Marcelo Gomes - Danseur Noble
A Gentleman, a charmer and above all a Danseur Noble! Anyone who knows him will tell you all of these superlatives apply to Marcelo Gomes.
The training that brought him to American Ballet Theatre began in the country of his birth, Brazil. He loved music, had great rhythm and like so many male dancers, followed his sister to class with Helena Lobato at age five. It was a musical theatre class and he “jumped right in.” He then studied ballet with her before the noted teacher Dalal Achcar saw him dance when he was just eight and Marcelo became a student at her school in Rio de Janeiro. For the next five years he studied with Achcar, and then wanting to go on for further training, at age 13, he ventured to America and The Harid Conservatory in Florida, where he remained for three years. Along with his ballet training, he received academic schooling learning English from his Indiana roommate. He “loved algebra because you didn’t have to speak.” Summer intensives found him studying in Houston, Boston and Cuba. At Harid, he found a mentor in Olivier Pardina. He received the National Society of Arts and Letters award, and in 1996, the school entered him in the Prix de Lausanne, where he was awarded the Hope Prize garnering him a place at the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School.
Marcelo Gomes in "Swan Lake"
Photo: Rosalie O'Conner/ Courtesy of American Ballet Theatre
The summer prior to attending the school in Paris, American Ballet Theatre had a tour to Brazil. Marcelo wanted to attend every performance but his family did not have the money to pay for all the tickets so he was able to secure a position as a super with the company. This gave him an opportunity to appear on stage as a monk in "La Bayadere" and observe the company at close range. He was granted permission to take company class where Kevin McKenzie noticed his obvious talent and offered him a position with ABT. His parents urged him to honor his commitment to the Paris Opera scholarship and Marcelo found the experience and training amazing. After his year in France, he joined American Ballet Theatre in 1997. He was given his first solo, Balanchine’s "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux," just six months after joining the company. Promotion to soloist status came in 2000 and principal in 2003. The ballet staff was very helpful. Guillaume Graffin showed him how a male dancer can carry a ballet on stage by portraying a role, and now he says “working with ballet master Clinton Luckett is amazing and wonderful.” Dancing a full repertoire of the classics, Marcelo has also had new works created on him. Among his favorite roles are Albrecht in "Giselle" and Des Grieux in Kenneth MacMillan's "Manon." He says “having several different partners keeps the performances fresh.”
In addition to class, Marcelo swims and does Pilates. In his spare time, he enjoys eating out in various restaurants with friends and spending time with his Dachshund Lua, even taking her to class and rehearsals. Although he loves living in New York, he does miss Brazil, his family, the culture and the food. He says that “Brazil has less government support of the arts than even in America.”
For the future, he would some day like to direct a company and has already had his hand in as a choreographer working with dancers from ABT and with Stiefel & Students summer intensive. Marcelo has this advice for young dancers, “Make sacrifices to pursue your dream, stay determined, work very hard and love it. Be a sponge and absorb everything you can and have a good sense of humor.”
Audiences expect to see a male dancer with technique, partnering skills and glamour. Marcelo Gomes encompasses all of these abilities with panache. Being a Brazilian, he also does a mean Samba. ABT will be at the Metropolitan Opera in New York from May 19th. Check their website www.abt.org for performance and casting schedules.