Paul Craig (dancer)

For other uses, see Paul Craig (disambiguation).

Paul Craig is an American principal dancer at the Boston Ballet and Circio Collective.^[1]

Early life

When Craig was six years old, he wanted to begin tap lessons after seeing Gene Kelly perform on television.^[2] At ten years old,^[2] Craig began dancing at the Conservatory of Dance and the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.^[3] As part of the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp's International Exchange Program, Craig traveled to Germany, Italy, and France in 2002.^[3]

Later, Craig received the Garold Gardner Scholarships to train at the Virginia School of the Arts.^[1] Before graduating, he received the Virginia School of the Arts Merit Award, as well as the Dean's Award.^[1]

Craig began training with the Boston Ballet School in 2006.^[1]

Career

Craig joined Boston Ballet II in 2007, during which time he traveled to perform in Russia.^[3] Craig was subsequently promoted to Corps de Ballet in 2008, Second Soloist in 2014, Soloist in 2015, and Principal in 2017.^[1]

Craig has performed in Jacob's Pillow, the Tanglewood Music Festival, the Cape Cod Dance Festival, the Spoleto Festival, the World Ballet Competition Gala,^[3] and the American Dance Competition Gala.^[1] He has also traveled to perform in South Korea, Spain, Germany, France, Finland, Mexico, England, and Canada.^[1]

He is also a production manager with Circio Collective,^[1][4] a contemporary dance company in Boston. With the help of the Circio Collective, Craig choreographed "The Fourth Way" with musician Josh Knowles.^[5]

Craig has taught master classes at the Conservatory of Dance in Manistee, Michigan,^[6] the Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey, Michigan, and Camp Harbor View, a nonprofit Boston outreach program.^[3]