2021-22 Season Promotions and Apprentice Hires

[Helene]

From the press release:

PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal Announces Three Promotions at BEYOND BALLET Opening Night.

Seattle, WA [Nov. 5, 2021] – “It gives me tremendous pleasure to be able to promote three dancers in our company this evening.” Prior to the curtain going up for BEYOND BALLET, its second season repertory program, Pacific Northwest Ballet Artistic Director Peter Boal announced to the audience that Soloist Elle Macy has been promoted to a Principal dancer, and corps de ballet dancers Miles Pertl and Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan have been promoted to Soloists.

Each promoted dancer is currently featured in BEYOND BALLET, running through November 7. For casting information, visit PNB.org/beyond-ballet. (The digital stream of BEYOND BALLET will be available for viewing November 18 – 22. Tickets available at PNB.org.)

“Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan performs with a luminosity that warms the heart. I saw it the first time I taught her in a PNB summer course class in 2016,” said Mr. Boal, after bringing her out in front of the curtain. “A standout in the corps de ballet for her sheer joy of dance, Sarah’s radiance is infectious. Roles like the leads in George Balanchine’s Rubies, Tarentella, and the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker seem tailor-made for Sarah. She has also offered an impressive range, matching that of PNB’s rep. Her comical and exacting duet in Alexander Ekman’s Cacti, her screaming debut in Crystal Pite’s Plot Point, and her angular clarity in Balanchine’s Agon indicate an artist of tremendous range. Offstage you would be hard pressed to find a dancer more devoted to work and improvement than Sarah. She champions those around her, works hard to better our work environment, lifts spirts and raises the bar whenever she’s in the room. Sarah performs two debuts this weekend in Ulysses Dove’s Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven and Jessica Lang’s Ghost Variations. Join me in congratulating Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan on her well-deserved promotion to soloist.”

Mr. Boal then brought Miles Pertl to the stage. “Miles was born in Seattle and trained at Pacific Northwest Ballet School. At some point he decided his career and life needed to leave the Pacific Northwest, leading to stints in Stuttgartt Ballet and Dutch National Ballet. We’ll forgive him because he came to his senses and returned home to PNB in 2015. There are many memorable roles in Miles’ tenure with the company. Stand outs among them are the Hoofer in George Balanchine’s Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, Susan Marshall’s Arms, Alejandro Cerrudo’s Future Memory, and Friar Laurence in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette. Tonight, you’ll see Miles’ debut in Alonzo King’s The Personal Element. Miles is also a choreographer of note having created Wash of Gray for PNB’s mainstage two years ago and original works to NEXT STEP, School Performance, Reach, and PNB’s digital season. Miles has made a point of collaborating with local artists, composers, designers, choreographers and dancers whenever and wherever he can. It gives me great pleasure to announce Miles’ promotion to soloist.”

Finally, Mr. Boal spoke about Ms. Macy. “Elle Macy joined PNB in 2013. Since we first met Elle in a PNB summer course, she has been a ray of positivity each and every day. A tireless worker and a selfless contributor, Elle is an example of generosity and hard work. Her talent is undeniable in the airborne roles of Hippolyta in Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and David Dawson’s Empire Noir. Robyn Mineko Williams uncovered a power and a grace that seemed limitless in The Trees The Trees, and Alejandro Cerrudo and Elle seemed destined to share the studio. I wish you could have seen William Forsythe delight as he watched Elle devour space in In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated. Elle’s talent and ascension were never in question, but opportunities afforded to Elle during PNB’s digital season proved fertile ground for her growth as an artist. Over the past year, Elle’s collaborations with Jessica Lang in Ghost Variations, which you are about to see, and in Penny Saunders’ Wonderland, Christopher Wheeldon’s Curious Kingdom, and Edwaard Liang’s The Veil Between Worlds established her as an artist for a new generation. She’s also PNB’s newest principal dancer. Let us congratulate Elle Macy on her well-deserved promotion.”

PNB has also hired four apprentices from the ranks of the PNB School’s Professional Division – Ashton Edwards, Melisa Guilliams, Zsilas Michael Hughes, and Joh Morrill – who will join the Company with the opening of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® in mid-November. PNB congratulates all of our newly promoted and hired dancers!

Congratulations to all of the dancers .

[Helene]

PNB published photos of the promoted dancers to Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/PNBallet/posts/10159011305538952