ARTS: Renowned ballerina turns adviser for Nevada Ballet Theatre

Tapping a world famous resource, Nevada Ballet Theatre has announced that Cynthia Gregory — a Las Vegas resident since last year whom NBT describes as “one of the 20th century’s greatest ballerinas” — will join them as artistic adviser for the main company and its affiliated academy.

The company also will establish the Cynthia Gregory Center for Coaching at NBT’s Las Vegas studios.

“Her perspective on artistic matters will be invaluable as we develop and grow,” said NBT chief executive officer Beth Barbre in a news release. “And she will no doubt draw many of the world’s great dancers to our facility as they seek to perfect their skills under her guidance.”

Referred to by Rudolph Nureyev as “America’s prime ballerina assoluta” (“absolutely” in Italian, meaning absolutely the first), Gregory is best-known for her 1965-91 tenure with the American Ballet Theatre, dancing in more than 80 works by legendary choreographers including Agnes DeMille, Jerome Robbins and George Balanchine.

“I hope to inspire the young students in the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre and enhance the already great work the company is doing under the direction of (artistic director) James Canfield,” Gregory said in the release. “It will be wonderful to have a beautiful facility that I can call home, where I can continue to coach dancers, stage ballets and teach master classes.”