The official release:

VERONIKA PART PROMOTED TO PRINCIPAL DANCER

Veronika Part has been promoted to Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre, effective May 18, 2009, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Part began her early training in artistic gymnastics before entering the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 1988. After graduating, she joined the Kirov Ballet in 1996 and was promoted to soloist in 1998. Part won the BALTIKA Prize in 1999.

Part joined American Ballet Theatre as a Soloist in August 2002. Her repertory with the Company includes Terpsichore in Apollo, Nikiya in La Bayadère, an Odalisque in Le Corsaire, Mercedes and the Queen of the Driads in Don Quixote, Myrta in Giselle, An Episode in His Past in Jardin aux Lilas, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, the Eldest Sister in Pillar of Fire, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Princess Aurora and the Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Odette-Odile in Swan Lake and leading roles in Ballet Imperial, The Leaves Are Fading, Mozartiana, Les Sylphides and Symphonie Concertante. In 2005, she created a leading role in Peter Quanz’ Kaleidoscope. Part will debut in the title role in La Sylphide during ABT’s 2009 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2009 Metropolitan Opera House season, May 18-July 11, are priced $19-$130 and are available online, at the Met box office or by phone at 212-362-6000. For more information, visit ABT’s website at www.abt.org <http://www.abt.org> .

I just fell off my chair. Woweeee!!!!!

How exciting! It seems like she really made a good impression in London (she seemed to be the only female dancer to get good reviews from the London critics). Good luck to her! I hope this means we get a new soloist!!

Bravo! to Ms. Part.

about ******* time

Seriously, I almost fainted. YAHOO!!!!! Many congratulations Veronika!!!!

I am so so happy to read this, she deserved it so much !!!
CONGRATULATIONS VERONIKA !

Still in shock here, is it for real ?
what a wonderful susprise for the start of the seasson. I am speechless !!!!

It not only means that w'll keep these jewel but also that w'll see her (hopefully) debuting in some new and exciting roles. I am sure that after such a painful process, from now on Veronika will dance better than ever !!

I hope that those terribly sad days were you had to see her going from dancing the swan Queen to dance one of the two swans the following night are gone !!!
I also hope ratmansky help to put her at the level of stardom that she trully deserves.

Congratulations again Veronika, you proved yourself to be strong enough to keep fighting and you finally got it !

Congrats. It is well deserved and LONG overdue.

OMG. I honestly thought I would NEVER live to see this day! Congratulations Veronika!!!

I have admired Veronika Part since she was a member of the Kirov Ballet and I join all admirers in congratulating Miss Part's elevation to Principal.
In the recent ABT season in London her performances as Odette/Odile were overwhelmingy admired by critics and connoisseurs alike and I would say many thought that Miss Part was superior
to other principles in this role by a margin of some distance.
There is no doubt she has stayed an artist determined to serve and achieve and I am sure there has been some disappointment for both Miss Part and her admirers. If Miss Part can achieve the same level of
technique and expression that she rose to in London, I am sure the ABT management and her home audience have a lot to look forward to.

Bring out the champagne

How absolutely wonderful is this news! Palju õnne, Veronika!

Finally!

Congatulations Ms Part!

Hallelujah!

Now for Tess Reichlen across the way.

What a wonderful piece of news this is!
I can't believe they finally did it!!

Congratulations to a much deserving new ABT principal!

Congratulations Ms Part! Well deserved for Veronika and a smart move by ABT. This will certainly cause a lot of excitement and make not only her fans happy, but all those who have yet to experience this talented dancer in leading roles.

While previous posters have congratulated Ms. Part, whose consistently high level of artistry has long, long ago earned her principal status, I will congratulate ABT for finally clearing the fog from its eyes and recognizing the treasure within its midst.

Congrats and heartfelt thanks to ABT for waking up.

Felicidades Veronika!!!

There's not much that I can add, as I can only echo the sentiment that everyone else here has already expressed. Congrats Veronika!!! Still hard to believe it took ABT this long to realize you are most deserving of the title.

about time

A true example of perseverence and dedication.
I'm very happy for her, and all those who waited so long for it to happen.

Oh, the girl is so beautiful, with that exquisite face and impecable line and regal mannerisms . With all due respect, I would take Part's performances , at any given moment, before those of Murphy, Willes, Herrera and even my dear cubanita Reyes... Petition number one, Mr. MKenzie: Giselle...

James Wolcott joins the celebration.

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/wolcott/2...-pined-for.html

This 'Lit Up My Day', which was already beautifully special !

CONGRATULATIONS VERONIKA!

Wonderful news right before the beginning of season!

Congratulations Veronika! About time!

Congratulations!!! As for a new soloist, Hee Seo,with her leading role in R and J, seems to be the frontrunner.

