Ethan Stiefel

Ethan Stiefel (born 1973 in Tyrone, Pennsylvania) is a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre (ABT).Cite web
title = ABT: Dancers Ethan Stiefel
work = American Ballet Theatre
accessdate = 2008-10-05
url = http://abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=33]

Biography

An only son of a Lutheran minister who became a prison warden in New York, Stiefel began ballet training in Madison, Wisconsin at the Monona Academy of Dance at age eight. He studied for two years at the Milwaukee Ballet School and at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet before moving to New York City to attend ABT's "School of Classical Ballet" and "School of American Ballet" on scholarship.

Career

At age 16, Stiefel joined New York City Ballet as a member of its corps de ballet. While there, Stanley Williams enrolled him in the company's men's special class where he trained alongside Nureyev, Baryshnikov and Bujones.Cite news
last = Verghis
first = Sharon
title = Easy rider filling Nureyev's shoes
work = Sydney Morning Herald
accessdate = 2008-10-05
date = 2007-01-29
url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts/easy-rider-filling-nureyevs-shoes/2007/01/28/1169919211196.html] In 1992, he took a leave of absence to perform with the Zurich Ballet and returned to the NYC Ballet company one year later as a soloist. By 1995, he was a principal dancer with the company. He ended his tenure with the NYC Ballet in April 1997 when he joined ABT as a principal dancer, where he remains today. His dance repertoire includes many key romantic roles in both classical and contemporary ballet.

He won a silver medal at the "Prix de Lausanne" in 1989 and also received a "Princess Grace Foundation-USA" grant in 1991. In 1998, Stiefel was nominated for the "Benois de la Danse Award" as one of the rising stars in ballet.

In 2000, he starred in the film Center Stage, directed by Nicholas Hytner with original choreography by Susan Stroman.imdb name|name=Ethan Stiefel|id=0830059]

In late 2004, "Ballet Pacifica", based in Irvine, California, named him as its artistic director with the aim to relaunch itself as a higher-profile ballet company. In conjunction, Stiefel announced elaborate plans for tours, a larger permanent ensemble of experienced dancers, a longer season and Christmas performances of George Balanchine's "The Nutcracker" at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. However, after the company failed to raise the USD$6.5 million necessary to realize Stiefel's plans, its executive director resigned followed by Stiefel himself in April 2006. [Cite web
last = Mattison
first = Ben
title = Ethan Stiefel's Ballet Pacifica Cancels 2006-07 Season
work = PlaybillArts: News:
accessdate = 2008-10-05
date = 2006-03-27
url = http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/4211.html] [Cite news
edition = Print edition E-2
last = Segal
first = Lewis
title = Sad last act for Ballet Pacifica
work = Los Angeles Times
accessdate = 2008-10-05
date = 2007-03-28
url = http://articles.latimes.com/2007/mar/28/entertainment/et-pacifica28]

In 2007, Stiefel made his debut with the Australian Ballet Company in the heritage ballet, Don Quixote, for its Melbourne and Sydney seasons, in the role of Basilio. He is currently the dean designate of the School of Dance at the "North Carolina School of the Arts" in Winston-Salem and will assume full responsibilities in the 2008-2009 school year.

Trivia

*Last name is pronounced "Stee-full" and is German for "boot."Cite web
last = Freydkin
first = Donna
title = In ballet, on big screen, Ethan Stiefel takes 'Center Stage'
work = CNN.com - Entertainment
accessdate = 2008-10-05
date = 2000-05-11
url = http://archives.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/11/ethan.stiefel/]
*Like the majority of boys who fall into ballet, he fell into classical dance through his older sister who took class. The teacher was interested in getting Ethan to take class because boys in ballet are a rarity. He went on to do ballet professionally. She didn't.
*He and his sister both took gymnastics as very young children.
*Currently dating Gillian Murphy, a fellow ABT principal dancer.
*Is an avid motorcyclist. He grew up riding dirt bikes, currently owns a Harley-Davidson "Wide Glide" and once drove 5600 kilometres across the north-eastern US with girlfriend Gillian Murphy riding pillion
*Is a Green Bay Packers fan.Fact|date=February 2007
*In 2004, created a four-week workshop for aspiring dancers where dance students train and perform with professional ballet dancers. It is held annually on Martha's Vineyard in the month of August. The program accepts students aged 12 to 18. Its rollcall of star guest teachers include Stiefel, Johan Kobborg, Amanda McKerrow, Elizabeth Parkinson, Scott Wise, Marcelo Gomes, John Gardner, Gary Chryst, Ann Reinking, and Alina Cojocaru. [Cite news
last = Temin
first = Christine
title = Another Midwestern male dancer on motorcycle
work = Boston Globe
accessdate = 2008-10-05
date = 2003-10-19
url = http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2003/10/19/another_midwestern_male_dancer_on_motorcycle/] The program is on hiatus in 2008. [Cite web
title = Stiefel & Students
work = Vineyard Arts Project
accessdate = 2008-10-05
url = http://www.vineyardartsproject.org/education/stiefel-students]
*Danced with the short-lived Mikhail Baryshnikov School of Classical Ballet at ABT.
*Is considered to be the most advanced male ballet dancer in the world.Fact|date=May 2007
*There is a "Center Stage" subplot in which Stiefel's character garners the financial support of a flirtatious female philanthropist (played by Elizabeth Hubbard). A New York Times article entitled "How Much Is That Dancer in the Program?" revealed that Stiefel has a similar real-life sponsorship relationship with wealthy philanthropist Anka Palitz. [Cite news
last = Kinetz
first = Erika
title = How Much Is That Dancer In the Program?
work = New York Times
accessdate = 2008-10-05
date = 2004-08-15
url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06E1D61E3CF936A2575BC0A9629C8B63]
*In 2007, Stiefel appeared in an episode of Queer Eye to meet a "straight guy" who considers Stiefel his "idol."

Quotes

*"Somedays, I just don't want to take (ballet) class."
*"After ballet, I'd just want to work on motorcycles. I've got two."
*"American ballet, for me, is Stanley Williams."
*"Baryshnikov was and is my idol. He's the man. He was someone I've looked up to all throughout my life."

References

External links

* [http://abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=33 Official Bio at ABT Website]
*imdb name|name=Ethan Stiefel|id=0830059
*Cite news
last = Wakin
first = Daniel J.
title = Ethan Stiefel of American Ballet Theater Gets Some Good News
work = New York Times
accessdate = 2008-10-05
date = 2006-04-15
url = http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/15/arts/dance/15etha.html?ex=1302753600&en=1e9ed2941c3b538c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss