American Ballet Theatre just sent out the following sad announcement:



STATEMENT FROM AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE


American Ballet Theatre sadly notes the passing of cherished Company dancer Jennifer Alexander. Alexander suffered fatal injuries on December 2 as a result of a car collision in New Jersey. Alexander, along with two other ABT dancers, Alexander’s husband Julio Bragado-Young and Nicole Graniero, as well as a dancer from the Martha Graham School, were returning from an appearance of The Nutcracker in Pennsylvania.
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“It is with unbearable sadness that I, on behalf of the dancers, staff and Board of Governing Trustees, express our deepest sympathies to the Alexander and Bragado-Young families,” said Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

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Monday, December 3, 2007

What a shocking tragedy. I am so sorry to learn this.

Condolences to Jennifer's family and colleagues.

Often the company reads this board, and individual comments and tributes are welcome, but I wanted to say on behalf of all of this how sad and shocked we are, and, as carbro noted above, offer condolences to Jennifer's family and friends, as well as the company and the ABT family.

My deepest condolences to the Alexander and Bragado-Young families. God, and I just keep thinking :" The last thing Jennifer did on this earth before departing was joining and enjoying the happiness of all those kids and their families on that -for her-last "Nutcracker" .
RIP Jennifer Alexander

A sad day. I just can't believe this has happened. May we all keep Jennifer's and Julio's families in our thoughts and prayers. They both have made significant contributions to my (our) enjoyment of watching ABT for more than a decade or more.

Newsday and other media report that Julio remains hospitalized. My heart goes out to him as he copes with the injuries compounding the great loss of his wife.

I fondly recall her performance as one of the lovers in The Dream.

What an absolute tragedy. Our thoughts are with them and their families.

Such a sad thing. Horrible. Condolences and best wishes to their families.

May she have eternal rest;
May light perpetual shine upon her.

My sincere sympathies to the family.

Sweet rest to a Canadian dancer.


m2

This is stunningly tragic news. My condolences to Jennifer Alexander's family. Prayers also to Julio Bragado-Young for a complete recovery.

Deepest condolences to Jennifer's and Julio's families and to the whole ABT family. Our prayers are with you all at this sad, sad time. A special prayer to Julio and Nicole for a speedy recovery.

Even though I only know her by reading about her, it is a shock to hear of this happening to a fellow dancer. I send all of my thoughts to the families, and beg of all of my fellow dancers everywhere to please be careful this holiday season.

My deepest condolences to the Alexander and Bragado-Young families for their loss.

Her bio & photo on ABT's website : Jennifer Alexander
My heart goes out to her family and friends...

Hearing this, I remember her as one of the women in The Green Table. She was so poignant, human, and vulnerable in that role, heartbreakingly so.

Does anybody know what and where it happened besides that it was on the road coming back from PA? There was the first snowstorm of the year that night or day, or the night before, just such a terribly dangerous time. It can happen to anyone and all change in an instant. My heart goes out to her and her family especially.

Such a tragedy for all involved
She will certainly be greatly missed.

Has anyone seen any updates on the other dancers involved?

Jennifer and Julio were in that big pileup on Rte. 3 approaching the Lincoln Tunnel Sunday night. dirac has posted stories in yesterday's and today's Links. Also, from yesterday's NJ.com, another story.

Jennifer's face now graces the front of the ABT website.

Thank you for posting this so very sad (and shocking) news. Both dancers' families, and the greater ABT family, have my deepest condolences. I have many memories of Ms. Alexander, a lovely dancer AND a very good actress, whose presence enhanced many many ABT performances. (I, too, remember the lover in "The Dream", the partisan/young girl? in "Green Table", and Bathilde in "Giselle".) I will continue to remember her fondly. And of course hope that her husband and others injured recover. I am very sorry I cannot express what a truly feel any better.

Just saw this and am extremely saddened by the news.

May Jennifer rest in peace.

When such a beautiful being is taken in her prime it is a loss of unbearable sadness. With all the tragedies we witness on the stage, it is only this one which has brought tears to my eyes.

Thank you Jennifer for your gift to us with all your hard work and love of dance. You will not be forgotten.

Whenever the snow falls at the Nutcracker my thoughts will pull towards you.

