Seo will replace Semionova as Nikiya in La Bayadère on Monday evening, June 1 and at the matinee on Saturday, June 6, and as Juliet on Monday evening, June 15. Seo will also replace Semionova as Odette/Odile on Monday evening, June 15 and Saturday evening, June 27. Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Metropolitan Opera House season, beginning at $20, are available online, at the Met box office or by phone at 212-362-6000. The Metropolitan Opera House is located on Broadway between 64th and 65th streets in New York City. For more information, visit ABT’s website at www.abt.org.

From Teen Vogue editor's Instagram: "I am excited to announce that season 2 of our hit web series "Strictly Ballet," filmed at Miami City Ballet School this time, starts airing May 20 on teenvogue.com. Get a sneak peek and an update on season 1 star Mimi." I have to admit, I liked the first season of this series.

A little bit of trivia: AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY TO BE FEATURED ON TV’s JEOPARDY!, TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 American Ballet Theatre’s 75th Anniversary will be the subject of a category on the television quiz show JEOPARDY! on Tuesday, May 5, 2015. The featured ABT category will include performance footage from several of the upcoming Spring season’s iconic ballets, with clues read by ABT dancers. The JEOPARDY! crew traveled to ABT’s New York City rehearsal studios in February to film the category’s clues with ABT Principal Dancers Hee Seo and James Whiteside and Soloists Misty Copeland, Sarah Lane and Craig Salstein. JEOPARDY!, America’s Favorite Quiz Show® and its host, Alex Trebek, are celebrating their 31st season. The top-ranked quiz show, with 25 million viewers each week, JEOPARDY! holds the Guinness World Records® title for the most Emmy® Awards won by a TV game show (32 Emmys), including the 2015 Emmy® for Outstanding Game Show. JEOPARDY! is produced by Sony Pictures Television, a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company; it is distributed domestically by CBS Television Distribution and internationally by CBS Television International, both units of CBS Corp. For more information, please visit Jeopardy.com. JEOPARDY! is syndicated nationally; check your local listings. American Ballet Theatre celebrates its 75th Anniversary season at the Metropolitan Opera House, May 11-July 4, 2015. For more information, please visit www.abt.org.