Sara Mearns - New York City Ballet

Sara Mearns
mearns.jpg
Photo © Paul Kolnik 
Background
Sara Mearns was born in Columbia, South Carolina, and began her dance training at the age of three with Ann Brodie at the Calvert-Brodie School of Dance, also in Columbia. At the age of 13, Ms. Mearns trained with Patricia McBride at Dance Place, the School of North Carolina Dance Theatre, in Charlotte. She continued her studies at age 14 with Stanislav Issaev at the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities in Greenville. Ms. Mearns entered the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, full time in the fall of 2001. In the fall of 2003 Ms. Mearns became an apprentice with New York City Ballet. As an apprentice, Ms. Mearns danced a featured role in Michel Fokine's Chopiniana, performed by SAB as part of New York City Ballet's 2004 winter season. In June of 2004, Ms. Mearns joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet. In March of 2006 she was promoted to soloist. In June 2008 Ms. Mearns was promoted to principal.
Featured Roles Since Joining NYCB

Since joining New York City Ballet, Ms. Mearns has performed featured roles in:

George Balanchine’s:

  • Apollo
  • Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet
  • Episodes
  • George Balanchine's The NutcrackerTM  (Sugarplum Fairy)
  • "Emeralds" and "Diamonds" from Jewels
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream (Titania)
  • Orpheus
  • Robert Schumann's "Davidsbündlertänze"
  • Serenade
  • Slaughter on Tenth Avenue
  • La Sonnambula
  • Stars and Stripes
  • Swan Lake
  • Symphony in C (Second Movement)
  • Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3
  • Western Symphony (Rondo)
Melissa Barak's:
  • A Simple Symphony

Peter Martins':

  • Chichester Psalms
  • Octet
  • Swan Lake (Odette/Odile)
  • Thou Swell

Jerome Robbins':

  • Dances at a Gathering
  • The Four Seasons (Spring)
  • The Goldberg Variations
  • Ives, Songs

Richard Tanner's:

  • Sonatas and Interludes

and Christopher Wheeldon's:

  • An American in Paris

Ms. Mearns originated a featured role in:

  • Mr. Martins’ The Red Violin
  • Mr. Wheeldon's The Nightingale and The Rose, Rococo Variations

She originated corps roles in:

  • Peter Martins' Chichester Psalms
  • Susan Stroman's Double Feature
Other Performances
She performed in NYCB's Education Department lectures in January of 2003. Ms. Mearns also danced on a performance tour with North Carolina Dance Theatre in the winter of 1999.
Honors
Ms. Mearns is a 2003 recipient of the Mae L. Wien Award and a 2003 nominee for the Princess Grace Award.