Abi Stafford - New York City Ballet

Abi Stafford

Photo © Paul Kolnik 
Background
Born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Abi Stafford began her dance training at the age of six with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet in Carlisle, under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary. Ms. Stafford entered the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, full time in the fall of 1998. At SAB, she performed the role of Clarinet in Jerome Robbins' Fanfare and a role in Christopher Wheeldon's Scénes de Ballet for the SAB's Annual Workshop performances. Ms. Stafford was invited to become an apprentice with New York City Ballet in November 1999 and joined the corps de ballet in January 2000. She was promoted to the rank of soloist in January 2002 and principal dancer in December 2007.
Featured Roles Since Joining NYCB

Ms. Stafford has performed featured roles in:

George Balanchine's:

  • Ballo della Regina
  • Coppélia (Dawn)
  • Cortège Hongrois
  • Divertimento No. 15
  • Episodes
  • The Four Temperaments
  • George Balanchine's The Nutcracker™ (Sugarplum Fairy and Dewdrop)
  • Jewels (Emeralds)
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream (Hermia)
  • Raymonda Variations
  • Robert Schumann's "Davidsbündlertänze"
  • La Source
  • Square Dance
  • Stars and Stripes
  • Swan Lake
  • Symphony in C (First and Third Movements)
  • Symphony in Three Movements
  • Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3 (Theme and Variations)
  • Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux
  • Union Jack
  • Valse-Fantaisie
  • Walpurgisnacht Ballet
  • Western Symphony (First Movement)
  • Who Cares?

Melissa Barak's:

  • A Simple Symphony

August Bournonville's:

  • Flower Festival in Genzano (Pas de Deux)

Miriam Mahdaviani's:

  • Appalachia Waltz

Peter Martins':

  • A Fool for You
  • The Chairman Dances
  • Fearful Symmetries
  • The Sleeping Beauty (Princess Florine, Ruby, and Vivacity)
  • Swan Lake (Pas de Trois and Pas de Quatre)
  • The Waltz Project

Angelin Preljocaj's:

  • La Stravaganza

Jerome Robbins':

  • Dances at a Gathering
  • Fanfare (Clarinet)
  • Glass Pieces
  • The Goldberg Variations
  • Piano Pieces

and  Christopher Wheeldon's:

  • Klavier
  • Mercurial Manoeuvres

Ms. Stafford originated featured roles in:

  • Stephen Baynes's Twilight Courante 
  • Jiři Bubeniček's:Toccata 
  • Mr. Martins' Viva Verdi 
  • Kevin O'Day's Swerve Poems
  • Alexei Ratmansky's Russian Seasons 

Ms. Stafford originated corps roles in:

  • Melissa Barak's Telemann Overture Suite in E Minor
  • Eliot Feld's Organon
  • Mr. Martins' Hallelujah Junction (NYCB premiere)
  • Christopher Wheeldon's Mercurial Manoeuvres
Honors
Ms. Stafford was named the Janice Levin Dancer for the 2000-2001 season. In spring 2003 Ms. Stafford was awarded the 2003 Martin E. Segal Award, which acknowledges the exemplary achievement of young artists.
Additional Information
She is the sister of NYCB Principal Dancer Jonathan Stafford.