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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HOMETOWN BALLERINA RETURNS FOR DEBUT ROLE IN
INTERNATIONAL BALLET’S GISELLE
JOFFREY BALLET’S CARA MARIE GARY AND TEMUR SULUASHVILI
TO STAR IN INTERNATIONAL BALLET’S UPCOMING PRODUCTION
GREENVILLE, SC - MAY 21, 2015 at the Peace Center Gunter Theatre - 7:30pm
International Ballet proudly announces the return of Belton, SC native Cara Marie Gary, now a
ballet dancer of the Joffrey Ballet, Chicago, to dance the title role in its spring production of the
iconic classical ballet, Giselle. Gary, who got her professional start as an International Ballet
principal dancer in Greenville, SC, will star alongside Joffrey principal artist Temur Suluashvili,
who will dance the role of “Albrecht”. As an exciting precursor, both Gary and Suluashvili will be
performing with Joffrey Ballet during its featured concert on tour in Greenville on March 24 at
the Peace Center Concert Hall.
This is the second time Ms. Gary will be performing as a guest artist with International Ballet as
a current Joffrey Ballet artist. Prior to joining the Joffrey Ballet, Ms. Gary danced with American
Ballet Theatre’s ABT II and was an apprentice with Orlando Ballet. She began her formal ballet
training at International Ballet Academy in Greer, South Carolina, under Hennadii Bespechnyi
and Vlada Kysselova. Ms. Gary graduated from Belton-Honea Path High School and holds a
BS in Business Administration from North Greenville University, which she pursued alongside
her performing career and received in May 2014. Gary has competed twice in the prestigious
USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, MS, and has performed solo and principal
roles with the Joffrey Ballet, including “Sugarplum Fairy” in The Nutcracker. Though Gary
performed as a soloist in International Ballet’s 2005 production of Giselle and as principal in
several full-length International Ballet productions such as Coppelia and La Sylphide, this will be
her debut performance in the principal role. Gary is the daughter of Cummings and Cassandra
Gary of Belton, SC.
Mr. Suluashvili, raised and trained in the Republic of Georgia, came to the United States in 2000
to train on full scholarship in New York, and joined the Joffrey Ballet after placing as a finalist in
the New York International Ballet Competition in 2003. Suluashvili has performed numerous
principal roles in classical and contemporary works with the Joffrey Ballet, including “Albrecht” in
Giselle, and has originated lead roles for choreographers Yuri Possokhov and Stanton Welch.
When he is not performing, Mr. Suluashvili enjoys photographing dancers on stage and in the
studio. A selection of his photos has been published in the New York Times. Mr. Suluashvili is
married to Victoria Jaiani, also a dancer with The Joffrey Ballet.
Gary and Suluashvili will be joined by Mikhail Ronnikov of Columbia, SC in the supporting role
of “Hilarion”, as well as International Ballet pre-professional company dancers Davia Bunch as
“Myrtha”, and Sophia Beadie and Gabriel Paluszak in the “Peasant Pas de Deux”. The
production is under the direction of International Ballet’s Artistic Director Vlada Kysselova, who
has choreographed and staged productions since its founding in 2004. International Ballet looks
forward to once again presenting Giselle - an historic ballet about love, betrayal, and ultimately,
forgiveness - featuring its very own “hometown star”, Cara Marie Gary, on May 21, 2015.
International Ballet
1018 S. Batesville Road
Greer, SC 29650
(o) 864-879-9404
Lena Forster
Executive Director
[email protected]
(c) 864-386-0416
www.internationalballetsc.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cara Marie Gary
www.joffrey.org/people/cara-marie-gary
Temur Suluashvili
www.joffrey.org/people/temur-suluashvili-0
Mikhail Ronnikov
www.ronnikov.wix.com/main
www.internationalballetsc.org