Interview with Emilie Gerrity, principal dancer at New York City Ballet & Williamsburg resident

WILLIAMSBURG — Last February, New York City Ballet dancer Emilie Gerrity was promoted from soloist to principal, reaching the loftiest level of her profession. This Thursday, July 20, as part of New York City Ballet’s short summer season at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, she’ll be performing in Justin Peck’s “Copland Dance Episodes.” In her thirteen years with the company, as a member of the corps, then a soloist, now a principal, Gerrity has been in 23 Balanchine ballets,13 Jerome Robbins ballets and multiple roles in ballets choreographed by Alexi Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon and Justin Peck. She is an exquisite, commanding presence in the company. It’s a joy to watch her.

STAMELMAN: You first danced in a Justin Peck-choreographed ballet, “In Creases,” which was also Justin’s first work for New York City Ballet (NYCB). And he personally selected you to be in it. Since then you’ve danced in many Peck-choreographed ballets. In fact, you are dancing in Justin’s “Copland Dance Episodes” this week at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Do you feel that you have a special affinity for his work?

GERRITY: Yes I do and in fact, “In Creases” was first performed in Saratoga. And, as you say, that was Justin’s first work for NYCB.

STAMELMAN: When you were 5 years old and studying at Betty Jean’s Dance Studio in Wappingers Fall, did you ever imagine you’d be a principal with NYCB.

GERRITY: No! In fact at first I didn’t love ballet. But as I grew older I became a bit of a perfectionist and I grew to like the striving for perfection that ballet provides.

STAMELMAN: You attended the School of American Ballet, correct, which is the feeder school for entry into…