Position: Former Soloist with ABT; Broadway Performer
Affiliation with organization: –
Years active at YAGP: 2021 – Present
Born in Miami, Florida, Craig Salstein began his training at the Ballet Academy of Miami at the age of eight and continued his training with the Miami City Ballet. In 1995, he was the Grand Champion of Ed McMahon’s Star Search. He is also one of a set of triplets. For two summers he trained with The Joffrey Ballet, the School of American Ballet and at American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive as a National Training Scholar. He joined Miami City Ballet in 1999 and American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company in 2000. In 2002 he joined the corps de ballet of American Ballet Theatre and was promoted to Soloist in March 2007.
Salstein’s repertory with the Company includes Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, the Bronze Idol and the Head Fakir in La Bayadère, Accordionist and Tractor Driver in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Bright Stream, a Step-Sister and the Jester in Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella, Birbanto in Le Corsaire, Gamache in Don Quixote, Puck in The Dream, the first sailor in Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free, the Peruvian in Gaîté Parisienne, the peasant pas de deux in Giselle, the Joker in John Cranko’s Jeu de Cartes, the Nutcracker-Prince in Kevin McKenzie’s The Nutcracker, the Beggar Chief in Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, the Champion Roper in Rodeo, Carabosse and the italian Prince in The Sleeping Beauty, the Neapolitan Dance in Swan Lake, Gurn in La Sylphide, and the Devil in Three Virgins and a Devil. In addition he has performed roles in Alexei Ratmansky’s Seven Sonatas, Christopher Wheeldon’s Thirteen Diversions, George Balanchine’s Mozartiana, Twyla Tharp’s Bach Partita, Baker’s Dozen, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Brief Fling and In the Upper Room, Paul Taylor’s Black Tuesday and Company B, James Kudelka’s Désir, Mark Morris’ Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes and Gong, Merce Cunningham’s Duets, Jiri Kylian’s Sechs Tänze and Sinfonietta and Frederick Ashton’s Symphonic Variations. He created Galifron in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty, Stefano in The Tempest, a leading role in Symphony #9 and a role in After You.
