Two New Principal Dancers from Argentina Join The Sarasota Ballet

April 22, 2022 – Sarasota

The Sarasota Ballet announces today that Argentinian principal ballet dancers Macarena Gimenez and Maximiliano Iglesias, both of the Ballet Estable del Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Argentina, will be joining The Sarasota Ballet Company at the beginning of the upcoming 2022 – 2023 Season. Gimenez and Iglesias both join as Principal Dancers, reflecting their extensive repertory including significant experience with lead roles at Teatro Colón.

“We are excited to extend this invitation to Macarena and Maximiliano to become a part of The Sarasota Ballet family,” says Iain Webb, Director of The Sarasota Ballet. “I was impressed by both of their professional repertories, each bringing along with them expertise in principal roles in ballets by Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Rudolf Nureyev, Ben Stevenson, Ronald Hynd, and many more. In addition to reinforcing our Company’s existing repertory, their familiarity with a diverse range of choreographic styles adds to The Sarasota Ballet’s ability to take on ballets our Company has yet to dance. We look forward to the possibilities these two new dancers bring to future Seasons.”

Macarena Gimenez began her professional ballet training in 2004 at the Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and continued to train at the Ballettschule of the Hamburg Ballet in Germany. In 2008, Gimenez joined the Concert Ballet of Iñaki Urlezaga, where she toured internationally in countries such as Thailand, Italy, Spain, China, Egypt, and the United States, among others. She joined the Teatro Colón Ballet in 2012, receiving a promotion to Soloist in 2017 and to Principal the following year. During her tenure with the Teatro Colón Ballet, she participated in the Latin-American tour for Paloma Herrera’s Farewell, the Latin-American International Festival in China, and the Festival Internacional de Ballet de la Habana in 2018.

Maximiliano Iglesias’ formal training commenced in 2004 at age 10, upon winning a scholarship to study ballet at the Julio Bocca Foundation, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Two years later, he earned entrance to the Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón, where he would study until his hiring in 2010 by the Teatro Colón Ballet. He received a promotion to Soloist in 2017, then to Principal in 2018. With the Teatro Colón Ballet alongside Gimenez, Iglesias participated in the Latin-American tour for Paloma Herrera’s Farewell, the Latin-American International Festival in China, and the Festival Internacional de Ballet de la Habana in 2018.

“I am delighted that Macarena and Maximiliano are both joining our Company, and I am very much looking forward to working with them,” says Margaret Barbieri, Assistant Director of The Sarasota Ballet. “We received glowing references from Artistic Directors, choreographers, stagers, and leading ballerinas. Macarena has been described as an exquisite dancer, possessing an enchanting naturalness and mastery of difficult technique. Similarly, Maximiliano is an excellent dancer, a most generous partner and performer, with great acting prowess. They have partnered for many memorable performances in the past decade, showing strength in classical and contemporary choreography, as well as a flair for dramatic interpretation. This is an exciting time for them, and for all of us in Sarasota.”