Principal
Mercedes-San Luis, Argentina
Joined Boston Ballet in 2006
Erica Cornejo trained at the Arts Institute of the Colon Theatre in Buenos Aires. At age 14, she won a gold medal at the Second International Ballet Competition in Argentina and was immediately invited to join Julio Bocca’s Ballet Argentino. She was featured as Bocca's partner in many principal roles.
Cornejo joined American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company in 1998 and later that year became a member of ABT’s corps de ballet. She was promoted to soloist in 2002.
Cornejo has been honored as a Messenger of Peace by Unesco. She also received a medal of honor from the U.S. chapter of Institute Belgraniano as one of Argentina’s leading dancers. Cornejo has been featured onthe cover of Pointe Magazine and Dance Magazine.
In 1998 Erica and her brother, Herman Cornejo, were invited as guest artists to danceat a special tribute held at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York honoring both President Bill Clinton and Argentinean President Carlos Menem. In 2005 Erica danced for President George Bush at the White House.
Cornejo has created leading roles in Within You Without You: A Tribute to George Harrison and Lar Lubovitch’s “. . .smile with my heart.”
She has performed with Corella Ballet in Spain and has performed at worldwide festivals and ballet galas in Italy, Spain, Greece, Egypt, Israel, Portugal, Japan, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Brazil, Gala des Étoiles du XXI Siècle in Paris and Canada and Gala du Diamonds in Moscow.
Her diverse repertoire since joining Boston Ballet in 2006 includes Mikko Nissinen's Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet, Rudolf Nureyev's Don Quixote, August Bournonville's La Sylphide, John Gielgud's Giselle, Val Caniparoli's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, George Balanchine's Emeralds, Coppelia, Theme and Variation, Ballo de la Regina, Michel Fokine's Spectra de la Rose, Florence Clerc's Bayadere and Les Sylphides, James Kudelka's Cinderella, Twyla Tharp's In the Upper Room, William Forsythe's The Second Detail and Jiri Kylián's Sechs Tänze, Petite Mort, No More Play, Falling Angels and Bella Figura.
Cornejo is married to ex Boston Ballet principal dancer Carlos Molina and is the sister of ABT principal dancer Herman Cornejo.
