Luciana Paris

Photo: Jade Young.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Luciana Paris began her ballet training at the age of seven with Elena Perez.  From 1991-1996 she studied at the Colon Theater Superior de Art Institute with Katty Gallo and Raul Candal.  Paris is a recipient of a Colon Theater Foundation Scholarship, based on her outstanding qualifications at Colon Theater Superior Ballet Institute.  She won a Gold Medal at the Latin American Dance Competition in 1995.

In 1996, Paris was invited by Maximiliano Guerra to join Ballet Camara and tour with the company in Argentina.  She then joined the Teatro Colon Ballet as a soloist where she performed the role of Red Riding Hood in The Sleeping Beauty.

In December 1996, Paris joined Julio Bocca’s Ballet Argentino as a principal dancer and became Bocca’s dance partner.  Ballet Argentino’s Artistic Director was Lidia Segni, and William Burman as Ballet Master.  From 1997 to 2001, Paris and Julio Bocca danced together a vast classical, neoclassical and modern repertoire including the Don Quixote Grand Pas de Deux, Coppélia Pas de Deux, The Nutcracker Pas de Deux, Black Swan Pas de Deux, Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, Paquita, George Balanchine’s Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux and Donizetti Variations, Mauro Bigonzetti’s Interlaced Symphony, Martha Graham’s Diversion of Angels – the white couple – and Acts of Lights – Lament – (both staged by Peggy Lyman); Jean Pierre Aviotte’s Birdy, Maurico Wainrot’s From far Away and Echoes, Oscar Araiz’s Tango, Ana Maria Stekelman’s Zita, Alberto Mendez’ Late at Nap and Suite Generis, Ricky Pashkus’ Muchacha Ojos de Papel, Kevin O’Day’s Blood Grover, and many others.  Paris’ repertoire with Ballet Argentino company also included Myrta in Ballet Argentino’s production of Giselle at the Luna Park Buenos Aires featuring Alessandra Ferri in the title role.

Paris went on many national tours in Argentina and international tours around the world with Julio Bocca and the Ballet Argentino, including Greece, Brazil, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, Germany, the United States, Israel, Thailand, France, Cuba, Panama, Singapore, and Chile.

Paris appeared at the 1997 Birmingham Ballet Gala in England dancing the Coppélia Pas de Deux with Julio Bocca.

Paris joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in October 2001. She was appointed a Soloist in August 2015.  Her repertoire with the Company includes Mercedes, a flower girl, and the lead gypsy in Don Quixote; the first Shade variation, the small Pas d’Action, and the lead D’Jampe in La Bayadère; an Odalisque and the Lead Pirate Woman in Le Corsaire; the pas de trois, the Spanish Princess, the Spanish Dance, and a cygnet in Swan Lake; First Girl in Fancy Free; Flower Girl in Gaîté Parisienne, Bathilde, Moyna, the peasant pas de deux, and a friend of Giselle in Giselle; The Old Mother in The Green Table; Prudence in Lady of the Camellias; Her Other Stepsister and Moss in James Kudelka’s Cinderella; Prayer, Mazurka Lady, and Lead Mazurka/Czardas in Coppélia; Nacha in Like Water for Chocolate; Columbine, Spanish Dance, and one of the Nutcracker’s Sisters in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker; Sergiy’s Mother in On the Dnipro, Bianca and a Carnival Dancer in Othello; the Third Duet in The Leaves Are Fading; the Lead Polovtsian Girl in the Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor; Lady Capulet, Nurse, a Harlot and Rosaline in Romeo and Juliet; Diamond Fairy, Fleur de farine (Wheat flower), and Silver Fairy in Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty; Persephone in Sylvia; the cowgirl in Agnes de Mille’s Rodeo; a Can-Can Lady in The Merry Widow; the Lead Saracen Dancer in Raymonda; Zina’s friend in Ratmansky’s The Bright Stream; Princess Praline in Ratmansky’s Whipped Cream; Bertha Mason in Cathy Marston’s Jane Eyre; and leading roles in Antony Tudor’s Pillar of Fire, Jardin aux Lilas, and Dark Elegies; Twyla Tharp’s Deuce Coupe, Sinatra Suite, In the Upper Room, Bach Partita, Brief Fling, The Brahms-Hayden Variations, Rabbit and Rogue, and Baker’s Dozen; Ratmansky’s Symphony #9, Dumbarton, Firebird, The Bright Stream, and Seven Sonatas; Jiří Kylián’s Petit Mort and Sinfonietta; Paul Taylor’s Company B, Airs, and Black Tuesday; George Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante, Theme and Variations, Symphonie Concertante, Symphony in C, Ballet Imperial, and Ballo della Regina; Merce Cunningham’s Duets; James Kudelka’s Désir; Harald Lander’s Études; Jorma Elo’s Glow – Stop; Mark Morris’ Gong; Aszure Barton’s One of Three; Irina Kolpakova and Kevin McKenzie’s Raymonda Divertissements; Liam Scarlett’s With a Chance of Rain; and Frederick Ashton’s Symphonic Variations.

Paris created a Consort in Tharp’s A Gathering of Ghosts, Callirhoe’s Maid in Ratmansky’s Of Love and Rage, Snow in Ratmansky’s The Seasons, leading roles in Robert Hill’s Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra (World Premiere at New York City Center in 2002) and Jessica Lang’s ZigZag, and a featured role in Marcelo Gomes’ AfterEffect. 

She appeared with Project Ballet Theatre, Artistic Director Robert Hill, Artistic Associate Georgina Parkinson, at the Ballet Hawaii Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall (Honolulu) and at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center (Maui) – Hawaii, 2002.

Paris danced Twyla Tharp’s Sinatra Suite with Marcelo Gomes at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts Gala Opening in Las Vegas, March 20, 2012 and at the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors when Tharp was one of the six Honorees, broadcast on CBS on December 30, 2008.  Paris also danced Sinatra Suite at the New York City Center with José Carreño in 2006 – Carreño’s debut in Sinatra Suite – at the 2011 ABT Fall Season Opening Night Gala with Herman Cornejo, and at the 2012 Fall for Dance Festival at New York City Center, also with Herman Cornejo.

Paris’ guest appearances include the Don Quixote Grand Pas de Deux and Le Corsaire Pas de Deux at Teatro Ciudad de las Artes (Argentina) with Colon Theater principal Federico Fernandez (2012); Giselle in Giselle with Roddy Doble as Albrecht, with Southhold Dance Theater (2012); Tharp’s Known by Heart pas de deux and Gemma Bond’s Manner with the Ballet Manchester at the Southern Vermont Arts Center; the premiere of David Fernandez’s Libertango, with New York City Ballet principal Gonzalo Garcia; at the El Museo del Barrio Theater (New York 2012); the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Southhold Dance Theater’s production of The Nutcracker in 2010 with ABT’s Sean Stewart as the Cavalier, in the Houston Repertoire Ballet’s production of the same title in 2009, with former ABT Soloist Jared Matthews as her partner; and also in 2003 with Colin County Ballet’s production, dancing the Grand Pas de Deux with former ABT Soloist Jesus Pastor.

Paris also toured Spain as a guest dancer with Angel Corella’s company several times, dancing George Balanchine’s Who Cares? with Herman Cornejo, among other other roles.

In 2012 American Ballet Theatre designated Paris as a Certified Teacher.

ABT is grateful to Jill S. Slater for supporting the Dancer Fund in honor of Luciana Paris.