Petra Conti
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Petra Conti (born April 30, 1988) is an Italian ballerina. She is a former principal dancer with
Los Angeles Ballet Los Angeles Ballet (LAB) is a classical ballet company based in Los Angeles. While rehearsals take place at the Los Angeles Ballet Center, the company tours its performances to venues across the metropolitan area, including the Dolby Theatre, Pas ...
, the
Boston Ballet The Boston Ballet is an American professional classical ballet company based in Boston, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1963 by E. Virginia Williams and Sydney Leonard, and was the first professional repertory ballet company in New England. ...
and
La Scala Theatre Ballet The La Scala Theatre Ballet () is the resident classical ballet company at La Scala in Milan, Italy. One of the oldest and most renowned ballet companies in the world, the company pre-dates the theatre, but was officially founded at the inaugura ...
. She is now the artistic director of her own ballet company, Hollywood Ballet. Before being promoted to principal dancer, she danced as a member of the corps de ballet with the
Bavarian State Ballet The Bavarian State Ballet () is a professional ballet company in Munich, Germany. It was founded in 1988 by Konstanze Vernon as an independent company. The ballet had previously been part of the ''Bayerische Staatsoper''. In a broader sense, Bav ...
. She has danced as a guest principal dancer with Arena di Verona, the Great Russian Ballet, the National Opera of Ukraine, the Ballet Opera of Istanbul, the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Albania in Tirana and toured all around the world. Since 2014 she holds the title of Ambassador of the Italian Ballet around the World.


Early life

Petra Conti was born on April 30, 1988, in Anagni but she grew up in Frosinone, Italy. Her father is Italian and her mother is Polish. Her mother and sister trained at the Academy of Ballet in Poland. She trained at Szewczenko M.M. Scholl of Ballet, until she moved to Italy. In 2006 she graduated with honors from the National Dance Academy in Rome. She is a naturalized American citizen since March 2021.


Career

Petra Conti graduated at the National Academy of Dance in Rome under the coaching of legendary Maestro Zarko Prebil and later joined the
Mariinsky Ballet The Mariinsky Ballet () is the resident classical ballet company of the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russian Ballet, the Mariinsky Ballet is one of the world's ...
as a trainee, where she was assigned to work with Prima Ballerin
Elvira Tarasova
now the coach of Maria Khoreva. At seventeen years old she was invited to dance as guest star in the
Arena di Verona The Verona Arena is a Roman amphitheatre located in the historic center of Verona, an iconic symbol of the Venetian city alongside the figures of Romeo and Juliet. It stands as one of the grand structures that defined Roman architecture and i ...
Ballet's ''
Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...
''. In 2008 she was a company member of the
Bavarian State Ballet The Bavarian State Ballet () is a professional ballet company in Munich, Germany. It was founded in 1988 by Konstanze Vernon as an independent company. The ballet had previously been part of the ''Bayerische Staatsoper''. In a broader sense, Bav ...
and a trainee at the Mariinsky Ballet. In 2009 she joined
La Scala Theatre Ballet The La Scala Theatre Ballet () is the resident classical ballet company at La Scala in Milan, Italy. One of the oldest and most renowned ballet companies in the world, the company pre-dates the theatre, but was officially founded at the inaugura ...
and was promoted to the rank of principal dancer in 2011. In 2013 Conti was invited by
Mikko Nissinen Mikko Nissinen (born 4 March 1962) is a Finnish ballet dancer. He has danced with the Dutch National Ballet and San Francisco Ballet. He is the Artistic Director of Boston Ballet, a position he has held since 2002. Born and raised in Finland, Nis ...
to join the
Boston Ballet The Boston Ballet is an American professional classical ballet company based in Boston, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1963 by E. Virginia Williams and Sydney Leonard, and was the first professional repertory ballet company in New England. ...
as a principal dancer. She danced as a principal dancer with the company until 2017. Later that year she joined the
Los Angeles Ballet Los Angeles Ballet (LAB) is a classical ballet company based in Los Angeles. While rehearsals take place at the Los Angeles Ballet Center, the company tours its performances to venues across the metropolitan area, including the Dolby Theatre, Pas ...
as a resident principal guest dancer. She has danced alongside ballet stars
Roberto Bolle Roberto Bolle (born 26 March 1975) is an Italian danseur. He is a principal dancer ''étoile'' at La Scala Theatre Ballet. Bolle also dances regularly as a guest artist with the world’s leading companies, including The Royal Ballet, the Ma ...
, Ivan Vassiliev, Zachary Catazaro, Massimo Murru, Daniel Camargo, Eris Nezha, Alexander Stoyanov, Stanislav Olshanskyi and many more. Among the awards she received, the 2018 Glamour Talent Award, the 2007 and 2018 Positano Award, the Danza e Danza Award for Best Performer of 2011, the 2012 Roma in Dance Award, the 2013 Ciociaria Prize and the 2017 Capri Award. Her name is mentioned in numerous ballet publications, and she has been featured in several TV programs and documentaries, including one on SKY Classica about her rendition of
Giselle ''Giselle'' ( , ), originally titled ''Giselle, ou les Wilis'' (; ''Giselle, or The Wilis''), is a romantic ballet () in two acts with music by Adolphe Adam. Considered a masterwork in the classical ballet performance canon, it was first perfor ...
,
Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...
and
Don Quixote , the full title being ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'', is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is considered a founding work of Western literature and is of ...
. She modelled fo
Discount Dance Supply
and was chosen as testimonial for fashion brands such a
FurlaMAX&Co.BaguttaDansez-Vous?
From 2017 to 2019 she was an artistic consultant at the State Ballet Academ
Educandato agli Angeli
in Verona, Italy. She is a resident ballet coach a
Pasadena Civic Ballet
and a guest ballet coach for University of South Carolina, Orange County School of the Arts, Master Ballet Academy and Southeastern School of Ballet. She served as
ballet judge
for the 2023 Youth American Grand Prix. From 2009 until 2011 Conti studied dramatic arts with Kuniaki Ida at the
Arsenale Theater The Venetian Arsenal () is a complex of former shipyards and armories clustered together in the city of Venice in northern Italy. Owned by the state, the Arsenal was responsible for the bulk of the Venetian Republic's naval power from the Late ...
in Milan. She has been named the Anna Magnani of Ballet (Panorama Magazine, 2012) for her interpretational skills. In 2023 she founde
Hollywood Ballet
a ballet company based in Los Angeles.


