Deirdre Carberry

Deirdre Carberry at age 14 was invited by Mikhail Baryshnikov to join American Ballet Theatre (ABT). She was their youngest dancer. She continued to dance with ABT in soloist and principal roles for 12 years. She also danced as a soloist and principal with Atlanta Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Memphis Ballet and Miami City Ballet. She later held the position of Ballet Mistress for Columbia City Ballet. At age 13 with special permission, she was the youngest competitor at the First U.S. International Ballet Competition where she won a silver medal, the highest Junior Division medal awarded that year. She was then invited to perform at the Spoleto Festival USA alongside Alicia Alonso, Sir Anthony Dowell and Merrill Ashley. Twyla Tharp cast Carberry to create the ballerina role in Tharp's new work, The Little Ballet, in which Carberry partnered with Baryshnikov. Carberry also created the leads in Burgoine’s “Carmen”, Poole’s “The Elements”, Pimble’s “Common Ground” and Memphis’ “Taming of the Shrew”. Her other stellar partners included Kevin McKenzie, Fernando Bujones, Patrick Bissell, and Wes Chapman. She performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, Israel, Canada, Central and South America, including 3 tours with Baryshnikov & Co., at Paris Opera House, Covent Gardens, Metropolitan Opera House, NY State Theater, Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center.

Carberry taught and adjudicated for “American Idol” icon Paula Abdul’s Company Dance Competition, televised on ESPN Disney and adjudicated for the Cincinnati Arts Overture Awards. Carberry appeared in several PBS Great Performances specials partnered by Baryshnikov and in Dance in America. She taught for Wayne State, Emory and Alabama universities, Alabama Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, ASFA, Serba '09 and on Faculty of ABT Summer Intensives. She created numerous workshops, outreach programs and public school lectures. She staged, restaged and set student productions of Cinderella, Don Quixote, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Paquita and Swan Lake. Carberry is in numerous editions of Who’s Who of America, American Women, Entertainment, and Emerging Leaders.