NYCBallet Reveals Two Promotions

New York City Ballet announced that two of the Company’s corps de ballet members – Gilbert Bolden III and Davide Riccardo -- have been promoted to the rank of Soloist.

The promotions were made by NYCB Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan, following today’s matinee performance, which closed the Company 2023 Fall Season.  During the course of the four-week Fall Season both Bolden and Riccardo made debuts in several leading roles as NYCB kicked off its 75th Anniversary year with four weeks of performances dedicated to the work of the Company’s co-founder, George Balanchine.   

GILBERT BOLDEN III

During the Company’s Fall Season Gilbert Bolden III has debuted in featured roles in Bourrée Fantasque, Concerto Barocco, and Western Symphony (1st Movement), and performed featured roles in Orpheus (Pluto), Symphony in C (3rd Movement Demi-Soloist), and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. Since joining NYCB, he has performed featured roles in a range of works including Balanchine’s Episodes, Firebird, The Four Temperaments, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theseus, Bottom), and George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (Cavalier, Cavalier, Dr. Stahlbaum, Mother Ginger, Mouse King); Justin Peck’s Belles-Lettres, Copland Dance Episodes, and Partita; Alysa Pires’ Standard Deviation; and Alexei Ratmansky’s Voices.  In addition, he has originated featured roles in Silas Farley’s Architects of Time, Peck’s Bright and Rotunda, and Gianna Reisen’s Composer’s Holiday.

Bolden was born in San Diego, California and began dancing at the age of nine in Las Vegas, Nevada. His ballet training began in 2011 at Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, CA, and he continued his studies at The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia, PA in 2013. In 2014, Bolden enrolled at the School of American Ballet, NYCB’s official school. He became an apprentice with the Company in August 2017 and joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in August 2018.  

DAVIDE RICCARDO

During the Company’s Fall Season Davide Riccardo has debuted in featured roles in “Emeralds” from Jewels, Orpheus (Dark Angel), Serenade, and La Sonnambula, and also performed featured roles in Agon, Symphony in C (1st Movement Demi-Soloist), Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2, and Glass Pieces.  Since joining the Company, Riccardo has performed featured roles in George Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15, The Four Temperaments, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (Hot Chocolate, Dr. Stahlbaum, Mother Ginger, Mouse King), and La Valse; Ratmansky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and Voices; Robbins’ Concertino; Jamar Roberts’ Emanon – In Two Movements; and Christopher Wheeldon’s DGV: Danse à Grande Vitesse. He has also originated featured roles in Andrea Miller’s sky to hold and Reisen’s Play Time.  

Riccardo was born in Messina, Italy and began his dance training at the age of 5 at the Istituto Regionale Della Danza in Messina, Italy. In 2012, he began training at the Rome Opera Ballet School. He entered the School of American Ballet as a full-time student in the fall of 2015. He became an apprentice with the Company in August 2018 and joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in January 2019.  Riccardo is a 2021-22 recipient of the Janice Levin Award, which is bestowed annually on a promising member of NYCB’s corps de ballet.  In 2018, as a student at SAB, Riccardo received the Mae L. Wien Award for Outstanding Promise and the Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists.

New York City Ballet’s 75th Anniversary Season continues with the return of the Company’s annual performances of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker from November 24 to December 31, 2023; followed by a Winter repertory season from January 23 to March 3, 2024; and a Spring repertory season from April 23 to June 2, 2024.  Tickets are available online at www.nycballet.com or by phone at 212-496-0600.  

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