Veronika Part Promoted To Principal Dancer At American Ballet Theatre

Veronika Part has been promoted to Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre, effective May 18, 2009, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Part began her early training in artistic gymnastics before entering the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 1988. After graduating, she joined the Kirov Ballet in 1996 and was promoted to soloist in 1998. Part won the BALTIKA Prize in 1999.

Part joined American Ballet Theatre as a Soloist in August 2002. Her repertory with the Company includes Terpsichore in Apollo, Nikiya in La Bayadère, an Odalisque in Le Corsaire, Mercedes and the Queen of the Driads in Don Quixote, Myrta in Giselle, An Episode in His Past in Jardin aux Lilas, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, the Eldest Sister in Pillar of Fire, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Princess Aurora and the Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Odette-Odile in Swan Lake and leading roles in Ballet Imperial, The Leaves Are Fading, Mozartiana, Les Sylphides and Symphonie Concertante. In 2005, she created a leading role in Peter Quanz' Kaleidoscope. Part will debut in the title role in La Sylphide during ABT's 2009 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Tickets for American Ballet Theatre's 2009 Metropolitan Opera House season, May 18-July 11, are priced $19-$130 and are available online, at the Met box office or by phone at 212-362-6000.