Ethan Stiefel Final Performance, July 7, 2012<br /> <br /> Here are photos of Ethan Stiefel's final performance on July 7, 2012. Ethan danced the role of Ali in Le Corsaire that night, dazzling the crowd with reckless abandon and bravura dancing including turns in second with a leap in the middle, a spectacular manège of coupé jetés, and endless pirouettes.  <br /> <br /> Ethan started his career in 1989 at New York City Ballet. Having a desire to dance the big story ballets that ABT specializes in, he joined ABT in 1997, adding to a great roster of male dancers consisting of Angel Corella, Jose Manuel Correno, and Marcelo Gomes. At ABT, Ethan expanded his repertoire to include full-length classics to contemporary works by Twyla Tharp, Jiri Kylian, and Paul Taylor. He quickly became a crowd favorite at ABT and established himself as one of the greatest American male dancers. In addition to the classical roles that he excelled in such as Giselle and Sleeping Beauty, I enjoyed his performances in Billy the Kid, Tharp's Rabbit and Rogue, and Known by Heart. <br /> <br /> Both Stiefel and Angel Corella became artistic directors with Ethan heading the Royal New Zealand Ballet. Both retired from ABT in 2012 to devote more time to their management responsibilities and both left on top of their game. Like Angel's going away party eight days earlier, Ethan was congratulated onstage by current and former dancers including Susan Jaffe, John Gardner, Amanda McKerrow, and Damian Woetzel. Then during a confetti blizzard, he was given a big hug by his fiancé and Principal Dancer Gillian Murphy. Then followed numerous curtain calls for his appreciative fans before his final exit from the stage.
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