Since its founding, Stars of American Ballet has presented over 80 works including repertory by Petipa, Balanchine, Robbins, Millipied, Wheeldon, Peck and more. Stars travels throughout the United States and abroad to bring the highest caliber of dancers and performances to places that are eager for world-class dance. The program at the Annenberg Center includes George Balanchine’s Tarantella, Apollo Pas de deux, and Diamonds Pas de Deux; Christopher Wheeldon’s Liturgy; Alexei Ratmansky’s Pictures at an Exhibition; Daniel Ulbricht’s Tatum Pole Boogie; and Tres Hombres by Denys Drozdyuk, Lex Ishimoto, and Daniel Ulbricht.
Dancers appearing in this production are Denys Drozdyuk (three-time World Ballroom Champion and co-founder of ballroom dance duo DNA), Joseph Gatti (New York International Ballet Competition Gold Medalist and international guest artist), Sterling Hyltin (NYC Ballet Principal Dancer), Adrian Danchig-Waring (NYC Ballet Principal Dancer), Ask la Cour (NYC Ballet Principal Dancer), Teresa Reichlen (NYC Ballet Principal Dancer), Kristen Segin (NYC Ballet Corps de Ballet member), Antonina Skobina (two-time USA National Ballroom Dance Champion and co-founder of ballroom dance duo DNA), and Daniel Ulbricht (NYC Ballet Principal Dancer and founder and director of Stars of American Ballet).
Founded and directed by New York City Ballet principal dancer Daniel Ulbricht, the mission of Stars of American Ballet is to see people entertained, educated, uplifted and inspired by the art of ballet and great dancing. starsofamericanballet.com
Daniel Ulbricht (Founder/Director/Dancer)
Ulbricht was born in St. Petersburg, Florida and began his dance training at the age of 11. At age 16, Ulbricht was invited by the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, to continue his training. As a student at SAB, Ulbricht performed with New York City Ballet as a Jester in Peter Martins’ The Sleeping Beauty. In December 2000, he became an apprentice with New York City Ballet and in November 2001, he joined the company as a member of the corps de ballet.
In January 2005, Ulbricht was promoted to the rank of soloist and then principal dancer in May 2007. During his time there, he danced featured roles in many Balanchine, Robbins, Martins and Wheeldon ballets including George Balanchine’s Prodigal Son, Tarantella, Stars and Stripes, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mozartiana, Nutcracker, Symphony in 3, The Steadfast Tin Soldier; Jerome Robbins’s Fancy Free, Interplay, Suite of Dances, Four Seasons; and Peter Martins’s Jeu de Cartes, Hallelujah Junction, Eight More, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo + Juliet. Ulbricht danced Tarantella at the 2004 Kennedy Center Honors to celebrate the Balanchine Centenary. He has also performed at a number of national and international festivals and galas. Ulbricht is a guest teacher at the School of American Ballet and Ballet Academy East, as well as a teaching artist at a number of well-known national dance schools, private schools and universities throughout the United States. Ulbricht is currently the Artistic Advisor of Manhattan Youth Ballet and the Artistic Director of New York State Summer School for the Arts in Saratoga Springs, NY. He is also the founder and director of Stars of American Ballet, a touring group focusing on high art, education and outreach. Ulbricht is the co-founder and producer of Dance Against Cancer, an annual benefit for the American Cancer Society. danielulbricht.com
