American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is one of the world’s great classical ballet companies. It is considered America’s national ballet company. ABT is a leader in bringing diversity into the ballet world.
American Ballet Theatre 2016 Fall Season
Highlights of ABT’s 2016 Fall Season include a world premiere by choreographer Jessica Lang, and the Company Premiere of Benjamin Millepied’s “Daphnis and Chloe” to music by Ravel.
American Ballet Theatre Dancers Fall 2016
America is becoming a more multicultural country. American Ballet Theatre is leading the change with Misty Copeland and an amazing group of Latin dancers who combine perfect technique with Latin passion. It is something to go see.
Roberto Bolle
Roberto Bolle is an Italian principal dancer. He is a European superstar, a “Vogue” cover kind of dancer. Most of the time, Bolle dances in Europe. Catch Bolle when he is in New York with ABT.
Sadly Roberto is not performing in the Fall 2016 Season.
Herman Cornejo
Herman Cornejo is an Argentine principal dancer. Herman was formed by Julio Bocca (Argentine), one of the greatest dancers of the 20th century. Latin American men who dance ballet dream of dancing like Herman.
He is not a tall man, but has a huge presence on the stage. Herman is one of those dancers who has gone beyond technique into pure expression. His relationship with time must be different from yours and mine. In a moment where you and I would do one thing, Herman does many. He is very special to watch.
Sadly Herman is not performing in the Fall 2016 Season.
Marcelo Gomes
Marcelo Gomes is a Brazilian principal dancer. He is built like a god and excels at playing mythical figures on stage.
Watch Marcelo Gomes dance:
- October 19 at 7:30pm “Serenade after Plato’s Symposium”
- October 19 at 7:30pm “The Brahms-Haydn Variations”
- October 22 at 2pm and 8pm “Daphnis and Chloe”
- October 23 at 2pm “The Brahms-Haydn Variations”
- October 26 at 7:30pm “Serenade after Plato’s Symposium”
- October 29 at 8pm “Daphnis and Chloe”
Alexandre Hammoudi
Alexandre Hammoudi is a French soloist.
Watch Alexandre Hammoudi dance:
- October 22 at 2pm “Serenade after Plato’s Symposium”
- October 23 at 2pm “Serenade after Plato’s Symposium”
- October 26 at 7:30pm “Monotones I and II”
- October 28 at 7:30pm “Monotones I and II”
- October 30 at 2pm “Monotones I and II”
Luciana Paris
Luciana Paris is an Argentine soloist. Luciana was also formed by Julio Bocca. I can’t wait to see Luciana and Herman perform together.
Watch Luciana Paris dance:
- October 19 at 7:30pm “Symphonic Variations”
- October 22 at 2pm “The Brahms-Haydn Variations”
- October 2 at 8pm “Symphonic Variations”
- October 27 at 7:30pm “Symphonic Variations”
Stella Abrera
Stella Abrera is a Filipina-American principal dancer.
Watch Stella Abrera dance:
- “Le Corsaire” June 1 and 4
- “The Golden Cockerel” June 7 and 10
- “Sleeping Beauty” June 28, 30, and July 2
[You might not consider the Philippines to be Latin, but it was part of the Spanish Empire for over 300 years from 1521 to 1898. Manila, Philippines – Acapulco, Mexico was the main Spanish trans-Pacific trade route.]
Misty Copeland
Misty Copeland is an African-American principal dancer. She is America’s favorite ballerina. When Misty dances, the theater is full. That is remarkable for ballet.
Misty herself is a remarkable story. She is a natural dancer, but only started as teenager. Primas start dancing at four or five years old, not as teenagers.
Copeland doesn’t have the stereotypical ballet body type established by Balanchine. Misty proved that it doesn’t matter. She has opened the doors of the ballet world to a huge group of Americans.
Misty has broken through every barrier placed in front of her, including a leg fracture. She was an exceptionally good dancer, but became a great artist when she realized that she wasn’t only dancing for herself and her audience, but dancing for all people of color, all Americans, and all the people of the world. That is part of what makes Misty Copeland transcendent. When she dances, we are all up on the stage with her. She is a once-in-a-generation kind of dancer, like Baryshnikov was before her.
Watch Misty Copeland dance:
- “Le Corsaire” June 3
- “The Golden Cockerel” June 8 and 11
- “Swan Lake” June 15
- “Romeo and Juliet” June 25
- “Sleeping Beauty” June 28 and July 1
[African-American may not fit your definition of Latin. But as Latins, we know that we are black. It doesn’t matter what identity we live in. We are black.]
American Ballet Theatre 2016 Spring Season
ABT’s 2016 Spring Season is at the Metropolitan Opera:
– Sylvia
– La Fille mal gardée
– Ratmansky World Premiere | Seven Sonatas | Firebird
– Shostakovich Trilogy
– Le Corsaire, May 31-June 4
– The Golden Cockerel June 6-11
– Swan Lake, June 13-18
– Romeo and Juliet, June 20-25
– The Sleeping Beauty, June 27-July 2
Photo: Herman Cornejo in Seven Sonatas. Photographer: Rosalie O’Connor. Courtesy ABT.
American Ballet Theatre History
ABT was founded in 1937 by Bolshoi dancer Mikhail Mordkin and his student Lucia Chase. The Company’s school is the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of Ballet in Greenwich Village.
