BALLET’S LITTLE PRINCE

Spotlight

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At any given time in the wildly partisan world of ballet there are maybe two or three dancers whose artistry is unanimously admired. American Ballet Theatre's Herman Cornejo, a 29-year-old Argentinean, is one such dancer. Since his first appearances with A.B.T. (he joined the corps in 1999, was a soloist by 2000, and became a principal in 2003), Cornejo's technical clarity, springbok elevation, and spellbinding smile earmarked him for stardom. And yet, despite having "the highest jump in the company" (according to his fellow dancers), it looked as if his height—not tall—might lock him out of lead roles and into demi-caractere. Cornejo's audience wanted none of that, and neither did he. "Obviously I want to jump and turn," Cornejo says. "But to me acting is even more important. And those full-length roles have it." Cornejo kept the faith, and in the last two years—breakthrough! His performance as James in La Sylphide was a particularly sustained and dazzling display of airborne brilliance. This spring, Cornejo brings his charismatic classicism to Prince Desire in The Sleeping Beauty, Basilio in Don Quixote, and the ever impetuous Romeo, As for the demi-caractere roles still in his repertory—parts like Puck, the Bluebird, and Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy—you'll find him up in the air... smiling.

LAURA JACOBS