Paloma Herrera - American Ballet Theatre

“An extraordinary technician, she consistently offers performances infused with musicality, dramatic fervor and charismatic presence. Not since the young Gelsey Kirkland or Baryshnikov at his peak has a dancer captured the love and adulation of vast audiences through her magnetism and charm. Paloma Herrera's great love of dancing informs her every role, and every role she undertakes is touched by intelligence, technical brilliance and, above all, lustrous artistry”. John Gruen, Life Magazine

Born in Buenos Aires, Paloma Herrera began her ballet studies with Olga Ferri at age 7. As a young dancer, she was a first prize winner at several major competitions in South America, and, at the age of 11, studied at the Minsk Ballet School in Russia before returning to Buenos Aires to dance the role of Cupid in Don Quixote at the Teatro Colon.

Ms. Herrera was a Finalist at the 14th International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria in 1990. After the competition, she was invited by Natalia Makarova to take class with the English National Ballet in London and by Hector Zaraspe to continue her studies at the School of American Ballet in New York. After just six months, Ms. Herrera was selected to dance the leading role in Raymonda at SAB's annual workshop performance. She joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in June of 1991, was promoted to Soloist in June of 1993, and to Principal Dancer in March of 1995.