Calvin Royal III

Calvin Royal III (born 1988/89)[1] is an American ballet dancer. He is the third black dancer to be a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre.

Calvin Royal III
Born1988/1989 (age 31–32)
Tampa, Florida
EducationPinellas County Center for the Arts
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
Occupationballet dancer
Years active2007-present
Current groupAmerican Ballet Theatre
Websitewww.calvinroyaliii.com

Early life and training

Royal is from Tampa, Florida.[2] He first studied in piano, and had appeared in a local dance show titled The Chocolate Nutcracker. At age 14, he was recommended to audition for Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School's dance program and was accepted despite his lack of dance training.[3] When he was 17, he competed at the Youth America Grand Prix "just hoping to get feedback". However, he received a scholarship to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York City.[4]

Career

Royal joined ABT II, American Ballet Theatre's second company in 2007,[2] became an apprentice with the main company in 2010, a corps de ballet member in 2011, and soloist in 2017.[5] In 2019, Royal and Misty Copeland became the first black duo in ABT to dance the lead roles in a ballet, by performing Ratmansky's restaging of Harlequinade.[6] Later that year, on his debut as the title role in Balanchine's Apollo, the New York Times wrote that he "is suddenly the most elegant male dancer in the company".[7] In 2020, though his debuts as the lead roles in Giselle and MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic,[8] he was promoted to principal dancer, making him the third black person to reach this rank, after Desmond Richardson and Copeland.[1]

In 2017, Royal performed a pas de deux Balanchine's Agon with New York City Ballet soloist Unity Phelan, with Arthur Mitchell, who originated Royal's role and the first African American dancer with NYCB, in the audience. Mitchell commented the ballet was "in good hands",[9] and later said "If they ever did a film of a young me, it would be Calvin."[10] The following year, after Mitchell's death, Royal and Phelan reprised the Agon pas de deux at his memorial.[11]

Royal had been a frequent performer at the Vail Dance Festival since 2015. He was named artist-in-residence of the festival in 2020.[12] Royal was also handpicked by Copeland to be her partner in performances outside of the company.[6]

Personal life

Royal is openly gay.[3]

He studied at the Long Island University when he was in ABT II and an ABT apprentice, but withdrew when he joined the corps de ballet due to his schedule. He resumed his study through Saint Mary's College of California's LEAP program in 2018 after he became a soloist.[13]

References
  1. Jacobs, Julia (September 10, 2020). "American Ballet Theater Promotes Dancers Despite Pandemic Slump". New York Times.
  2. "Calvin Royal III". American Ballet Theatre. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  3. Harss, Marina (June 11, 2020). "The Singular Elegance of American Ballet Theatre's Calvin Royal III". Dance Magazine. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  4. Fuhrer, Margaret (March 15, 2012). "From JKO to ABT: Calvin Royal III". Pointe Magazine.
  5. Barone, Joshua (July 7, 2020). "American Ballet Theater Promotes 4 Dancers". New York Times.
  6. Bleiberg, Laura (January 19, 2019). "Misty Copeland, Calvin Royal III and the rarity of a black couple dancing lead roles". Los Angeles Times.
  7. Kourlas, Gia (October 24, 2019). "At American Ballet Theater, New Romantics Can't Beat a Greek God". New York Times.
  8. Kaufman, Sarah L. (August 12, 2020). "It wasn't the Met, but for these two dancers finally back onstage, it was two minutes of amazing". The Washington Post.
  9. Brandt, Amy (October 5, 2017). "Arthur Mitchell on "Agon": "My Skin Color Against Hers, It Became Part of the Choreography"". Pointe Magazine.
  10. Kourlas, Gia (January 5, 2018). "Arthur Mitchell, Ballet's 'Grandfather of Diversity'". New York Times.
  11. Howard, Theresa Ruth (December 7, 2018). "Arthur Mitchell's Memorial Was Both A Homegoing & A Homecoming". Dance Magazine.
  12. Libbey, Peter (February 18, 2020). "At Vail Dance Festival, a Season of Premieres and Ballet Stars". New York Times.
  13. Bauer, Claudia (October 10, 2019). "Dancing While Earning a Degree: As LEAP Turns 20, 4 Pros Share How Its Unique Program Works". Pointe Magazine.
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