Abi Stafford
Abi Stafford | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1981 or 1982 (age 42–43)[1] |
| Occupation | Ballet dancer |
| Years active | 1999-present |
| Children | 1 |
| Career | |
| Current group | New York City Ballet |
Abi Stafford is an American ballet dancer. she is currently a principal dancer at the New York City Ballet.[2]
Early life
Stafford was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She started ballet when she was six. In 1998, she was admitted to the School of American Ballet in New York City as a full-time student.[2][3]
Career
Stafford became an apprentice at the New York City Ballet in November 1999, and became a member of the corps de ballet two months later. Stafford received the The Janice Levin Dancer Award in 2000-01, which was given to promising corps dancers of NYCB.[4]
Stafford was named soloist in 2002, and principal dancer in 2007. Her repertoire include The Nutcracker, Apollo and Dances at a Gathering.[2] She was one of the eight NYCB dancers that performed in Cuba in 2010.[5]
Stafford served as motion capture dancer for Barbie in the Nutcracker and Barbie of Swan Lake.[6]
Stafford was a teaching fellow at School of American Ballet between 2012 and 2016. She became a permanent faculty in 2016.[7]
Stafford's brother, Jonathan Stafford, was also a principal dancer at NYCB. Though the two are seldom paired together, she danced with him in his farewell performance.[8] Jonathan Stafford is now the artistic director of NYCB.[9]
Selected repertoire
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Created roles
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Personal life
In 2015, Stafford gave birth to a son.[10]
Stafford has a history degree from Fordham University. She spent eight years to study part-time and graduated in 2018. She started to study law afterwards.[11]
References
- ^ "Abi Stafford: A Day in the Life of a Ballerina Collegian". Fordham Observer. May 1, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Abi Stafford". New York City Ballet. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ Stafford, Abi (November 1, 2014). "Why I Dance: Abi Stafford". Dance Magazine.
- ^ "Levin Award". New York City Ballet. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ "Eight City Ballet Dancers Headed to Cuba". New York Times. October 21, 2010.
- ^ "Dance; Barbie Dances, With Help From City Ballet". New York Times. September 28, 2003.
- ^ "Faculty". School of American Ballet. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ "A Performer Leaves His Company, With Jewels in His Wake". New York Times. May 27, 2014.
- ^ "Jonathan Stafford". New York City Ballet. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ "Forget Self-Doubt: NYCB's Abi Stafford on Silencing Inner Critics". Dance Magazine. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
- ^ "Clearing the Stage for a Big Graduation Number at City Ballet". New York Times. May 31, 2018.