Sara Mearns

Sara Mearns
Born	Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Occupation	Principal dancer
Current group	New York City Ballet

Sara Ann Mearns is an American ballerina who dances as a principal dancer for the New York City Ballet.^[1] She was born in Columbia, South Carolina, where she began dance training at the age of three. As a teenager Mearns continued her studies with Patricia McBride^[2] and Stanislav Issaev, before entering the School of American Ballet in 2001.^[3] She joined the New York City Ballet as an apprentice in 2003, and became a member of the corps de ballet in 2004.^[1] She made her debut in a leading role just 18 months later in the dual roles of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake at the age of 19.^[4] Mearns was promoted to soloist in 2006 and to principal in 2008.^[5]

In 2013 Mearns starred in A Dancer's Dream, a New York Philharmonic production choreographed by Karole Armitage and conducted by Alan Gilbert, which was broadcast nationally.^[6] In 2015 she made her Broadway debut in the “Lonely Town" pas de deux from the Tony-nominated musical On the Town, choreographed by Joshua Bergasse.^[7]

Repertoire

Ballets by George Balanchine

• Allegro Brillante^[8]
• Apollo: Polyhymnia
• Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet
• Chaconne^[9]
• Concerto Barocco^[10]
• Cortège Hongrois^[11]
• Episodes^[12][13]
• Firebird
• The Four Temperaments: Sanguinic^[14]
• Ivesiana: “In the Inn”
• Jewels: Emeralds,^[15] Diamonds^[16][17]
• Kammermusik no. 2^[18][19]
• Liebeslieder Walzer^[20]
• A Midsummer Night's Dream: Titania^[21]
• Mozartiana^[22]
• The Nutcracker: Sugarplum Fairy,^[23] Dewdrop^[24]
• Orpheus
• The Prodigal Son: Siren
• Raymonda Variations
• Robert Schumann's "Davidsbündlertänze"^[25]
• Serenade^[26]
• Slaughter on Tenth Avenue: Striptease Girl^[27]
• La Sonnambula
• Stars and Stripes
• Swan Lake^[28]
• Symphony in C: Second Movement soloist^[29]
• Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto no. 2^[30]
• Tschaikovsky Suite no. 3
• La Valse^[31]
• Vienna Waltzes: Vienna Woods,^[32] Der Rosenkavalier^[33]
• Walpurgisnacht Ballet^[34]
• Western Symphony: Rondo^[35]
• Who Cares?^[36]

Ballets by Jerome Robbins

• Antique Epigraphs^[37]
• Brahms/Handel (choreographed with Twyla Tharp)
• Dances at a Gathering^[38]
• The Four Seasons: Spring^[39]
• Glass Pieces
• The Goldberg Variations
• In G Major
• In the Night^[40]
• Ives, Songs
• I'm Old Fashioned
• Piano Pieces

Ballets by other choreographers

• Pas de deux from Flower Festival in Genzano (choreography: August Bournonville)^[41]
• The Sleeping Beauty (choreography: Peter Martins, after Marius Petipa, George Balanchine): Lilac Fairy^[42]
• Swan Lake (choreography: Peter Martins, after Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, George Balanchine): Odette/Odile^[43]
• Barber Violin Concerto (choreography: Peter Martins)^[44][45]
• Beethoven Romance (choreography: Peter Martins)
• Chichester Psalms (choreography: Peter Martins)
• Fearful Symmetries (choreography: Peter Martins)
• Morgen (choreography: Peter Martins)
• Naïve and Sentimental Music (choreography: Peter Martins)
• Ocean's Kingdom (choreography: Peter Martins): Honorata (world premiere)^[46]
• Octet (choreography: Peter Martins)
• The Red Violin (choreography: Peter Martins; world premiere)
• Thou Swell (choreography: Peter Martins)
• Concerto DSCH (choreography: Alexei Ratmansky)
• Namouna, A Grand Divertissement (choreography: Alexei Ratmansky; world premiere)^[47]
• Pictures at an Exhibition (choreography: Alexei Ratmansky; world premiere)^[48]
• Russian Seasons (choreography: Alexei Ratmansky)^[49]
• After the Rain (choreography: Christopher Wheeldon)
• An American in Paris (choreography: Christopher Wheeldon)
• Les Carillons (choreography: Christopher Wheeldon; world premiere)^[50]
• DGV: Danse à Grande Vitesse (choreography: Christopher Wheeldon)
• Mercurial Manouevres (choreography: Christopher Wheeldon)
• The Nightingale and The Rose (choreography: Christopher Wheeldon; world premiere)
• Polyphonia (choreography: Christopher Wheeldon)^[51]
• Rococo Variations (choreography: Christopher Wheeldon; world premiere)^[52]
• This Bitter Earth (choreography: Christopher Wheeldon)^[53]
• Why am I not where you are (choreography: Benjamin Millepied; world premiere)^[54]
• The Most Incredible Thing (choreography: Justin Peck)
• Rōdē,ō: Four Dance Episodes (choreography: Justin Peck, world premiere)^[55]
• A Simple Symphony (choreography: Melissa Barak; world premiere)^[56]
• For the Love of Duke (choreography: Susan Stroman; world premiere)^[57]
• The Seven Deadly Sins (choreography: Lynne Taylor Corbett; world premiere)
• Jeux (choreography: Kim Brandstrup; world premiere)^[58]

^[59]

