In classical ballet, the female dancer who occupies the top position among dancers in a company is called a Ballerina. There is only one higher title, that of Prima Ballerina Assoluta, which is very rarely given. The Royal Ballet bestowed this latter title on Margot Fonteyn in 1979, when she was 60. The rand itself was invented by famous French ballet master Marius Petipa, who headed the Russian Imperial Ballet for many years. The idea came to Petipa when he studied the history of the early Romantic Ballet. He became the official father of this title when he awarded it to the famous Italian ballerina Pierina Legnani whom he considered a supreme danseuse of all Europe. She was the first Ballerina in the world to perform outstanding, during the ballet “Cinderella,” 32 fouettes en tournant (rapid, spectacular turns executed on one foot where the toe of the “working” leg touches the other knew on each turn). Women who held the title of Prima Ballerina Assoluta were Pierina Legnani, Matilda Kshesinskaya, Galina Ulanova, Maya Plisetskaya and Margot Fonteyn.

A Ballerina is a principal female dancer in a ballet company. The male equivalent is a Premier Danseur. The other women and men in a company are referred to as dancers, corps de ballet, soloist or principals. Ever dancer in a ballet company is an artist.

Today it is correct to refer to such dancers as Patricia McBride, Suzanne Farrell, Gelsey Kirkland, Stephanie Saland and of course Riverside’s Darci Kistler as Balanchine Ballerina’s. Children and young teens are referred to ballets students or young ballet artists.