Yes it is wonderful and long overdue. Really I think that Veronika probably wanted to throw in the towel and leave ABT so many times. It really has been two steps forward and four steps back then two steps forward and three steps back. I think that Julie Kent's age and second maternity leave and Nina's retirement left a big vacancy at the top.

But Veronika can't afford to get complacent - remember when Christine Dunham never got her form back after her pregnancy and ABT basically sidelined her to things like Bathilde, character shoe roles and the occasional "Merry Widow"? No more "Swan Lake" or "Sleeping Beauty" leads came her way. Veronika has been there and she could go back there despite her new status. Also look at Ashley Tuttle who suddenly found herself cast aside despite her many years with the company and the wide repertory she danced.

Recent seasons have shown Veronika more focused in her technique - not perfect but neither are many of the other principal ballerinas. Also, Veronika has shown herself able to sustain several prima ballerina roles consistently over multiple seasons - Nikiya, Odette/Odile, Myrtha and others. Some of her new roles have been marked successes. I really loved her as the Episode in his Past in "Lilac Garden" at City Center. Veronika has to maintain that technical security and work well with her coaches and colleagues in class and rehearsal. She has to project a positive attitude while working constantly at her technical faults and limitations while expanding those unique, glorious qualities she has always had.

Really after all the disappointments over the years this really is a cause for jubilation!

When Veronika first joined ABT, her Debut in Symphony in C was considered a big disappointment. I wonder how she would do in the same role now?

Many of you may have already read this article in ballet.co magazine, but I found it for the first time after googling Veronika.

http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_08/ma...ronika_part.htm

I have to admit I was shocked at how plainly she spoke of not enjoying her career at ABT. Here's a few quotes that really stuck out to me:

Going to America was certainly a massive risk that took Veronika out of her comfort zone into an alien lifestyle, where she spoke no English and knew little about the company she was joining. It’s obvious that the first couple of years were hell for her. She had no idea of how to open a bank account and is completely blank when I ask her about the lifestyle or psychological support I would have expected the company to provide for her. It was a year before she could begin to understand things going on around her, another before she could really speak enough language to be understood and two more before she had any real grasp of the company politics. She says that she was shy before going to the US and these early difficulties can only have added to her introspection. She admits to having been very depressed, especially thrown by the lack of rehearsal time compared to the Mariinsky regime, but also understood that no-one liked being around someone who was “always crying”, so she determined to “pull myself together, be stronger and work in their style”. To her credit, she has stuck it out for almost six years and knows now that she can’t do more in the ABT system. She performed only in the revival of Tudor’s ‘The Leaves are Fading’ in ABT’s Autumnal City Center season and has no regular partner in the company: her recent performances have been with Marcello Gomes but the spring/summer schedule shows that he is now needed to partner Julie Kent.

On New Year’s Eve, sitting in the Het Muziektheater watching the Het Nationale Ballet’s production of Peter Wright’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’, Veronika made a resolution to come back to Europe and preferably to London. She turned to her boyfriend, Alex, and said simply “I don’t want to go back”.

She has now given notice to ABT and will leave at the end of the Season, having just two Lilac Fairies (in Miami), two Nikiyas and another Odette/Odile, plus sundry soloist roles, scheduled before then. She has options for the future – including an offer to join another American company – but there is no doubting where she wants to see herself.

This article was written in March of 2008...I guess I'm just wondering what ABT did to make her stay. Whatever it was, I'm glad they did it! And, hopefully, she'll be much happier with her new promotion!

That article was posted on a double-digit long thread on Ms. Part, and there was a discussion on that thread that asked the same questions:

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.p...st&p=222673

Did I mention to Ms. Part?

>Really I think that Veronika probably wanted to throw in the towel and leave ABT so
>many times. It really has been two steps forward and four steps back then two steps
>forward and three steps back. I think that Julie Kent's age and second maternity leave
>and Nina's retirement left a big vacancy at the top.

Yes, certainly all of that contributed to Veronika's promotion, and the beautiful reviews she
recently received in London for her Swan Lakes.

And as for Veronika in second movement of Sym in C, I have do doubt she could turn that role into
something extraordinary if/when she is given that opportunity again. I saw her debut with ABT in that
ballet at City Center. What are they waiting for?!! The huge Met stage would be the perfect setting for
such a grand ballet.

Congrats to Veronika!

Part danced the 2nd movement of Symphony in C with the Kirov at the Met in 1999. Others here probably remember it better than I do, but, in any case, the Times was complimentary.

Congratulations, Ms. Part! My reaction when I read the news was

Yes, I saw that performance---she also danced Terpsichore on the same program. How I would love to see a repeat of that now. I am sure she has developed a better Balanchine style than she had ten years ago. But, it was a great feat to take on two triumphant Farrell roles in NYC. I look forward to her Mozartiana and pray that she has sought out Farrell for coaching.

And Serenade the previous night!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/arts/dan...7kour.html?_r=1