Ashley Bouder Bids Farewell to New York City Ballet with a Triumphant Final Bow
After an extraordinary 25-year career with New York City Ballet—20 of them as a principal dancer—Ashley Bouder took her final bow, closing a chapter that has shaped two generations of dancers and captivated audiences worldwide.
Ashley Bouder, Peter de Florio
For her farewell performance, Bouder returned to the role of the Firebird, which she first performed in 2001. The stage became a scene of pure emotion as she received five curtain calls, each wave of applause a tribute to her legacy. As dancers, the conductor, and the first violinist of NYCB stepped forward to present her with flowers, a cascade of bouquets grew at her feet. But it was the final gesture that brought the house to tears—her 8-year-old daughter, Violet de Florio, dressed in red to match Bouder’s Firebird costume, delivered the last bouquet.
“If you weren’t crying with me during the performance, you were by then,” Bouder said.
Ashley Bouder
Following the emotional farewell, Bouder and over 100 friends and colleagues gathered at Bowlero in Times Square, where she swapped her pointe shoes for bowling shoes in a private celebration. The evening also marked a new beginning: Bouder announced that her organization, Ashley Bouder Arts, dedicated to supporting women choreographers and commissioning new works, has already raised nearly half a million dollars.
Peter de Florio, Vincent Paradiso, Chris Coffee, Stephen Hanna
Born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Bouder trained at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under Marcia Dale Weary before joining the School of American Ballet in 1999. She became an NYCB apprentice in 2000, joined the corps de ballet later that year, was promoted to soloist in 2004, and became a principal dancer in 2005. Her brilliance, strength, and artistry have defined her career, leaving an indelible mark on the company and the world of ballet.
Guest, Patrick Davitt
Violet de Florio, Amelie Burkhardt, Nora Weiner
While this was Bouder’s final curtain call at NYCB, her impact on the dance world is far from over.
PHOTOS by SEAN ZANNI:
