Jarod Curley Promoted to Principal Dancer at American Ballet Theatre
ABT artistic director Susan Jaffe made the announcement following a performance of SWAN LAKE at the Metropolitan Opera House.
American Ballet Theatre dancer Jarod Curley has been promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer, effective September 1, 2026. The promotion was announced today by ABT Artistic Director Susan Jaffe on stage at the Metropolitan Opera House following the evening performance of Swan Lake, in which Curley performed the lead role of Prince Siegfried.
Curley was born in Bethesda, Maryland and began his dance studies in 2004 at the Frederick School of Classical Ballet in Frederick, Maryland. He went on to train at City Dance Conservatory in Rockville, Maryland with Ivy Chow, and at Next Generation Ballet in Tampa, Florida, under the mentorship of Peter Stark. In a notable distinction, Curley spent his senior year of high school on full scholarship at the John Cranko School in Stuttgart, Germany, the prestigious affiliate school of Stuttgart Ballet.
He participated in summer programs at Next Generation Ballet, School of American Ballet, Harid Conservatory, San Francisco Ballet School, Ellison Ballet, and IBStage. A strong competitor, Curley was a finalist at the Prix de Lausanne in 2015 and at the Youth America Grand Prix in both 2015 and 2016.
Curley joined ABT Studio Company in September 2016, became an apprentice with the main Company in December 2018, and joined the corps de ballet in June 2019. He was promoted to Soloist in March 2024 and has built a deep and varied repertoire.
His roles encompass a range of classical and contemporary ballet: Razumikhin and Porfiry in Crime and Punishment, Hilarion in Giselle, Dr. John Brown in Like Water for Chocolate, Mithridates and Ariston in Of Love and Rage, Sergiy in On the Dnipro, Onegin and Prince Gremin in Onegin, Head Wrangler in Rodeo, Lord Montague in Romeo and Juliet, Prince Siegfried and von Rothbart in Swan Lake, and “Becomings” in Woolf Works. He has performed leading roles in Bach Partita, Etudes, Piano Concerto No. 1, Serenade after Plato's Symposium, Some Assembly Required, Theme and Variations, and ZigZag, and created a featured role in Collage & Creed.
“Jarod has been a steady and important artist in this Company for many years, and this promotion recognizes the consistency, dedication, and excellence he has brought to his work. He is a stalwart partner, a commanding presence on stage, and an artist who approaches every role with intelligence and integrity. As he continues to expand his repertoire, we are delighted to welcome him as a Principal Dancer,” said Susan Jaffe.
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