Jennifer's ABT colleague, Matt Murphy, has posted a loving tribute and some wonderful, unfamiliar photos on The Winger.

Thank you all for your very kind words about my little sister, Jenny. I will be sure to let Julio know you are pulling for his full recovery.

Jenny has loved dancing since she was a squirrel in a pageant at age 3... she sure came a long way, didn't she?!

We appreciate your kind thoughts and prayers at this time. As a few people have said, she is dancing in the golden clouds now, and has our brother Jonathan with her too.

The show must go on - but please do remember her joy.

I did not know Jennifer Alexander although I probably have seen her dance. However, I am so sad for her husband, her immediate family, her ABT family, and all of the dance world. She was obviously a very special dancer, who loved her profession. It is a terrible loss for all of us.

I just want to say that my thoughts and prayers are with Jennifer's family, friends, fans, and with ABT at this time.

When someone has touched your heart, even if you'd never met, there is such a sadness in losing her.

I treasure the memory of Jennifer's Hermia in the Ashton Dream. She was always wonderful, whatever she danced, but her Hermia was an almost impossible combination of funny and touching, hilarious and heartbreaking.

Condolences.

My sincere condolences.
Just a few hours before Jennifer's fatal crash, I drove the same road in the opposite direction. I was very relieved to get home as it was a very dangerous evening for driving. So sad that Jennifer and others did not get home that night.

As the latest news reports explain, Jennifer was not dancing in the Nutcracker. Her husband and Nicole were the guest stars.

Quote from the New York Times (see today's links for URL) :


Calgary Sun (also in today's links):


This tragedy has not left my consciousness since we all heard the news. I did not know Jennifer personally either, but as a mother with a child her age, I share the grief of her parents, who, we learn through Jennifer's sibling's beautiful post, have already lost one child, Jennifer's brother. That it is the Christmas season makes Jennifer's death even more devastating as we think of her family going through the holiday without her, and of Julio Bragado-Young not having his first Christmas with his beloved new wife. My heart is with her parents and sibling as they go through the next few days of necessary heartbreaking tasks. My whole family is with Jennifer's loved ones at this time, in thought and in prayer. God bless you all.

Homesteadlite: My condolences to you and yours. Jennifer touched the hearts of many.

Gene Schiavone has created a lovely album on his website to celebrate Jennifer Alexander's artistry.

I just want to offer my condolences to Jennifer's husband, family and all who knew her. For ballet fans like myself, who were not fortunate enough to meet her, I can only say that she was a pleasure to watch on the stage. Dancers and people like Jennifer add real depth and life to a ballet company.

What a wonderful tribute Susan Jones added to The Winger site.

Dear homesteadlite
Thank you for your kind words to all of us who feel but cannot express. I am posting again to say that I too lost a brother, suddenly, and at the time there was an organization--which ironically was just promoted in a recent "Dear Abby" column--called "Compassionate Friends". It was originally created for parents who had lost a child in whatever manner, but there was a section for siblings as well. It was good to talk to people in a similar circumstance at the time. I hope they or others' concern may comfort you, your family, Julio and his family, and all touched by your sister.
With deepest sympathy,
4mrdncr

Dear Homesteadlite,

Your sister was a kind and gentle woman.

During December 2001, my son was 12 and on tour with SAB for the Nutcracker. I was the necessary tag-along mother. Your sister was one of the first to welcome me to the tour and took time out to talk to me and my son. It was a pleasure getting to know her on the tour. I remember thinking how surprised it was that she went from Broadway to ABT (in those days, I didn't know that some dancers did that) and what an elegant woman she was.

My heart goes out to you and your family.

I am so sorry for your loss. My son performed with Julio in The Dream at the MET back in May. He has a photo of himself with a smiling Julio on his dresser which was taken after one of the performances. I have not told him what happened to your sister and Julio yet, as he is young and would be quite upset, but please accept our condolences. We are praying for Julio's full recovery.

Gene now has around 60 photos of Jennifer in performance posted in this album along with an in memoriam introductory note from David Hallberg.

I am a big fan of Gene's work and in this incredible collection of images with Jennifer Alexander he captures her many facets. This is a must see and a fitting tribute to this fine lady of dance. May she rest in peace.