{{short description|American ballet dancer and model}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Alexandra Waterbury | image = Alexandra Waterbury, headshot.jpg | caption = Waterbury in 2017 | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = Old Forge, New York | death_date = | death_place = | education = School of American Ballet | alma_mater = Columbia University | occupation = ballet dancer <br> fashion model | years_active = | known_for = Lawsuit against New York City Ballet and Chase Finlay | spouse = | children = }}
'''Alexandra Waterbury''' is an American ballet dancer and fashion model. In September 2018 she began a lawsuit against her former boyfriend and his employer—principal dancer Chase Finlay and New York City Ballet—and several other parties, alleging that the individuals named shared sexually explicit images and videos of Waterbury without her consent, and that the institutions named were co-liable.<ref name="go">{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/News/ballerina-sues-york-city-ballet-alleged-sharing-nude/story?id=57664075|title=Ballerina sues New York City Ballet over alleged sharing of nude photos by member of company: 'My body was violated'|website=ABC News|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref><ref name="wsj">{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-ballet-faces-fundraising-test-as-it-comes-under-scrutiny-over-treatment-of-female-dancers-1537149982|title=New York City Ballet Faces Fundraising Test as It Comes Under Scrutiny Over Treatment of Female Dancers|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=17 September 2018|accessdate=2018-10-05|last1=Passy|first1=Charles}}</ref><ref name="thetimes">{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/new-york-ballerina-alexandra-waterbury-sues-over-abuse-8rtjmbd0r|title=New York ballerina Alexandra Waterbury sues over 'abuse' | World|author=Will Pavia, New York|website=The Times|access-date=2018-10-05}}</ref><ref name="elpais">{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2018/09/06/gente/1536230720_122203.html|title=Alexandra Waterbury: Una exbailarina demanda al ballet de Nueva York por permitir la difusión de sus fotos desnuda | Gente y Famosos|website=EL PAÍS|date=6 September 2018|accessdate=2018-10-05|last1=Pozzi|first1=Sandro}}</ref><ref name="apnews">{{cite web|url=https://www.apnews.com/1ca527c682da46859cf2c4d6430cd699|title=2 fired dancers, donor added to ballet lawsuit|website=apnews.com|date=18 September 2018|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref><ref name="bbc">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45437643|title=Dancer sues New York City Ballet over nude photos|work=BBC News|date=6 September 2018|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref><ref name="independent">{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/metoo-alexandra-waterbury-new-york-city-ballet-chase-finlay-nude-photos-sexual-harassment-abuse-a8530006.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909230235/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/metoo-alexandra-waterbury-new-york-city-ballet-chase-finlay-nude-photos-sexual-harassment-abuse-a8530006.html |archive-date=2018-09-09 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=Twenty-year-old ballerina's allegations against New York City Ballet threaten to unleash dance's own #MeToo movement|website=The Independent|date=9 September 2018|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref> The case has since ended without verdict and Waterbury has enrolled as a law student at Albany Law School after the end of the case.
== Early life and career== Waterbury is from Old Forge, New York.<ref name="heavy">{{cite web|url=https://heavy.com/news/2018/09/alexandra-waterbury/|author=S.M. Walsh|title=Alexandra Waterbury: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|website=Heavy.com|date=6 September 2018|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref> She trained at the School of American Ballet (SAB) in New York City from 2013 to 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/DocumentList?docketId=rPLVUnskYCM89NLHno7z4g==&PageNum=1&narrow=|title=Waterbury v. Chase Finlay et al.|last=|first=|date=|website=Docket List, No. 34 (¶ 2), No. 88, No. 112.|access-date=September 15, 2019}}</ref>
