This week, the American Ballet Theatre announced the promotion of Stella Abrera and Misty Copeland to the rank of Principal Dancer. This is awesome news, as many have noted and celebrated, because Copeland becomes the first black woman in the company's 75-year history to hold the role.
But wait, there's more! The promotion is doubly historic because Ms. Abrera is the ABT's first Filipino American dancer to ascend to the rank of principal, the highest position for a dancer in a ballet company.
Fil-Am ballerina Stella Abrera promoted to principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre
Abrera, who hails from Pasadena, California, began studying dance at age 5 and joined the American Ballet Theatre as a member of its corps de ballet in 1996. She was named a soloist in 2001. This week, she will be performing the title role in ABT's production of Cinderella at the Metropolitan Opera.
