New York City Ballet announced today that Erica Pereira has been promoted to Soloist. Peter Martins, NYCB’s Ballet Master in Chief, made the promotion during the Company’s annual season of the holiday classic George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™.

Erica Pereira was born in Northport, New York, and began studying ballet at the age of 8. In 2005 Pereira began studying at the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet. In addition, she attended summer programs at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Pereira became an apprentice with NYCB in December 2006. While an apprentice, she danced the role of Juliet in Peter Martins’ Romeo + Juliet as part of the 2007 spring season. She joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in May 2007.

Since joining NYCB, Pereira has danced features roles in George Balanchine’s Ballo della Regina, Chaconne, Divertimento No. 15, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ (Dewdrop, Dolls, Marzipan, and Sugarplum Fairy), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Butterfly), Scotch Symphony, Stars and Stripes, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, and Tarantella; Jerome Robbins’ The Four Seasons (Winter); Peter Martins’ River of Light and Romeo + Juliet; and Christopher Wheeldon’s Mercurial Manoeuvres.

Performances of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ continue through Sunday, January 3. The New York City Ballet 2010 winter season opens on Tuesday, January 5 and continues through Sunday, February 28. Tickets are currently on sale at nycballet.com, at the David H. Koch Theater box office, and through Center Charge at 212-721-6500. For more information about any NYCB performance, call 212-870-5570 or visit nycballet.com. The David H. Koch Theater is located on the Lincoln Center Plaza at Columbus Avenue at 63rd Street.