Hee Seo Promoted to Principal Dancer and
Alexandre Hammoudi Promoted to Soloist

Hee Seo and Alexandre Hammoudi in Romeo and Juliet.

Hee Seo has been promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre and Alexandre Hammoudi has been promoted to Soloist. The promotions, which become effective immediately, were announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Hee Seo was born in Seoul, South Korea, and began her ballet training in her hometown at the Sun-hwa Arts Middle School. She was awarded a three-year full scholarship to continue her training at the Universal Ballet Academy in Washington, D. C. In 2003, Seo won a scholarship to train at the John Cranko Ballet Academy in Stuttgart. She is the recipient of the 2003 Prix de Lausanne Award and the 2003 Grand Prix at the Youth American Grand Prix in New York.

Seo joined the ABT Studio Company in 2004. She joined the main Company as an apprentice in May 2005, became a member of the corps de ballet in March 2006 and was promoted to Soloist in August 2010. Her repertoire with the Company includes Polyhymnia in Apollo, Nikiya and Gamzatti in La Bayadère, the title role and Zulma in Giselle, Olympia in Lady of the Camellias, Natalia in Alexei Ratmansky’s On the Dnieper, Tatiana in Onegin, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, the Lilac Fairy, the Fairy of Sincerity and Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty, the pas de trois, the Polish Princess and a big swan in Swan Lake, the Sylph in La Sylphide, Thaïs Pas de Deux and roles in Ballo della Regina, Birthday Offering, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Dark Elegies, Duets, The Leaves Are Fading, Seven Sonatas and Thirteen Diversions.

Alexandre Hammoudi is a native of Paris, France and began his training at age seven with Max Bozzoni of the Paris Opera Ballet. He continued his training at the Academy of Dance Salle Playel in Paris from 1996-1999 and subsequently at the English National Ballet School in London and the School of American Ballet. He has won numerous international competitions, including the Trophee Arabesque and the Biarritz Dance Competition. At age 16, Hammoudi became a member of the National Ballet of Cuba and toured South America with that company.

Hammoudi joined the ABT Studio Company in 2002, joined the main Company as an apprentice in April 2003 and became a member of the corps de ballet in April 2004. His repertory with ABT includes the Rajah in La Bayadère, Pyotr and the Lead Highlander in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Bright Stream, Lead Mazurka/Czardas in Coppélia, Ivan in Ratmansky’s Firebird, the Jailer in Manon, the Nutcracker Prince in Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker, Olga’s Fiancé in On the Dnieper, Romeo and Paris in Romeo and Juliet, the Spanish Prince and a Fairy Knight in The Sleeping Beauty, Orion and Apollo in Sylvia, and roles in Black Tuesday, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Brief Fling, Clear, Continuo, Désir, Duo Concertant, Glow-Stop, The Leaves Are Fading, Overgrown Path and Private Light. He created the Spanish Dance in Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker as well as roles in Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once, From Here
On Out, Pretty Good Year, Seven Sonatas and Thirteen Diversions.

American Ballet Theatre’s 2012 Spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House continues through July 7. For more information, visit www.abt.org.

Back To ABT News >>