Patricia Neary

Patricia Neary (Miami, Florida) started her dance training in Miami and went on to study at the School of American Ballet in New York. When she was fourteen, she joined The National Ballet of Canada in 1957, transferring to New York City Ballet in 1960, where she was promoted to soloist in 1962. She danced numerous main roles in the work of artistic director George Balanchine, several of which he created especially for her. He also involved her in the staging of his ballets, while she was still a dancer.

From 1971 to 1973, Neary was ballet mistress of the company now known as Staatsballett Berlin. Afterwards, she was the artistic director of Grand Théâtre de Genève (1973-1978), Ballett Zürich (1978-1985) and Ballettto del Teatro alla Scala in Milan (1986-1987), respectively. All three of those appointments were made after she had staged a Balanchine work for the company in question.

Neary has worked for The George Balanchine Trust since its inception in 1987. During that period of almost forty years, she has staged countless Balanchine ballets for companies in more than thirty countries. Her staging of Rubies is her last for Dutch National Ballet, as in April the 82-year-old Neary is finally hanging up her pointe shoes (which she wore nearly every day until a few years ago).

Last update: 06-02-2025