Julie Kent (dancer) Ballet Theatre II summer school and the School of American Ballet. She took the stage name Julie Kent at the suggestion of Mikhail Baryshnikov. Kent joined American Ballet Theatre as an apprentice in 1985, became a member of the company's corps de ballet in 1986, was promoted to soloist in 1990, and to principal dancer in 1993. She is known as a skilled dramatic dancer. She was often partnered with ABT Principal Ethan Stiefel, even co-starring with him in the film Center Stage. Her roles with the Company include the Girl in "Afternoon of a Faun", the title role in
Los Angeles Ballet Arts and the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Thordal Christensen was a former principal dancer for and artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet, with Neary appointed as the ‘first ballet mistress’ in charge of their productions. Colleen Neary was a principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet and a Soloist with New York City Ballet under George Balanchine, and is currently a repetiteur for The George Balanchine Trust. Both Christensen and Neary are also former principal dancers for Pacific Northwest Ballet. In 1974, a company titled Los Angeles Ballet was founded under the direction of John Clifford, a former principal dancer