Marcelo Gomes (dancer)

Marcelo Gomes (dancer)

Marcelo Gomes (born September 26, 1979) is a Brazilian ballet dancer currently performing with the American Ballet Theatre.

Born in Manaus and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Gomes began his dance studies at the Helena Lobato and Dalal Achcar Ballet Schools. At the age of 13 he left Brazil to attend the Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida, and at 16 he studied for one year at the Paris Opera Ballet school. He also studied at the schools of the Houston Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Cuballet. Gomes was a Prix de Lausanne winner in 1996.

Gomes first joined the American Ballet Theatre in 1997 as a member of the corps de ballet. He was promoted to soloist in 2000 and to principal dancer in 2002. He was named one of "25 to Watch" in 2001 by Dance Magazine. and was a winner of one of the most prestigious awards in ballet, the Prix Benois de la Danse in 2008 for his role as Othello in Lar Lubovitch's ballet Othello.

Gomes' performances have been seen throughout the world. In addition to his touring with ABT, he has appeared at many international dance festivals, including the World Ballet Festival in Japan. He has been a guest artist with the Dutch National Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, the Houston Ballet, the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro, and the New York City Ballet. In the summer of 2008, he accompanied Alessandra Ferri on her farewell tour in Japan and Italy, and in 2008 was the recipient of the prestigious Prix Benois de la Danse in Moscow.