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A Farewell to Gillian Murphy







Gillian Murphy in Giselle. Photo: Khalid Al-Busaidi.
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A Farewell to Gillian Murphy

On July 18, Principal Dancer Gillian Murphy dances her final performance with American Ballet Theatre. Gillian has enthralled audiences in all the classical ballerina roles, including Princess Aurora, Kitri, Juliet, and Giselle, while also making her mark in more contemporary works such Woolf Works, Pillar of Fire, Fall River Legend, Company B, and In the Upper Room.

Gillian will conclude her ABT career as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, the dual role that has become her signature, showcasing her stunning technique and timeless artistry. As her farewell season approaches, the Company celebrates Gillian’s remarkable career and her contributions to ABT and beyond.

Photo: Gene Schiavone.Photo: Gene Schiavone.
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"Gillian Murphy is one of the great ballerinas of her generation. Her incredible strength and refined technique have been awe-inspiring, and her artistic expression has brought us delightful and magical performances.

She has also been a great influence on our younger generations, as her grace, quiet strength, and humility are her guiding qualities.

After she retires, her gracious and charismatic performances will always remain in my heart and mind. I will sincerely miss watching her dance. "

- Susan Jaffe, ABT Artistic Director

Susan Jaffe and Gillian Murphy in 2023.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

Gillian Murphy in rehearsal with Kevin McKenzie in 2001.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

"There is always a generational shift when an audience realizes a stalwart decides to step down, and Gillian’s retirement is one of those moments. For the Company and audience alike it will be an adjustment because, simply said, Gillian is one of a kind. Loved by her colleagues, admired by choreographers, Gillian is so consistent in her strength of technique, musicality, and the art of having fun while employing her gifts.

ABT has been so fortunate to have her as its flag bearer for 29 years. What a gift for me, as artistic director, and now an audience member, to witness this 16-year-old girl bloom into an artist full of feminine power and infused with grace."

- Kevin McKenzie, Former ABT Artistic Director, 1992-2022

Gillian Murphy as Odette in Swan Lake.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

Gillian Murphy as Odile in Swan Lake.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

"Gillian is a great ballerina. Gillian has been the signature of American Ballet Theatre from the day that she came until today. She is dynamic with great technique, and it was always a pleasure to work with her on and offstage."

- Irina Kolpakova, Principal Répétiteur

Irina Kolpakova in rehearsal with Gillian Murphy.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

Gillian Murphy and Stella Abrera at Gillian’s wedding in 2015.
Photo: Mel Barlow, courtesy of Gillian Murphy.

"Gillian’s meteoric rise through ABT’s ranks to become one of our most beloved long-standing Principal Dancers has been nothing short of extraordinary. Her intellectual curiosity fuels a passion for artistic exploration—each of her roles infused with humanity—while her astonishing technical prowess has dazzled audiences for nearly three decades.

Yet, beneath this brilliance, she remains unassuming and down to earth, inspiring us in her other roles as wife, mother, friend, colleague, mentor, bookworm, and polka-dot lover.

Her legacy will extend beyond the roles she has embodied—it lives in the inspiration she leaves behind, a beacon of artistic excellence and integrity for generations to come. Brava, Gill Gill! We love you! "

- Stella Abrera, Artistic Director, ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School

Stella Abrera and Gillian Murphy in In the Upper Room.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

Misty Copeland, Paloma Herrera, Gillian Murphy, and Sarah Lane in The Bright Stream.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

"Gillian Murphy is one of the most dynamic dancers I’ve had the privilege of working alongside. Her dedication and unwavering consistency throughout her career have set an incredible standard for all of us. Her leadership, both on and off the stage, has been a guiding light for many of us at ABT. Beyond her technical brilliance, she has a heart of gold and a spirit that lifts everyone around her. It has been a joy to share the stage with her."

- Misty Copeland, Principal Dancer

Gillian Murphy and Ethan Stiefel in Don Quixote.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

Gillian Murphy and David Hallberg in Romeo and Juliet.
Photo: Gene Schiavone.

"Gillian Murphy represents everything that makes an ABT star: hard work, undeniable talent, versatility, dramatic depth, virtuosic technique, and that undefinable star quality. Offstage, her humility, sense of humor, and quick wit make her one of my favorite people as well as one of my all-time favorite dancers. She is a goddess among mortals."

