Jock Soto

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Jock Soto is an American ballet dancer. He joined New York City Ballet in 1981, was promoted to soloist in 1984 and to principal dancer in 1985. He gave his farewell performance on Sunday, June 19, 2005. The program featured ballets by five different choreographers: “Dance at the Gym” from Jerome Robbins’ West Side Story Suite, Peter Martins’ Barber Violin Concerto, Christopher Wheeldon’s Liturgy, Lynne Taylor-Corbett’s Chiaroscuro, and the Royal Navy section of George Balanchine’s Union Jack.

Jock Soto is half Navajo Indian and half Puerto Rican, was born in Gallup, New Mexico, and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. He is openly gay. [1] While a student at the School of American Ballet (SAB) he danced the role of Luke in Peter Martins’ The Magic Flute, which was choreographed for SAB’s 1981 workshop performances. He danced featured roles in over 40 ballets, of which more than 35 were created for him. He danced the role of a parent in the 1993 film version of The Nutcracker, a version based on the New York City Ballet production choreographed by George Balanchine. He has been a permanent member of the faculty at SAB since 1996, where he teaches partnering and technique classes to intermediate and advanced students.