Ballerina Ashley Bowder will retire subsequent month after a 25-year profession with New York Metropolis Ballet, together with 20 years as a principal dancer, the corporate introduced Wednesday.
“It is slightly surreal,” Bowder mentioned in an interview. “I am form of upset about it. I am excited to do it and see what I can do after that, nevertheless it’s slightly tough.”
The announcement comes on an auspicious date for each Bouder and New York Metropolis Ballet: Bouder was promoted to principal dancer precisely 20 years in the past in 2005, and January 22 is the birthday of George Balanchine, the corporate’s founding choreographer.
On Feb. 13, Bowder, 41, will give her farewell efficiency within the title function of Balanchine’s “Firebird,” which she first carried out in 2001, lower than a yr after becoming a member of the corporate.
“It is one thing that is been a part of my soul eternally,” she mentioned.
Bowder was solely 17 when she was forged in it first performanceafter the dancer who was purported to carry out the lead function fell in poor health. She realized the function in two hours—an hour to be taught two solos and an hour to be taught the pas de deux. And since she was new to Stravinsky’s music, she was pushed from the wing to begin on the suitable notice. She danced “Firebird” with quite a few companions within the years since.
“That is what I at all times thought I might be dancing in my final present,” she mentioned. “I actually did not contemplate the rest.”
Bowder, Metropolis Ballet’s oldest ballerina, joined the corporate at age 16 in a summer season program on the firm’s affiliated Faculty of American Ballet in 1999. She has been invited to proceed her research this winter and shortly flying via the ranks: appointed as an apprentice at Metropolis Ballet in June 2000. and a member of the corps de ballet a couple of months later. She was then promoted to soloist in 2004. and in principal the next yr.
Critics usually praised her stage prowess. Writing for The New York Occasions, Gia Kourlas known as Bouder a “technical power” in 2016 and Alistair Macaulay praised her as “brilliant virtuoso dancer” round this time. Bowder too protected women in ballet, calling for gender equality within the firm and spotlights feminine composers and choreographers in her tasks exterior the corporate.
Though she’ll be saying goodbye to the Lincoln Middle stage, Bouder plans to maintain dance near her coronary heart. After her closing bow, she mentioned she would spend her time choreographing and educating and proceed her work with Ashley Bowder Arts Projectthe corporate she based to advertise range within the performing arts world.
“It’s totally symbolic,” Bowder mentioned of her newest function with Metropolis Ballet. “The firebird, you realize, it provides its feathers, it provides itself, and ultimately it has nothing left. I really feel prefer it’s form of a poetic strategy to finish a profession.”