- James Whiteside, Principal Dancer

Gillian Murphy and James Whiteside in The Nutcracker.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

Gillian Murphy and Thomas Forster in Giselle.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

"Gillian Murphy is an absolute legend. I feel so incredibly fortunate to partner her in ballets where she was already an icon. Gillian has such a strong technique, match that with her musicality and artistry, and it’s a pure joy to dance alongside her and get lost in the story. I’m forever grateful to Gillian for helping me as an artist and most importantly a friend in this life."

- Thomas Forster, Principal Dancer

Georgina Parkinson, Roman Zhurbin, and Gillian Murphy in Fall River Legend.
Photo: Lois Greenfield.

Gillian Murphy in The Dream.
Photo: Karolina Kuras.

"We were just kids not so long ago, and now I celebrate an extraordinary artist who has grown, inspired, and left a lasting legacy of dedication, passion, and discipline. Something truly valuable for the next generation. Dear Gillian, thank you for 29 incredible years with ABT. I can’t wait to see what’s next for you!"

- Herman Cornejo, Principal Dancer

Herman Cornejo, Gillian Murphy, and Joo Won Ahn in Études.
Photo: Emma Zordan.

Gillian Murphy and Calvin Royal III in Piano Concerto No. 1.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

"The first Principal role I ever danced was as a member of the corps de ballet, opposite Gillian Murphy in Alexei Ratmansky‘s Piano Concerto No. 1. I’ll never forget how excited I felt, not only to be one of the dancers leading the piece but to be performing alongside a person whom I had grown up watching and idolizing. It was one of my first major opportunities in the Company, and I wanted to do my best to shine. With this rare chance at hand, my mindset could easily have taken one of two divergent paths. I could have felt confident with a strong sense of belonging to the role or I could have felt awkward and shy in my attempt to take it on. Had my female partner not been Gillian, it’s very possible that I would have felt the latter.

She was warm and encouraging, open to collaboration and treated me like her equal, even though I was not. Gillian would probably say “Of course, you were rocking it!” but I don’t take her humility and kindness for granted. I have used her as a role model in not only how to go onstage fearlessly but how to treat others as well. I’ve been fortunate enough to know Gillian both onstage and behind the curtain, and contrary to conventional wisdom, it gives me great pleasure to be able to say that this was one hero in my life that I was delighted to meet. "

- Skylar Brandt, Principal Dancer

Gillian Murphy in The Sleeping Beauty.
Photo: Gene Schiavone.

Gillian Murphy in Company B.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

"What a pleasure to have shared the stage with this real Legend inside and outside the stage. Your strength, power, kindness, and laughter will be missed but never forgotten."

- Daniel Camargo, Principal Dancer

Gillian Murphy and Daniel Camargo in Sylvia Pas de Deux.
© The George Balanchine Trust. Photo: Kyle Froman.

Gillian Murphy and Cory Stearns in Pillar of Fire.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

"Gillian was an unassuming young student when she joined our high school program at University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She always came to her many classes, arts and general studies, with enthusiasm and a thirst for learning. She had an uncanny ability to apply, almost assimilate, the directions of the faculty and guest choreographers with whom she worked while a student here. Gillian acquired a brilliant technique through her thoughtful and consistent work ethic. I also remember so strongly that she had the special gift to reach out through the darkness of the theatre to engage in what seemed to be a personal conversation with you as an audience member. She was/is a joy to behold! "

- Susan McCullough, Dean Emeritus, School of Dance UNCSA

Gillian Murphy with students at UNCSA.
Photo: Peter Mueller, courtesy of UNCSA.

Mary Jo Shen, Stella Abrera, and Gillian Murphy.
Photo courtesy of Mary Jo and Ted Shen.

"Congratulations, Gillian, on your stellar career at ABT, throughout which you have thrilled your audiences with your extraordinary artistry, virtuosity, and radiance. We shall always carry your scintillating performances in our memories and are deeply grateful for the special joy and privilege of having served as your ABT sponsors over the past 10 years!"

- Mary Jo and Ted Shen, Gillian's ABT Dancer Sponsors since 2014

James Whiteside, Cory Stearns, Herman Cornejo, Gillian Murphy, and Stella Abrera in Fancy Free.
Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.