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Suzanne FarrellAmerican ballerina
Date of Birth: 16.08.1945
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Suzanne Farrell
Suzanne Farrell, born on August 16, 1945 in Cincinnati, is an American ballerina and one of the most extraordinary dancers of the 20th century. Her real name is Roberta Sue Ficker. Her education began at the Cincinnati Conservatory, and in 1959 she was accepted into the School of American Ballet, named after George Balanchine, and won a scholarship grant from the Ford Foundation. She started her studies at this school in 1960, and in 1961 she joined the New York City Ballet (NYCB).
Rising to Prominence
From the corps de ballet in NYCB, Farrell quickly rose to the forefront to perform leading roles. In 1963, the first roles specifically created for her were choreographed, and by 1965, Suzanne had achieved the status of a principal dancer. George Balanchine fell in love with her "princess made of plaster" at first sight and created role after role for her. In 1965, he choreographed a ballet based on the novel "Don Quixote" with hopes of capturing her heart. In 1968, he cast her in the leading roles in his ballet "Diamonds," one part of his three-act plotless ballet "Jewels."
Career Challenges and Legacy
Suzanne Farrell is one of the few ballerinas whose career lasted remarkably long. After a ballet career of 28 years, which slowly but surely took its toll on her body, things started to decline in 1983. She began developing arthritis, and despite ongoing treatment, her stage career was at risk of being derailed by 1985, at the age of 40. For several years, Suzanne continued to work and endure excruciating pain in her hip, but in 1989, she finally retired from the stage.
Farrell's next chapter was the George Balanchine Ballet School, where she focused on training a new generation of dancers, collaborating with world-renowned ballet companies such as Berlin and Vienna, Paris Opera Ballet, Bolshoi Theatre, and the Mariinsky Ballet. In 2000, Suzanne Farrell opened her own company, the "Suzanne Farrell Ballet." Today, it is a significant and prominent company supported by the Kennedy Center.
Recognition and Awards
Throughout her career, Farrell has received numerous awards. Among them are honorary degrees from Harvard and Yale Universities, as well as the University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University. In 2003, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts. More recently, in 2005, Suzanne celebrated receiving the Kennedy Center Honors as the most influential ballerina of the 20th century. She also received the Capezio Award for Dance in the same year.
