Roman Mejia

Roman Mejia (born 1999 or 2000[1]) is an American ballet dancer. He joined the New York City Ballet in 2017, and was promoted to principal dancer in 2023.

Roman Mejia
Born1999 or 2000 (age 23–24)
Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
EducationSchool of American Ballet
Occupationballet dancer
Years active2017–present
Career
Current groupNew York City Ballet

Early life and education

Mejia was born in Forth Worth, Texas.[1] Both of his parents were ballet dancers. His father Paul Mejia, who is Peruvian, was a dancer at the New York City Ballet (NYCB) during the 1960s.[2]

Mejia began dancing at age three at the Metropolitan Classical Ballet, where his father was a co-artistic director. At age twelve, he became interested in attending the School of American Ballet (SAB), NYCB's school, therefore his parents began training him and his sister in the Balanchine technique. In 2014, the 14-year-old Mejia was accepted into SAB's summer program. He returned the following summer, then was accepted into the school full-time.[2] He graduated in 2017.[3]

Career

In August 2017, Mejia performed at the Vail Dance Festival in Vail, Colorado, in Balanchine's Tarantella, opposite NYCB principal dancer Lauren Lovette, and in the world premiere of Matthew Neenan's Farewell. The opportunity came about when the festival's director Damian Woetzel asked NYCB principal dancer Tiler Peck about new talents, and she had spotted him at SAB.[2][3] Mejia began his apprenticeship at NYCB later that month, and joined the company as a member of the corps de ballet three months later.[2] He soon took on featured roles, including in Balanchine's Allegro Brillante, A Midsummer Night's Dream (as Puck), The Nutcracker (as Candy Cane),[2] and Western Symphony,[4] as well as Robbins' Dances at a Gathering,[2] Fancy Free,[5] and The Four Seasons.[6] He originated roles in Kyle Abraham's The Runaway,[7] Alexei Ratmansky's Voices, Edwaard Liang's Lineage,[4] and Gianna Reisen's Composer's Holiday.[4][8]

Mejia also returned to Vail each summer,[2] where he danced Ratmansky's Fandango, which was originally choreographed for a woman,[5] and originated roles for Tiler Peck and Alonzo King.[9][10] During the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked with choreographer William Forsythe and dancers Peck, Brooklyn Mack and Lex Ishimoto on The Barre Project (Blake Works II). The performance was filmed in an empty theatre and released online in 2021.[11]

In October 2021, soon after NYCB resumed performing after the pandemic, Mejia was named soloist.[4] He took on more featured roles, including in Balanchine's "Rubies" from Jewels, A Midsummer Night's Dream (as Oberon),[1] The Nutcracker (as the Cavalier),[12] Robbins' Piano Pieces,[13] and Martins' The Sleeping Beauty (as Bluebird and Gold).[1] He originated roles in Justin Peck's Partita and Silas Farley's Architects of Time.[14][15]

Outside of the New York City Ballet, in 2021, he appeared in Twyla Tharp's Twyla Now program at the New York City Center, dancing in Cornbread and All In.[16] In 2022, he appeared in Tiler Peck's program at the City Center, dancing in King's Swift Arrow and Forsythe's The Barre Project (Blake Works II).[17] He was also an artist in residence at the 2022 Vail Dance Festival.[18]

In February 2023, Mejia was promoted to principal dancer at NYCB.[1]

References
  1. Kourlas, Gia (February 26, 2023). "Four Dancers Promoted to Principal at New York City Ballet". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  2. Lansky, Chava Pearl (March 22, 2020). "Roman Mejia Is Carving His Own Path at New York City Ballet". Pointe. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  3. Macaulay, Alastair (August 6, 2017). "Where Dancers Shine Beyond Their Usual Specialties". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  4. Jacobs, Julia (October 7, 2021). "City Ballet Promotes Dancers Amid Veteran Departures". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  5. Harss, Marina (March 16, 2020). "Roman Mejia, NYCB's Resident Adrenaline Junkie, Is Taking on a Woman's Solo at Vail". Dance Magazine. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  6. Macaulay, Alastair (February 23, 2018). "Taking the Pulse of New York City Ballet Without Peter Martins". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  7. Macaulay, Alastair (September 28, 2018). "'We, the Dancers': At City Ballet's Gala, Affirming Ballet's Honor". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  8. Macaulay, Alastair (September 29, 2017). "Review: The Unstuffy Gala: City Ballet Delivers Youth and Style". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  9. Macaulay, Alastair (August 7, 2018). "At Vail, Tiler Peck Choreographs and Michelle Dorrance Wows". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  10. Kourlas, Gia (July 16, 2019). "Alonzo King and Jason Moran Create a Dialogue of Movement and Music". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  11. Parry, Jann (April 8, 2021). "William Forsythe, Tiler Peck and others – The Barre Project (Blake Works II)". DanceTabs. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  12. Kourlas, Gia (December 21, 2022). "What Does an Angel See in Her Future? Maybe a Sugarplum Fairy". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  13. Kourlas, Gia (May 31, 2022). "A Farewell and the Promise of a New Future at City Ballet". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  14. Kourlas, Gia (January 28, 2022). "Review: At City Ballet, Giving Voice to the Body, With Sneakers". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  15. Kourlas, Gia (May 6, 2022). "Review: Ghosts Hover Over a New Collaboration at City Ballet". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  16. Burke, Siobhan (November 18, 2021). "Review: Twyla Tharp Looks Back, With an Eye on the Future". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  17. Kourlas, Gia (March 6, 2022). "Review: A Ballerina With Jazz in Her Bones Takes Over". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  18. Sulcas, Roslyn (March 24, 2022). "Vail Dance Festival to Feature Roman Mejia and Caili Quan". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
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