Two PNB Principal Dancers Exiting Stage Left

First we heard that principal dancer Casey Herd was moving to Amsterdam to join the Dutch National Ballet; now we learn that 27-year-old Noelani Pantastico is spreading her wings to join Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, which is led by Jean-Christophe Maillot. We totally would not have praised his choreography so much if we'd known he was going to steal one of our dancers.

They're both staying with PNB through the end of this season, so if you're a fan, make the remaining performances count. Says PNB's Peter Boal: “I appreciate their excitement over this new chapter in their careers, but know that they will be missed in our studios and on our stage. Transitions are difficult and it is with some sorrow mixed with best wishes that we bid farewell to our dancers."

Pantastico auditioned for PNB when she was 16. Now, 11 years later, she says, "I have so much more to learn about myself as well as the ballet world. Kent Stowell, Francia Russell, and Peter Boal have greatly impacted my career and molded me in the process. They have all made me see that the possibilities in dance are endless."

Still, Monte Carlo? This is from Monte Carlo's own website: "Although not always recognized and sometimes misunderstood, Monaco's economy is in fact very dynamic and oriented towards the future." The future of what, postcard sales? We've been, it's very nice, but stuffy. Get out of town. A bit further down the road is Cap d'Ail. Oh, and don't miss the citrus festival in Menton. We don't know if it's all that great, but we missed seeing it by a few days when we visited, and we're still curious. Plus, there's an army of little old French pensioners for local color.

Photo: Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Noelani Pantastico as Juliette in Jean-Christophe Maillot's Roméo et Juliette. © Angela Sterling