Unity Phelan

Unity Phelan
Phelan (right) with Russell Janzen in Jewels, 2017
Born
Unity Sickles Phelan

February 1995 (age 29)
Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.
EducationSchool of American Ballet
Fordham University
OccupationBallet dancer
Years active2012–present
Height5 ft 8 in (173 cm)[1]
Spouse
Cameron Dieck
​
(m. 2022)​
Career
Current groupNew York City Ballet

Unity Sickles Phelan (born February 1995)[2] is an American ballet dancer. She joined the New York City Ballet in 2013 and was promoted to principal dancer in 2021. Outside of the company, she had also danced in the films John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) and I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020).

Early life and training

Phelan was born in Princeton, New Jersey.[3] Her father founded a health service company, where he was also the chief executive, and her mother is an international tax consultant and partner at a national public accounting and business advisory firm. Phelan explained that her parents liked the idea of "unity", hence her unusual first name.[2]

Phelan started ballet at age four at Princeton Ballet School, following her older sister. At thirteen, she attended the summer program at the School of American Ballet in New York, and was invited to join the year-round program. Her parents thought she was too young, but allowed her to train there full-time the following year.[2] She trained at the school for three years.[3] During this time, she also completed high school at the Professional Children's School, and graduated in 2012.[2]

Career

Phelan became an apprentice with the New York City Ballet in 2012,[3] and joined the corps de ballet the following year.[4] Roles she danced whilst in the corps de ballet include in Balanchine's "Stairway to Paradise" in Who Cares?,[5] Episodes,[6] first pas de trois in Agon and a demi-soloist in Symphony in Three Movements.[3] In 2015, she made her debut as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Balanchine's The Nutcracker.[7] In 2016, she was chosen by choreographer Christopher Wheeldon to create a lead role in American Rhapsody,[8] and by Lauren Lovette in For Clara.[9] Later that year, she debuted as Dewdrop in The Nutcracker.[10] The following year, she originated a role in Pontus Lidberg's The Shimmering Asphalt.[11]

Phelan was promoted to soloist in 2017.[4] Since then, she has danced featured roles, including in "Emerald" from Jewels,[12] A Midsummer Night's Dream,[13] Liebeslieder Walzer,[14] Orpheus,[15] Divertimento No. 15;[16] Robbins' Dances at a Gathering,[17] In G Major[18] and Antique Epigraphs;[19] Wheeldon's Polyphonia[20] and DGV: Danse à Grande Vitesse;[21] and Forsythe's Herman Schmermen.[22] She has also created roles in Peck's Easy,[23] Lovette's The Shaded Line[24] and Ratmansky's Voices.[25]

In 2017, she performed a pas de deux in Balanchine's Agon with then-American Ballet Theatre soloist Calvin Royal III, with Arthur Mitchell, who originated Royal's role, in the audience. Following the performance, Mitchell commented the ballet was "in good hands."[26] The following year, after Mitchell's death, Royal and Phelan reprised the Agon pas de deux at his memorial.[27] The same year, following the collaboration between New York City Ballet and Puma, she took part in the latter's promotional tour in Asia.[28]

Phelan appeared in the 2019 film, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, as a ballerina who is also training to be an assassin, with the dance sequences choreographed by Tiler Peck.[29] She then appeared in a dream ballet sequence in the 2020 film, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, choreographed by Peter Walker.[30] In 2020, she was featured in a campaign for Gabriela Hearst.[31] Later that year, she danced in Andrea Miller's short film, New Song, which was made for the New York City Ballet.[32]

In 2021, Phelan was promoted to principal dancer. Her promotion came soon after the company return to performing after the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as multiple principal dancers' retirements.[33] Ballets she performed since her promotion include Balanchine's Agon, Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux,[a] Apollo (as Terpsichore), Symphony in C, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Vienna Waltzes, La Sonnambula (as the Sleepwalker), A Midsummer Night's Dream (as Titania), Swan Lake, and Robbins' Piano Pieces.[1][35][36] In 2022, she originated a role in Roberts' Emanon — in Two Movements.[37]

Personal life

While dancing full-time, Phelan also studied at Fordham University. She graduated in 2020, with a bachelor's degree in economics and organizational leadership.[2][33]

In 2022, Phelan married Cameron Dieck, a former New York City Ballet dancer.[2]

Filmography

Year Title Role Ref
2019 John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum Rooney / The Ballerina [29]
2020 I'm Thinking of Ending Things Dancing Young Woman [30]

Notes

  1. ^ At the New York City Ballet, the composer's last name is spelled "Tschaikovsky" rather than "Tchaikovsky" as he used the former spelling during a visit to New York in 1891.[34]

