Alessandra Ferri (1963-). Italian-born dancer, teacher and director

Alessandra Ferri was born in Milan in 1963. She studied at the Ballet School of La Scala, Milan, and The Royal Ballet Upper School, winning the Prix de Lausanne in 1980. She joined The Royal Ballet that year, and in 1982 took the leading role of Mary Vetsera in Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling to great acclaim. She created roles in MacMillan’s Valley of Shadows and Different Drummer, and became a principal of the company in 1984. Ferri also memorably performed leading roles in MacMillan’s Manon and Romeo and Juliet (which was recorded for television by the BBC).

In 1985, Ferri was invited by Mikhail Baryshnikov to join American Ballet Theatre (ABT) as a principal dancer. Later, in 1992, she embarked on a collaboration with the Ballet of La Scala, Milan, where she was nominated Prima Ballerina Assoluta. During her career before retirement Ferri guested widely internationally, and created roles for many choreographers, including MacMillan, Michael Corder, David Bintley, Roland Petit and William Forsythe. She retired from ABT and La Scala in 2007, but returned to the stage in 2013. In 2017 she danced Marguerite in Frederick Ashton’s Marguerite and Armand with The Royal Ballet. She also appeared in the premieres of Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works with The Royal Ballet, La Scala and ABT. She was appointed director of the Vienna State Ballet in 2025.