Erica Cornejo to join Boston Ballet as a principal dancer

[Dale]

ERICA CORNEJO TO JOIN BOSTON BALLET AS A PRINCIPAL DANCER

(BOSTON, MA)­Erica Cornejo, currently a soloist with American Ballet Theatre, will join Boston Ballet as a principal dancer for the 2006-2007 season.

“Erica is a gifted dancer, wonderfully musical, and her joy in dancing is evident to anyone who’s seen her perform,” said Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. “She is a terrific addition to a roster already deep with talent.” The roster for the 2006-2007 season will be finalized in August.

Erica Cornejo was born in San Luis, Argentina and began studying ballet at the age of four. She attended the school of the Ballet del Theatre Colon in Buenos Aires, and eventually became a member of the company before going on to dance with Julio Bocca’s Ballet Argentino.

Cornejo joined ABT’s Studio Company in May 1998 and, later that same year, joined ABT as a member of the corps de ballet. She was promoted to soloist in 2003. Cornejo has created leading roles in Within You Without You: A Tribute to George Harrison (Stanton Welch’s “Isn’t It a Pity?” and David Parsons’ “My Sweet Lord”) and Lar Lubovitch’s “. . .smile with my heart.” Her diverse repertory includes the Cowgirl in Agnes de Mille’s Rodeo, the lead Pirate Woman in Petipa/Sergeyev’s Le Corsaire, a flower girl in Don Quixote, His Experience in Natalie Weir and Stanton Welch’s HereAfter, Clara in The Nutcracker, the Debutante in Antony Tudor’s Offenbach in the Underworld and leading roles in Kirk Peterson’s Amazed in Burning Dreams, Paul Taylor’s Black Tuesday, Mark Morris’ Gong, Jiøí Kylián’s Petite Mort and Sechs Tanze and William Forsythe’s workwithinwork. Earlier this season with ABT, Cornejo won rave reviews dancing the role of one of the Stepsisters in James Kudelka’s Cinderella, a ballet that received its United States premiere with Boston Ballet in 2005. Cornejo will continue to dance with ABT through the remainder of the company’s New York season at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Cornejo is married to Boston Ballet Principal Dancer Carlos Molina, and is the sister of ABT Principal Dancer Herman Cornejo.

[nysusan]

Congratulations to Erica! We'll miss her here, though...

[Helene]

That's wonderful news for her, both personally and professionally

[richard53dog]

Congratulations to Erica! We'll miss her here, though...

Yes, I feel the same way. It should be a great opportunity for her but I'll miss seeing her with ABT.

Still, she's recently married and I'd guess it's a big change for the good to be in the same city with her husband.

All the best of luck for Erica!

Richard

[fandeballet]

A fairly big loss for ABT. She is a wonderful little dancer, who will really blossom as a principal.

Now, I really have to get up to Boston more often!!!!

[dido]

Oh, hurray! I have loved her since I saw the new ABT Swan Lake on video with Gillian Murphey as Odette. Sorry for your loss, New Yorkers! (Shall we consider it a fair trade for Johnny Damon? )

[Dale]

According to the ABT spokesperson I spoke to, Erica Cornejo’s last performance with ABT will be as a Harlot in Romeo and Juliet on Monday, July 10.

[drb]

According to the ABT spokesperson I spoke to, Erica Cornejo’s last performance with ABT will be as a Harlot in Romeo and Juliet on Monday, July 10.

That will be a tough ticket, what with Diana, Angel and also Herman as Mercutio. The site says Dress Circle is sold out, but still tix in Balcony row B ($32) and Family Circle row B (about $10 less). If you want orchestra, for ease in tossing flowers, both $88 and $68 get you row W. I wonder if she'll get a solo bow. Perhaps if there are enough people who want to toss flowers, and management is somehow so informed (how?).

[Tomatonose]

I have a feeling this is what she's been hoping for for a few years now, considering that her husband is in Boston. Now they can dance principal roles together--how exciting for both of them!