Thomas Forster (born 1986) is an English ballet dancer who is currently a principal dancer with the

American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is a classical ballet company based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant. Through 2019, it had an annual eight-week season at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in the spr ...

. Forster was born in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. He was first sent to study ballet as his mother believed it would help his

karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ), also , is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tī'' in Okinawan) un ...

training. His ballet teacher then recommended him to be a Junior Associate with The Royal Ballet School. At age 11, as the Royal Ballet Lower School did not offer him a spot, he started full-time training at

Elmhurst School for Dance Elmhurst Ballet School is an independent boarding school for professional classical ballet in the United Kingdom. It takes students aged 11–19 years who intend to pursue a career in professional classical ballet. Elmhurst provides a full acade ...

in Birmingham, where he stayed for five years. In 2002, Forster returned to London to train at the Royal Ballet Upper School. In 2006, Forster moved to New York City to join the

Studio Company, became an apprentice with the main company in January 2007 and was taken to the corps de ballet in December. As a corps dancer he partnered with principal dancer Julie Kent in ''

Jardin aux lilas ''Jardin aux lilas'' (''Lilac Garden'') is a ballet in one act choreographed by Antony Tudor to a composition by Ernest Chausson entitled ''Poème (Chausson), Poème'', Op. 25. With scenery and costumes designed by Hugo Stevenson, it was first pr ...

'' when his scheduled partner was injured. He was made soloist in 2015 and principal dancer in 2020. Forster is also a

National Academy of Sports Medicine The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) is an organization that provides certification, education, and career development opportunities for professionals in the fitness, wellness, and sports industries. Established in 1987, NASM has gained ...

certified personal trainer, and trains his colleagues at ABT. Forster is married to fellow ABT dancer Leann Underwood and has a son.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forster, Thomas Living people Dancers from London American Ballet Theatre principal dancers People educated at the Elmhurst School for Dance People educated at the Royal Ballet School English expatriates in the United States 21st-century ballet dancers 21st-century British dancers 1986 births