Documentary and TV Show

She was the subject of a 2010
Sky Italia Sky Italia S.r.l. is an Italian satellite television platform owned by the American media conglomerate Comcast. Sky Italia also broadcasts three national free-to-air television channels: TV8, Cielo, and Sky TG24. Pay TV services on the Sky ...
documentary titled ''Dancers of Tomorrow'' which focused on her performances in ''
Giselle ''Giselle'' ( , ), originally titled ''Giselle, ou les Wilis'' (; ''Giselle, or The Wilis''), is a romantic ballet () in two acts with music by Adolphe Adam. Considered a masterwork in the classical ballet performance canon, it was first perfor ...
'', ''
Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...
'', and ''
Don Quixote , the full title being ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'', is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is considered a founding work of Western literature and is of ...
''. At age fifteen Conti was introduced by Italian iconic TV host
Raffaella Carrá Raffaella is a Hebrew female name taken from the male name Rafael, meaning "God has healed". ;People *Raffaella Baracchi (born 1964), retired Italian actress *Raffaella Barker (born 1964), English author *Raffaella Brutto (born 1988), Italian sno ...
on her Show
Sogni
' as "the future of Italian ballet in the world". In the show, teenage Conti was sent on a dream trip to Russia to dance a pas de deux alongside ballet superstar
Roberto Bolle Roberto Bolle (born 26 March 1975) is an Italian danseur. He is a principal dancer ''étoile'' at La Scala Theatre Ballet. Bolle also dances regularly as a guest artist with the world’s leading companies, including The Royal Ballet, the Ma ...
.


Personal life

Conti is married to principal dancer
Eris Nezha Eris most often refers to: * Eris (mythology) or , the goddess of discord in Greek mythology * Eris (dwarf planet), the second-largest known dwarf planet in the Solar System Eris may also refer to: Fictional characters * Eris Vanserra, the eldes ...
. They reside in Los Angeles with their three rescue cats Frida, Misiu and Romeo. She is currently earning her bachelor's degree in Science of Leadership at
Northeastern University Northeastern University (NU or NEU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded by the Boston Young Men's Christian Association in 1898 as an all-male instit ...
. In 2016 Conti underwent surgery for
kidney cancer Kidney cancer, also known as renal cancer, is a group of cancers that starts in the kidney. Symptoms may include blood in the urine, a lump in the abdomen, or back pain. Fever, weight loss, and tiredness may also occur. Complications can include ...
. A cancer survivor, she has teamed up wit
CURE Childhood Cancer
fo
Pointe Shoes for A Cure
a charity that raises funds through the sales of her autographed pointe shoes.