References

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2. Kaufman, Sarah (2 December 2014). "Patricia McBride, passing on Balanchine's torch with joy at Charlotte Ballet". Washington Post. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
3. "Sara Mearns". New York City Ballet. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
4. Harss, Marina. "Sara Mearns – New York City Ballet – Principal". DanceTabs. DanceTabs. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
5. Macaulay, Alastair (20 September 2013). "Movers and Shapers: Sara Mearns". New York Times. New York City, United States.
6. Macaulay, Alastair (30 June 2013). "Via Stravinsky, a Girl and a Doll, Rapturous and Mechanized". New York Times. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
7. Lawrence, Vanessa (28 September 2015). "Sara Mearns Keeps Dancing". W Magazine. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
8. Macaulay, Alastair (25 June 2015). "Sara Mearns, in Her Prime at City Ballet, Inspires Debate and Awe". New York Times. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
9. Macaulay, Alastair (20 October 2014). "A Bountiful Season of Dizzying Challenges and New Peaks". New York Times. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
10. Macaulay, Alastair (1 February 2015). "Bach, Filtered Through Balanchine and Robbins". New York Times. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
11. Macaulay, Alastair (28 February 2011). "At City Ballet This Winter, You Could Sometimes See the Music". New York Times. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
12. Kaufman, Sarah (7 April 2011). "Sarah Kaufman reviews New York City Ballet program with 'Episodes'". Washington Post. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
13. Macaulay, Alastair (12 October 2015). "Five by Balanchine, Stark and Dramatic, at City Ballet". New York Times. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
14. Macaulay, Alastair (25 June 2015). "Sara Mearns, in Her Prime at City Ballet, Inspires Debate and Awe". New York Times. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
15. Kaufman, Sarah (2 April 2014). "At Kennedy Center, New York City Ballet keeps sparkle in Balanchine's creation 'Jewels'". Washington Post. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
16. Witchel, Leigh (6 October 2011). "No stone left unturned". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
17. Macaulay, Alastair (14 June 2011). "From a Season Aloft, High Hopes Linger". New York Times. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
18. Witchel, Leigh (3 May 2012). "Off-balance Balanchine". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
19. Scherr, Apollinaire (25 January 2016). "New York City Ballet, Lincoln Center, New York — 'Waltzes and unstrung steps'". Financial Times. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
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28. Witchel, Leigh (24 January 2013). "At times slow but always Russian". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
29. Kaufman, Sarah (8 April 2015). "New York City Ballet sparkles and blurs in opening program". Washington Post. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
30. Macaulay, Alastair (18 February 2016). "Sugarplum Fairies and Cavaliers Move Ahead at City Ballet". New York Times. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
31. Macaulay, Alastair (5 June 2015). "A Lesson for New York City Ballet: The Past Is Always Present". New York Times. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
32. Gottlieb, Robert (3 March 2009). "City Ballet's Ceaseless Work in Progress". New York Observer. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
33. Macaulay, Alastair (23 May 2011). "A Season Brings New Faces and Insights to Classic Roles". New York Times. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
34. Macaulay, Alastair (10 May 2015). "Serving 4 Helpings of Balanchine, With Thunderbolts and Tornadoes". New York Times. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
35. Witchel, Leigh (10 October 2011). "Changing of the Askegard". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
36. Witchel, Leigh (20 January 2012). "Elegant, fascinatin' dancing starts with Mr. B". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
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38. Witchel, Leigh (20 February 2010). "Out of Robbins nest". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
39. Barnes, Clive (21 January 2008). "Keeping the steps lively". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
40. Barnes, Clive (23 May 2008). "Variety's the spice of Jerome Robbins' works". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
41. Macaulay, Alastair (8 May 2015). "New York City Ballet Performs Bournonville Classics at Spring Gala". New York Times. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
42. Kourlas, Gia (14 February 2013). "Wake Up, Princess, the Spell Is Over". New York Times. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
43. Macaulay, Alastair (23 September 2015). "'Swan Lake' Features an Authoritative Sara Mearns". New York Times. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
44. Witchel, Leigh (16 May 2013). "NYCB spotlights Martins". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
45. Macaulay, Alastair (20 January 2016). "New York City Ballet's Winter Season Blends Movement and Music". New York Times. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
46. Witchel, Leigh (24 September 2011). "McCartney dance adrift". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
47. Gottlieb, Robert (25 May 2010). "City Ballet's Overstuffed New Spring Season". New York Observer. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
48. Macaulay, Alastair (3 October 2014). "The Art Gallery as Spinning Montage". New York Times. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
49. Witchel, Leigh (7 February 2012). "Worth Russian to the ballet". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
50. Gottlieb, Robert (31 January 2012). "Wheeldon by Three: A Triple Bill Brings out the Best in City Ballet's Ballerinas". New York Observer. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
51. Witchel, Leigh (31 January 2012). "Heel breaks loose but the show goes on". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
52. Barnes, Clive (12 February 2008). "Adieu to duo". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
53. Macaulay, Alastair (22 February 2016). "At New York City Ballet, Works That Tell Stories and Don't". Retrieved 21 March 2016.
54. Witchel, Leigh (3 May 2010). "City Ballet is all set at spring gala". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
55. Macaulay, Alastair (25 May 2015). "City Ballet's Spring Season Includes 'N.Y. Export: Opus Jazz'". New York Times. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
56. Witchel, Leigh (19 February 2009). "Simple movements in 'Symphony'". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
57. Witchel, Leigh (1 February 2011). "Stroman forum". New York Post. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
58. Macaulay, Alastair (9 October 2015). "New York City Ballet's 'Jeux' Lets Sara Mearns Shine". New York Times. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
59. "Sara Mearns". New York City Ballet. Retrieved 30 September 2015.