American Ballet Theatre will dedicate its performances at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., January 26-31, 2010, to the memory of Ballet Mistress Georgina Parkinson, who passed away in December. A beloved friend and colleague, Ms. Parkinson held the title of Ballet Mistress with ABT for more than 30 years.

Born in Brighton, England, Ms. Parkinson was a highly acclaimed Principal Dancer with The Royal Ballet. She first came to prominence in the title role of Andrée Howard’s La Belle Dame Sans Merci and with her performances as the Gypsy Girl in Two Pigeons, the Wife in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s The Invitation and in Bronislava Nijinska’s Les Biches. With The Royal Ballet, she created several roles including Rosaline in MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet, Winifred Norbury in Sir Frederick Ashton’s Enigma Variations, the second movement in Monotones and Chloƒó in John Cranko’s production of Daphnis and Chloƒó with the Stuttgart Ballet. Her last created role as a dancer was the Empress Elisabeth in MacMillan’s Mayerling, marking the end of her career with The Royal Ballet.

Since joining American Ballet Theatre as Ballet Mistress 1978, Parkinson coached innumerable leading dancers in their interpretations of ballet’s most coveted roles. With ABT, she also performed the roles of the Stepmother in Agnes de Mille’s Fall River Legend, Madame Larina in Onegin, the Countess Sybille in Raymonda, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, the Queen in The Sleeping Beauty and the Queen Mother in Swan Lake. She created the role of Mrs. Harriman in Twyla Tharp’s Everlast, Sergei’s mother in Alexei Ratmansky’s On the Dnieper and a leading role in Robert Hill’s Reverie.

“It is only fitting for ABT to honor the memory of Georgina Parkinson with these performances,” said Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. “Our dancers will offer the gift of their artistry in dedication to an individual who devoted her entire life to bettering them and the art form."

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