Kent, Allegra

Kent, Allegra

(1938–  ) ballet dancer; born in Santa Monica, Calif. On her toes at the early age of 11, at age 13 she moved to New York City for scholarship study at the School of American Ballet where she attracted George Balanchine's attention. In 1953 she joined the New York City Ballet and became a principal dancer at age 18. One of six ballerinas known for their "Balanchine style," for the next three decades she was one of the stars of the New York City Ballet. In later years she danced in a number of companies including the Ballet of Los Angeles (1990).

The Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography, by John S. Bowman. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995. Reproduced with permission.