Four Dancers Promoted to Principal at New York City Ballet

Both she and LaFreniere, from Lambertville, Mich., have been promoted to soloist in 2022. LaFreniere, 26, who danced Aurora in “Beauty” for the primary time final week, joined the corporate in 2014. Injuries have curtailed her progress, however she emerged from the pandemic refreshed and recharged, making essential debuts in two classic gems: Balanchine’s “Chaconne” and Balanchine and Robbins’s “Firebird,” which she reprised this season with thriller and mastery.

Mejia, 23, who made “Beauty” debuts as Bluebird and Gold, has in latest seasons proven his athletic virtuosity as Oberon in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and in “Rubies” from “Jewels.” Born in Fort Worth, Texas, he has ballet in his blood. Starting at age 3, he started coaching together with his dad and mom, Maria Terezia Balogh and Paul Mejia, a former dancer with City Ballet. Mejia, too, was reworked after the pandemic; his brashness took on a brand new refinement, whereas retaining its ebullient energy. In 2021, he was promoted to soloist.

Gerrity, at 32, has lengthy been an integral, versatile member of the corporate, becoming a member of in 2010 and changing into a soloist in 2017. That form of longevity can stunt a dancer, however Gerrity, who possesses a voluptuous energy, has seemingly used the time to develop her personal inventive voice. This season, she made debuts because the Lilac Fairy in “Sleeping Beauty,” in addition to in Balanchine’s “Walpurgisnacht Ballet.”

Born in Danbury, Conn., Gerrity started coaching at 5 and went onto research at the New Paltz School of Ballet and earlier than becoming a member of City Ballet, studied at the corporate’s affiliated School of American Ballet, together with all the brand new principals. “I’m freaking out,” she mentioned. “I feel crazy in all ways. I’ve worked my entire life to get here.”

Gerrity has been within the firm the longest of the 4. “I remember being like, I don’t know if it’s going to happen — because you really do never know,” she mentioned. “But I was like, I’m getting these amazing opportunities, and why am I going to sit here and think maybe it’s not going to happen versus just applying myself and trying to be better each time?”