Boston Ballet Promotes Three Principal Dancers

January 19, 2016-(Boston, MA) Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen has announced three promotions from within the Company: Paul Craig (USA) and Irlan Silva (Brazil) have been promoted to soloist, and Alexander Maryianowski (USA) has been promoted to the corps de ballet from Boston Ballet II (BBII), Boston Ballet's second company. The Company is comprised of 68 dancers-including nine dancers in Boston Ballet II (BBII)-representing 20 nationalities. Nissinen continues Boston Ballet's tradition of developing a strong, versatile company by cultivating talent from within the Company and Boston Ballet School and recruiting from all over the world.

Soloist Paul Craig of Manistee, Michigan, began his training at the Conservatory of Dance and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. He later attended Virginia School of the Arts under the direction of Petrus Bosman and Tyrone Brooks. He attended summer programs at Boston Ballet School, Virginia School of the Arts, and Kaatsbaan in Tivoli, New York. Craig joined Boston Ballet II for the 2007-2008 season, and was promoted to the corps de ballet in 2008 and to second soloist in 2014. His repertoire with Boston Ballet includes a diverse range of works including Rudolf Nureyev's Don Quixote, Mikko Nissinen's Swan Lake, George Balanchine's Rubies, and William Forsythe's The Second Detail, among others. He has also been featured in many works by Resident Choreographer Jorma Elo. Mikko Nissinen expresses, "Paul is an incredibly balanced, steady artist, with elegance and great integrity. I am very happy for all his progress and to promote him to soloist." This season Craig has excelled in performances of John Neumeier's Third Symphony of Gustav Mahler and in several lead roles in Mikko Nissinen's The Nutcracker, including Snow King, Herr Drosselmeier, and Nutcracker Prince.

Soloist Irlan Silva of Rio de Janiero, Brazil, received his dance training at the Centro de Dance Rio under the direction of Mariza Estrela, and he also worked with Carlos dos Santos. He won the Best Contemporary Dancer Award at Youth America Grand Prix in 2008 and was a Finalist in the Top Twelve Senior Division that same year. In 2007 he won First Place in the Senior Division of Youth America Grand Prix Brazil. He previously danced with American Ballet Theatre II and as a guest artist in Rio de Janeiro. Silva joined Boston Ballet in 2011 and was promoted to second soloist in 2015. Nissinen shares, "Irlan is such an invigorating performer. He has matured, and he rose to the occasion in a major way with Third Symphony of Gustav Mahler. He is ready for the next level of challenges."

Silva is also the subject of Only When I Dance, a documentary following his journey from a favela of Rio de Janiero to an international ballet school. A free film screening, hosted in partnership with the Strand Theatre, will take place Friday, February 5, 7-9pm, at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester. More details can be found on Boston Ballet's website: www.bostonballet.org/community-events/.

Corps de Ballet dancer Alexander Maryianowski of Abilene, Texas, began his training with Nancy Gore at age nine. He attended the Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson Academy in 2011, and joined Houston Ballet II in 2013, where he worked with coaches and choreographers Stanton Welch, Claudio Muñoz, Andrew Murphy, and Sabrina Lenzi, among others. With Houston Ballet II, he toured throughout the U.S. performing Stanton Welch's A Dance In The Garden Of Mirth, Ilya Kozadeyev's Molto Expressivo, and excerpts from The Sleeping Beauty. Maryianowski attended summer programs at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre on full merit scholarships. In 2014, Maryianowski joined Boston Ballet II where he has performed Mikko Nissinen's Swan Lake and George Balanchine's Theme and Variations. Nissinen comments, "Alexander is a hard-working, focused young dancer with a bright future." Maryianowski has been cast in a featured role in John Cranko's Onegin, which runs February 25-March 6, 2016 at the Boston Opera House.

For full biographies and a roster of Company dancers, visit www.bostonballet.org.

About Boston Ballet

Since 1963, Boston Ballet's internationally acclaimed performances of classical, neo-classical, and contemporary ballets, combined with a dedication to world class dance education and community initiative programs, have made the institution a leader in its field, with a 52-year history of promoting excellence and access to dance.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen and Executive Director Max Hodges, the Company maintains a diverse repertoire, ranging from full-length ballets to new works by some of today's finest choreographers. Boston Ballet's second company, Boston Ballet II, is comprised of dancers who gain experience by performing with the Company and independently, presenting special programs to audiences throughout the Northeast.

Programming for Boston Ballet's 2015-2016 season includes Third Symphony of Gustav Mahler: A Ballet by John Neumeier, making Boston Ballet the first North American Company to perform the work; captivating classical works such as John Cranko's Onegin and Mikko Nissinen's Swan Lake; masterpieces by world-renowned choreographers such as George Balanchine and 20th century masters Leonid Yakobson and Léonide Massine; and two highly anticipated world premieres by Karole Armitage and Yury Yanowsky.

Boston Ballet School, the official school of Boston Ballet, has a long-standing dedication to providing exceptional dance education and ballet training to students across three studios in Boston, Newton, and the North Shore. Led by Director Margaret Tracey, the School reaches more than 5,000 students (toddler to adult) each year through its four core programs: Children's Program, Classical Ballet Program, Adult Dance Program, and Pre-Professional Program.

Boston Ballet's Department of Education and Community Initiatives (ECI) provides programming, events, and activities that connect the community to dance. ECI reaches more than 6,000 individuals in Boston, North Shore, and the surrounding communities each year through Citydance, ECI on Location, Adaptive Dance, and other community programs.

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