Before the curtain rose on opening of night of Love & Loss, 3 Pacific Northwest Ballet dancers – Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan, Clara Ruf Maldonado and Kuu Sakuragi – were promoted. The announcement was made by Artistic Director Peter Boal and Associate Artistic Director Kiyon Ross.
Ryan is PNB’s newest Principal dancer while Maldonado and Sakuragi its newest soloists. All were featured in the company’s most recent program of ballets by Danielle Rowe, Alexei Ratmansky, Donald Byrd.
“There are dancers who leave audiences awestruck with every performance,” said Boal.
3 Pacific Northwest Ballet Dancers Promoted
Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She studied on scholarship at the Rock School for Dance Education, Metropolitan Ballet Academy, and the School of Pennsylvania Ballet; she attended summer courses at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Ellison Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, the School of American Ballet, the School of Pennsylvania Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Sarah-Gabrielle joined Pennsylvania Ballet II in 2014 and joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 2016 and was promoted to corps de ballet in 2017 and soloist in 2021.
“Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan was an instant standout in her first PNB School summer course in 2015,” said Boal. “Her sheer joy of movement comes through in every step and with each new challenge. She is fearless, focused, undaunted, and willing to laugh when a little laughter is needed. She is wonderfully supportive of those around her.
Watching Sarah triumph in the multi-faceted title role of Giselle last season opposite Kyle Davis signaled the emergence and arrival of a new principal dancer.”
“Sarah-Gabrielle is the epitome of power and grace in a ballerina,” continued Ross. “She has beautiful lines and excellent technique, but what really sets Sarah-Gabrielle apart is the energy and presence she possesses each time she takes the stage. She is magnetic and it’s this quality that makes it impossible to take your eyes off her when she is performing.
It has been a great joy and pleasure watching her artistry blossom and mature and it is an even greater honor to witness her ascend to the rank of Principal dancer tonight. Congratulations, Sarah!”
Clara Ruf Maldonado is from New York, New York. She studied on scholarship at the School of American Ballet, where she was a 2015 Mae L. Wien Award recipient, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. She attended summer courses at Ballet Academy East, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Chautauqua Institution, Houston Ballet Academy, Miami City Ballet School, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Clara was an apprentice with New York City Ballet before joining Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 2018. She was promoted to corps de ballet later that year.
“Clara is an extremely versatile dancer able to deftly tackle both classical and contemporary rep with ease and grace. Clara’s warmth can be felt in her personality both onstage and off. We are proud of Clara’s many artistic achievements and know there are many more to come,” said Ross.
Boal added, “Floating atop a sea of dancers looking out through the snowfall in Crystal Pite’s The Seasons’ Canon, playing with pal Christopher D’Ariano in George Balanchine’s Duo Concertante, or hopping on one toe with rolling shoulders and a winning grin in Alexei Ratmansky’s Wartime Elegy, Clara is simply transcendent.
We see art and music through her and we can’t wait to see where she takes us next. Clara, our heartfelt congratulations on your promotion to Soloist.”
Kuu Sakuragi is from Bellevue, Washington. He studied on scholarship at Pacific Northwest Ballet School, where he began as a DanceChance student at the Francia Russell Center. He attended summer courses at Houston Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, San Francisco Ballet, the School of American Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. He was a recipient of the Flemming Halby Exchange with the Royal Danish Ballet School. In 2017, Kuu joined Alberta Ballet as an apprentice and was promoted to company dancer in 2018. He joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2020.
“After sustained cheering, I see people fumble for casting inserts to see who just defied gravity, sustained intensity, or executed an uncountable number of pirouettes. The name they so often find is Kuu Sakuragi,” explained Boal.
“And if you miss his name in the program, you might hear his peers chanting ‘KUU’ from the sidelines. As humble and kind as he is talented and engaging, this remarkable dancer is headed for even greater heights.”
Continued Ross: “Like Peter I have had the great honor to watch Kuu develop from a young student in our DanceChance program into an extraordinary artist. Kuu is a powerfully dynamic and explosive dancer. Watching his performances is a thrilling experience, particularly in roles that allow him to demonstrate his magnificent jumps, which seem to defy gravity.
Beyond this, Kuu possesses a wonderful work ethic, a beautiful spirit, and is a joy to be around. We are excited to announce Kuu’s well-deserved promotion to Soloist this evening. Congratulations, Kuu!”
Featured Photo of newly-promoted Pacific Northwest Ballet soloists Kuu Sakuragi and Clara Ruf Maldonado in Donald Byrd’s Love and Loss. Photo © Angela Sterling.
