Ricardo Graziano (born in 1986) is a Brazilian

ballet dancer A ballet dancer is a person who practices the Art (skill), art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet. They rely on years of extensive training and proper technique to become a part of a professional ballet company. B ...

and choreographer. After five years with the

Tulsa Ballet Tulsa Ballet is a professional American ballet company located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The artistic mission of Tulsa Ballet is "To preserve the tradition of classical ballet, promote the appreciation of contemporary dance, create works of superior and ...

, he joined Florida's

Sarasota Ballet The Sarasota Ballet is an American ballet company based in Sarasota, Florida. It was founded in 1987 by former ballet dancer Jean Weidner Goldstein and is now acclaimed for its performances of Sir Frederick Ashton's ballets under its director Iai ...

in 2010 where he is a

principal dancer A principal dancer (often shortened to principal) is a dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company. A principal may be either gender. The position is similar to that of ''Soloist (ballet), solois ...

and choreographer.

Early life

Born in

Mogi das Cruzes Mogi das Cruzes ( or ) is a municipality in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, located within the metropolitan region of the state capital of the city of São Paulo. The population is 451,505 (2022 census) in an area of 713 km2. It is located 4 ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

, he showed an early interest in dance, following his sister to her jazz classes from the age of eight. His mother then sent him to the Marcela Campos Escola de Bailados until he was 16. He completed his training at the Academy of Dance in

Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (), is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, second-largest city in Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, the States of Ger ...

, Germany, where he spent two years.

Career

Graziano began his professional career in 2003 with the Tulsa Ballet in Oklahoma where he spent five years, becoming a demi-soloist. He performed roles in ''

Jewels A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, semiprecious stone, or simply gem) is a piece of mineral crystal which, when cut or polished, is used to make jewellery, jewelry or other adornments. Certain Rock (geology), rocks (such ...

'', '' The Sleeping Beauty'', ''

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 ...

'' as well as in a variety of contemporary works. In 2010, he joined Sarasota Ballet where he was quickly promoted to a principal dancer. There he has performed in

Christopher Wheeldon Christopher Peter Wheeldon (born 22 March 1973) is an English international choreographer of contemporary ballet. Early life Born in Yeovil, Somerset, to an engineer and a physical therapist, Wheeldon began training to be a ballet dancer at th ...

's '' The American'',

George Balanchine George Balanchine (; Various sources: * * * * born Georgiy Melitonovich Balanchivadze;, Romanization of Georgian, : April 30, 1983) was a Georgian-American ballet choreographer, recognized as one of the most influential choreographers ...

's ''Divertimento No. 15'' and ''

The Prodigal Son The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a parable of Jesus in the Bible. The Prodigal Son or Prodigal Son may also refer to: Film * ''L'Enfant prodigue'' (1907 film) (The Prodigal Son), by Michel Carré, based on his play * , a short silent film by ...

'', and

Frederick Ashton Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton (17 September 190418 August 1988) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He also worked as a director and choreographer in opera, film and revue. Determined to be a dancer despite the oppositio ...

's ''

Les Rendezvous ''Les Rendezvous'' is a plotless one-act ballet created in 1933, with choreography by Frederick Ashton to the music of Daniel Auber (the ballet music from his opera ''L'enfant prodigue'') arranged by Constant Lambert and with designs by William ...

''. In early April 2014, artistic director

Iain Webb Iain Webb (born 30 March 1959) is an English ballet dancer who formerly danced for the Royal Ballet in London. He is currently Director of Florida's Sarasota Ballet where he has staged many of Frederick Ashton's ballets. Biography The son of a fi ...

announced that Graziano would become the company's resident choreographer in 2015. The announcement came at the end of a performance in which Graziano had excelled, both in Ashton's ''

Birthday Offering ''Birthday Offering'' is a pièce d'occasion in one scene choreographed by Frederick Ashton to music by Alexander Glazunov, arranged by Robert Irving (conductor), Robert Irving. The ballet was created in 1956, to celebrate the Royal Ballet's 25t ...

'' and in ''Symphony of Sorrow'' which he choreographed himself.

Awards

Graziano won first prize at the Festival de Joinville in 2002 and in the Festival de Ribeirão Preto in 2003. In 2007, he received the Lefkowitz Award for Artistic Achievement at the International Ballet Competition in New York.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Graziano, Ricardo Brazilian male ballet dancers Brazilian choreographers Living people People from Mogi das Cruzes 1986 births