Repertoire

Source: * Giselle - Giselle (chor. Yvette Chauvirè) * Kitri - Don Quixotte (chor. Rudolf Nureyev) * Juliet - Romeo and Juliet (chor. Kenneth MacMillan) * Tatiana - Onegin (chor. John Cranko) * Jewels - Emerald: I, II couple (chor. Balanchine) * Raymonda, Clemence – Raymonda (chor. Petipa-Vicharev) * Lady of the Camellias - Lady of the Camellias (chor. Val Caniparoli) * Civilization, Folgore - Excelsior (chor. Dell'Ara) * * Titania - A Midsummer night dream (chor. Balanchine) * Aurora - Sleeping Beauty (chor. Christensen after Petipa) * * Albachiara - L'altra Metá del Cielo (chor. Clarke, music Vasco Rossi) * * Marguerite - Marguerite and Armand (chor. Frederick Ashton) * * Principal Couple - Concerto DSCH (chor. Alexei Ratmansky) * * Juliette - Romèo et Juliette (chor. Sasha Waltz) * * Esmeralda - Notre-Dame de Paris (chor. Roland Petit) * * Odette/Odile - Swan Lake (chor. Rudolf Nureyev) * * In the Middle Somewhat Elevated (chor. William Forsythe) * * Odette/Odile - Swan Lake (chor. Mikko Nissinen) * * Prima Ballerina - Etudes (chor. Harald Lander) * * Sugar Plum Fairy, Snow Queen - Nutcracker (chor. Mikko Nissinen) * * The Puppet Couple - Bella Figura (chor. Jiri Kylian) * * Fairy Godmother - Cinderella (chor. Frederick Ashton) * * Belong Pas de Deux (chor. Norbert Vesak) * * Bach Cello Suites (chor. Jorma Elo) * * Eventide (chor. Helen Pickett) * * Glove Seller - Gaîté Parisienne (chor. Leonide Massine) * * Posthorn - Third Symphony of Gustav Mahler (chor. John Neumeier) * * Pas de Quatre (chor. Leonid Yacobson) * * Cinderella - Cinderella (chor. Maria Grazia Garofoli) * * Giselle - Giselle (chor. Maria Grazia Garofoli) * * * Sanguinic - The Four Temperaments (chor. Balanchine) * * Second to Last (chor. Alejandro Cerrudo) * * This is You - (chor. Menghan Lou) * * Marie, Rose, Arabian Queen - Nutcracker (chor. Thordal Christensen) * * Odette/Odile - Swan Lake (chor. Thordal Christensen) * * Second Movement - Western Symphony (chor. George Balanchine) * * Les Chambres des Jacques (chor. Aszure Barton) * * Serenade (chor. Balanchine) * * La Sylphide (chor. Bournonville) * * Aegina - Spartakus (chor. Anatoly Shekera) * * Zingarella - La Traviata (chor. Giuseppe Picone) * * Rusalka - Forest Song (chor. Vronsky Vakhtang) * * Time (chor. Eris Nezha) * * Blackstone (chor. Gianluca Schiavoni) * * Agon (chor. George Balanchine) * * Terpsichore - Apollo (chor. George Balanchine) * * First Violin - Concerto Barocco (chor. George Balanchine) * * Nikiya - La Bayadere (chor. M. Petipa) * * Marguerite - Lady of the Camellias (chor. Val Caniparoli) * * Ghosts - Main Couple (chor. Christopher Wheeldon) * * Fool’s Paradise - Slow Couple (chor. Christopher Wheeldon)


International Performances and Galas

Source:https://www.petraconti.com/ * Danza in Fiera (Firenze, 2023) * * The Golden Swan Gala (Phoenix, 2022) * * Comacchio in Danza (Comacchio, 2022) * * Danza nel Vento (Santa Teresa di Gallura, 2022) * * The Petra Conti Show (Los Angeles, 2019) * * Ballet Open Space (Kyiv, Ukraine 2019) * * The Global Ballet Holidays (Moscow, 2019) * * Les Fleurs de Ballet (Toronto, Canada 2018) * * Alicia Alonso 26th International Ballet Festival in Havana (Cuba, 2018) * * Kremlin Gala - Stars of the XXI Century (Moscow-Kremlin, 2015) * * Ballet Now Stars Gala (Los Angeles, 2015) * * Bolle and Friends Summer Tour (Italy, 2014) * * Les Hivernales de la Danse (Liège, Belgium, 2013) * * Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience (Dubai, 2013) * * Spring & Winter Gala (Ekaterinburg, 2013, 2012) * * Gala des Etoiles (Goiania, Brazil, 2012) * * Vladimir Vassiliev Gala (Rome, 2011) * * The 150th Anniversary of Unità d'Italia (Roma, 2011) * * Nijinski Gala (Hamburg, 2009) * * Women on Music (Los Angeles, 2005) * * International Dance Festival (Bucharest, 2004)


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Conti, Petra Living people 1988 births 21st-century ballet dancers Italian ballerinas Italian people of Polish descent Boston Ballet principal dancers La Scala Theatre Ballet dancers Mariinsky Ballet dancers Northeastern University alumni People from Frosinone Naturalized citizens of the United States