Cara Marie Gary

Cara Marie Gary joined The Joffrey Ballet in 2012.

Ms. Gary began her formal ballet training at International Ballet Academy in Greer, South Carolina, under Hennadii Bespechnyi and Vlada Kysselova. She competed in several international competitions, including the VI Serge Lifar International Ballet Competition held in Kiev, Ukraine, and received a Diploma of Laureate in 2006. Ms. Gary was a top twelve finalist in the Youth America Grand Prix National Finals in 2008 and 2009, won the overall Grand Prix Award in the 2009 YAGP regional semi-finals, and competed in the IX USA International Ballet Competition held in Jackson, Mississippi in 2010.

Prior to joining The Joffrey Ballet, Ms. Gary danced with American Ballet Theatre’s ABT II and was an apprentice with Orlando Ballet. Her repertoire included roles in Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Flames of Paris pas de deux, Interplay, Continuo, Allegro Brillante, Stars and Stripes pas de deux, Vivace Motifs, Pavlovsk, A Taste of Sweet Velvet, Barbara, and Ballo Per Sei. Ms. Gary has also performed the title role in The Nutcracker, La Sylphide, Don Quixote, Paquita, Markitanka, Coppélia, and Giselle.

Since joining The Joffrey Ballet, Ms. Gary has danced many classical and contemporary roles, including Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, a Shade and Gamzatti’s Sister in La Bayadère, Pas de trois, Pas de quatre and Little Swans in Swan Lake, Juliet’s friend in Romeo and Juliet, Circus Couple in Tulle, and roles in Pretty BALLET, Interplay, Son of Chamber Symphony, Othello, Le Sacre du Printemps, Age of Innocence, Allegro Brillante, Continuum, In Creases, and Incantations.

In 2014, Joffrey’s ballet master, Nicolas Blanc, choreographed Rendez-vous on Ms. Gary and former Joffrey dancer Aaron Smyth for their participation in the X USA IBC, which received the Best Choreography Award and was showcased in the final gala.

Ms. Gary graduated Summa Cum Laude from North Greenville University in May 2014 with a BA in Business Administration.