Cory Stearns Promoted to Principal Dancer with ABT

Cory Stearns has been promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre. The promotion, which becomes effective immediately, was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

A native of Long Island, New York, Cory Stearns began his classical training at Seiskaya Ballet with Mme. Valia Seiskaya. At 15, he participated in the Youth America Grand Prix and was offered a full scholarship to The Royal Ballet School in London. During his training, Stearns performed in Madrid, Moscow, Milan and Germany. His repertory included principal roles in Mark Annear's Mendelssohn Concerto, Kenneth MacMillan's Concerto, Kirk Peterson's Eyes That Gently Touch, Robert Hill's Piano Concerto #2 and Barry Moreland's Fearful Symmetries. In March 2004, Stearns appeared with Kylie Minogue in her music video Chocolate. Upon graduating, with honors, from The Royal Ballet School, he received, for the second year, the Dame Ruth Railton Award for excellence in dance.

Stearns joined American Ballet Theatre's Studio Company (now ABT II) in September 2004, the main Company as an apprentice in January 2005 and became a member of the corps de ballet in January 2006. He was appointed a Soloist in January 2009. His repertory with the Company includes The Awakening Pas de Deux, Solor in

La Bayadère, Conrad in Le Corsaire, Basilio in Don Quixote, Oberon in The Dream,

Her Lover in Jardin aux Lilas, Armand Duval in Lady of the Camellias, The Prince in

The Nutcracker, Romeo and Paris in Romeo and Juliet, Prince Désiré in The Sleeping Beauty, Prince Siegfried and von Rothbart (Act III) in Swan Lake, James in La Sylphide, Orion and Apollo in Sylvia, leading roles in Allegro Brillante, Études and Everything Doesn't Happen at Once, and roles in The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Citizen, Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes, The Leaves Are Fading, Overgrown Path and Rabbit and Rogue. Stearns created roles in From Here On Out and One of Three.

Stearns was the recipient of the 2009 Erik Bruhn Prize for best male dancer.