Eleanor D'Antuano

Eleanor D'Antuono was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and studied dance with Maria Papporello and E. Virginia Williams, who later founded the Boston Ballet. At the age of 14, she began her professional career with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Within two years, she was performing solo roles in the company's full repertoire. She performed for a year with the Joffrey Ballet, and then joined American Ballet Theatre as a soloist in 1961. She was promoted to principal dancer in 1963. She received accolades from public and press alike during her 20 years as a principal dancer with ABT where she performed leading roles in the great classics: Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Giselle, Coppelia, Les Sylphides, and Raymonda among countless other roles.

Many leading choreographers created original roles for Ms. D'Antuono in ballets such as Alvin Ailey's The River, Brahms Quartet, Elektra, Balladen de Lieber, Kinderzanen, and Lorenzo Monreal's Romeo and Juliet. In addition, Ms. D'Antuono's repertoire includes La Bayadere, Etudes, Jardin Aux Lilas, Paquita, Theme and Variations, and the grand pas de deux from Le Corsaire, Diane and Acteon, and Don Quixote.

Her dancing was marked by fiery virtuosity, unique lyricism, and bravura technique. "Eleanor D'Antuono has long been one of the glories of American Ballet Theatre. She has a style and beauty that are all her own…her technique is stunning," noted The New York Times.

Ms. D'Antuono brought the best of American ballet to audiences overseas and behind the Iron Curtain. She appeared at the International Ballet Festival in Havana for several years. She was the first American ballerina to appear as a guest artist with the legendary Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, and the first American ballerina to perform in mainland China.

A much sought after partner, Ms. D'Antuono danced with Rudolf Nureyev, Paolo Bortoluzzi, Fernando Bujones, Alexander Goudunov, and many other stars of the ballet world.

Since her retirement from active performing, Ms. D'Antuono has been Artistic Director to Festival Dance Theatre and Artistic Advisor to the New Jersey Ballet. She is the Resident Coach and Artistic Advisor for the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts. Ms. D'Antuono is highly in demand to coach professional and regional ballet companies nationwide and has staged many classical ballets. Her affiliations include serving on the board for the Harkness Ballet Foundation, New York State Council of the Arts, Artistic Director of the New York International Ballet Competition, member of The Joffrey Ballet School and Artistic Director of the Joffrey Workshop Texas.

Ms. D'Antuono celebrated 50 years of dance in 2004. She was honored at a gala performance in Torrington, Connecticut, on August 14 at the newly renovated Warner Theatre, with performances by dancers from American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet Chicago, New Jersey Ballet, Miami City Ballet and more. She was recently awarded the unique title of Femmes Mystique, Legendary Woman, by UNIFEM, a division of the United Nations.