In September, American Ballet Theatre announced the promotion of Calvin Royal III, making him the company’s first Black male Principal Dancer in over two decades. Royal joins Misty Copeland in the roster of American Ballet Theatre’s principal dancers.
Royal joined the main Company as an apprentice in October 2010 and the corps de ballet in April 2011. He was appointed a Soloist in September 2017. His repertoire with the Company includes the title role in Apollo, a Cavalier in Cinderella, Dorcon in Daphnis and Chloe, Espada in Don Quixote, the third sailor in Fancy Free, Persian Man in The Golden Cockerel, Pierrot in Alexei Ratmansky’s Harlequinade, Reverend Brocklehurst in Jane Eyre, Lescaut in Manon, the Recruit in Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker, a Carnival Dancer in Othello, Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, the Spanish Prince and Prince Fortune in The Sleeping Beauty, von Rothbart, Benno and the Spanish Dance in Swan Lake, Jaseion in Sylvia, Prince Coffee and Prince Cocoa in Whipped Cream, leading roles in Bach Partita, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Her Notes, Piano Concerto #1, Seven Sonatas, Symphonic Variations and Thirteen Diversions and featured roles in AfterEffect, Black Tuesday, Clear, Company B, Deuce Coupe, Duets, In the Upper Room, Raymonda Divertissements and Sinfonietta.
