New York City Ballet has announced that soloist Alexandra Ansanelli has been promoted to principal dancer.

Ms. Ansanelli was promoted by NYCB Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins on Friday, May 23, and gave her first performance as a principal dancer as Swanhilda in Alexandra Danilova and George Balanchine’s Coppélia at the matinee the following afternoon. This performance also marked her debut in the role.

Born in Laurel Hollow, New York, Ms. Ansanelli began her ballet training at the age of 10 in Roslyn, New York with Danny Holstein. Ms. Ansanelli began taking courses at the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet, in the fall of 1990. In 1996 Ms. Ansanelli was invited to become an apprentice with NYCB, and she joined the corps de ballet that December. She was promoted to the rank of soloist in November 1998.

Since joining New York City Ballet, Ms. Ansanelli has appeared in a wide variety of works in the Company’s repertory, dancing principal roles in the ballets of George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins and Peter Martins. Ms. Ansanelli has originated roles in such ballets as Peter Martins’ Guide to Strange Places, River of Light and Walton Cello Concerto; Mauro Bigonzetti’s Vespro; and Christopher Wheeldon’s Carousel (A Dance), Morphoses and Polyphonia. In 1998 she was selected by Jerome Robbins to perform the lead role in the NYCB premiere of Les Noces. In 1997 Ms. Ansanelli received the Princess Grace Award for emerging artists from Prince Albert of Monaco.

New York City Ballet’s 2003 spring season continues through June 29 at the New York State Theater. For information on any NYCB performance, call 212-870-5570.