References

  1. ^ a b Kourlas, Gia (October 14, 2022). "What Is the Power of Unity Phelan's Dancing? 'I'm Clay.'". New York Times.
  2. ^ a b c d e f La Gorce, Tammy (November 25, 2022). "A Slow Dance Toward a 'Beautifully Intoxicating' Romance". New York Times.
  3. ^ a b c d "2015 Stars of the Corps: 10 Dancers Set to Ascend the Ranks". Pointe Magazine. August 3, 2015. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Stamelman, Paul (April 11, 2017). "The Epiphany That Made Unity Phelan An NYCB Soloist". Dance Magazine. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  5. ^ Macaulay, Alastair (February 19, 2016). "Sugarplum Fairies and Cavaliers Move Ahead at City Ballet". New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  6. ^ Macaulay, Alastair (September 30, 2016). "Women Fill New York City Ballet's Season With Splendor". New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  7. ^ Cooper, Michael (December 24, 2015). "'The Nutcracker' Gives Young Dancers a Spotlight Role". New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  8. ^ "Our 25 to Watch for 2017". Dance Magazine. December 29, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  9. ^ Phelan, Unity (September 22, 2016). "Review: City Ballet's Gala Evening of Misses ... and a Lot of Skin". New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  10. ^ Macaulay, Alastair (December 29, 2016). "Fresh Dewdrops for New York City Ballet's 'Nutcracker'". New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  11. ^ Greskovic, Robert (February 1, 2017). "New York City Ballet's Winter Season Review". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  12. ^ Kourlas, Gia (September 19, 2019). "New York City Ballet Is Back, and the Real Jewels Are the Dancers". New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  13. ^ Kourlas, Gia (May 31, 2019). "Some Enchanted Ending: Debuts and Other Spectacular Feats at City Ballet". New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  14. ^ Harss, Marina (March 3, 2019). "New York City Ballet – Prodigal Son, Liebeslieder Walzer – New York". DanceTabs. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  15. ^ Serchuk, Barnett (January 26, 2019). "Broadwayworld Dance Review: Balanchine/Stravinsky at New York City Ballet, January 24, 2019". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  16. ^ Greskovic, Robert (February 6, 2018). "A Company On and Off Its Game". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  17. ^ Harss, Marina (October 6, 2019). "New York City Ballet – Dances at a Gathering, Everywhere We Go – New York". DanceTabs. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  18. ^ Harss, Marina (March 2, 2020). "New York City Ballet – Classic NYCB II bill with new Justin Peck – New York". DanceTabs. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  19. ^ Harss, Marina (May 18, 2018). "New York City Ballet – All Robbins No. 4 bill – New York". DanceTabs. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  20. ^ Harss, Marina (October 8, 2017). "New York City Ballet – Liturgy, Polyphonia, Odessa, The Times are Racing – New York". danceTabs. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  21. ^ Escoda, Carla (September 20, 2019). "Something for everyone: Balanchine + Wheeldon at New York City Ballet". Bachtrack. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  22. ^ Kourlas, Gia (April 25, 2019). "City Ballet's 21st-Century Choreographers: Some Future Classics, Some Clunkers". New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  23. ^ Stigler, Brett (May 10, 2018). "Paying tribute to Jerome Robbins". All Arts. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  24. ^ Kourlas, Gia (September 27, 2019). "Review: At New York City Ballet, an Intriguing Glimpse of the Future". New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  25. ^ Kourlas, Gia (January 31, 2020). "Review: Alexei Ratmansky Finds a New Voice at City Ballet". New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  26. ^ Brandt, Amy (October 5, 2017). "Arthur Mitchell on "Agon": "My Skin Color Against Hers, It Became Part of the Choreography"". Pointe Magazine. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  27. ^ Howard, Theresa Ruth (December 7, 2018). "Arthur Mitchell's Memorial Was Both A Homegoing & A Homecoming". Dance Magazine. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  28. ^ Lansky, Chava Pearl (April 11, 2018). "The Perks of Being a PUMA Brand Ambassador: NYCB's Unity Phelan's Whirlwind Tour to Asia". Pointe Magazine. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  29. ^ a b Escoyne, Courtney (May 16, 2019). "Who is That Ballerina in the New John Wick Movie?". Dance Magazine. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  30. ^ a b Schrock, Madeline (September 5, 2020). "Inside Peter Walker's Dance Scene in I'm Thinking of Ending Things". Dance Magazine. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  31. ^ Cohn, Alison C. (August 3, 2020). "Top Ballerinas Model Gabriela Hearst's Pre-Fall Collection". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  32. ^ Kourlas, Gia (November 2, 2020). "Dancing on Grass and Concrete at New York City Ballet". New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  33. ^ a b Jacobs, Julia (October 7, 2021). "City Ballet Promotes Dancers Amid Veteran Departures". New York Times.
  34. ^ Macaulay, Alastair (September 25, 2014). "A Four-Work Leap Into the Forefront of Classical Ballet". New York Times. Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  35. ^ Kourlas, Gia (March 2, 2022). "Winter Season at City Ballet: 'Now Is the Time for a New Generation'". New York Times.
  36. ^ Kourlas, Gia (May 31, 2022). "A Farewell and the Promise of a New Future at City Ballet". New York Times.
  37. ^ Harss, Marina (January 27, 2022). "At City Ballet, Jamar Roberts and Dancers Find a Common Language". New York Times.