Waterbury is signed with Wilhelmina Models, City Models, and Munich Models.<ref name="wilhelmina">{{cite web|url=http://www.wilhelmina.com/talent/alexandra-waterbury-29788|title=ALEXANDRA WATERBURY|website=Wilhelmina|accessdate=2018-10-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110040656/http://www.wilhelmina.com/talent/alexandra-waterbury-29788|archive-date=2019-01-10|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="city-models">{{cite web|url=https://www.city-models.com/women/development/1146-alexandra-waterbury/|title=ALEXANDRA WATERBURY|website=City Models|accessdate=2018-10-05|archive-date=2018-10-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005071927/https://www.city-models.com/women/development/1146-alexandra-waterbury/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="munich-models">{{cite web|url=https://www.munich-models.de/main/1859-alexandra-waterbury/|title=ALEXANDRA WATERBURY|website=Munich Models|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref> In July 2016 Waterbury was the cover-girl ''L'Officiel Thailand''.<ref name="youtube">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qj_X3DZzmU|title=L'Officie Thailand - Fashion "FALL PREVIEW"|website=YouTube|date=2 July 2016 |accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref> In October 2017 Waterbury was photographed by Isaac Anthony for an editorial in ''Design Scene''.<ref name="designscene">{{cite web|url=https://www.designscene.net/2017/10/alexandra-waterbury-isaac-anthony.html|website=designscene.net|title=DESIGN SCENE STYLE: Alexandra Waterbury by Isaac Anthony|date=6 October 2017 |accessdate=2018-10-19}}</ref> In March 2018 she was featured in a fashion editorial for ''L'Officiel'''s American publication.<ref name="lofficielusa">{{cite web|url=https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/step-into-the-first-day-of-spring|website=lofficielusa.com|title=Four of the Best Trends for Spring|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref> In October 2018 Waterbury modeled for Lululemon Athletica's Royal Ballet Collection.<ref name="thesweatedit">{{cite web|url=https://thesweatedit.com/2018/10/lululemon-royal-ballet-collection-francesca-hayward.html|title=Lululemon Royal Ballet Collection, Francesca Hayward, of the Royal Ballet in London|website=The Sweat Edit|date=4 October 2018 |accessdate=2018-10-19}}</ref>
Waterbury was scheduled to dance as a guest artist in Ballez's production of ''Giselle'' in 2020.<ref name= ballez>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ballez.org/shows/giselle-of-loneliness|title=Giselle of Loneliness|website=www.ballez.org|accessdate=Apr 26, 2021}}</ref> The show was postponed to June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.<ref name= ballez/> Waterbury completed an undergraduate degree at Columbia University in Politics and has since started law school at Albany Law School in New York.<ref>[https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-waterbury-46162221a Personal biography. A Waterbury]</ref>
== Personal life and NYCB lawsuit == thumb|Chase Finlay and Waterbury, 2017 Waterbury was in a relationship with Chase Finlay from 2016 until 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/DocumentList?docketId=rPLVUnskYCM89NLHno7z4g==&PageNum=2&narrow=|title=Waterbury v. Finlay et al.|last=|first=|date=|website=Docket List, No. 34 (¶ 3), No. 142 (¶ 5).|access-date=September 15, 2019}}</ref> In September 2018 Waterbury began a civil action in New York County Supreme Court against NYCB principal dancers Finlay, Amar Ramasar and Zachary Catazaro; NYCB patron Jared Longhitano; New York City Ballet; and SAB. Her lawsuit claimed harm by Finlay for allegedly taking and sharing sexually explicit photos and videos of Waterbury without her knowledge or consent, and by Ramasar, Catazaro, Longhitano, NYCB and SAB for allegedly contributing to that harm in various ways.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/DocumentList?docketId=rPLVUnskYCM89NLHno7z4g==&PageNum=1&narrow=|title=Alexandra Waterbury v. New York City Ballet et al.|last=|first=|date=|website=ECF Nos. 1, 3, 77.|access-date=September 11, 2019}}</ref> Waterbury's suit led to Finlay's resignation from NYCB and the firing of Ramasar and Catazaro.<ref name="washingtonpost">{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/in-wake-of-suit-against-new-york-city-balletaudiences-and-funders-should-demand-answers/2018/09/16/88f184a4-b5da-11e8-b79f-f6e31e555258_story.html|website=washingtonpost.com|title=- The Washington Post|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref>
In April 2019, an arbitrator ordered Ramasar and Catazaro reinstated; Catazaro decided not to rejoin the company.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/19/arts/dance/city-ballet-amar-ramasar-sexually-explicit-texts.html|title=City Ballet Ordered to Reinstate Male Dancers Fired Over Inappropriate Texts|date=April 19, 2019|accessdate=6 September 2019|work=New York Times}}</ref> The defendants disputed key factual allegations made in the complaint as well as their liability under New York law, and all filed motions to dismiss.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/DocumentList?docketId=rPLVUnskYCM89NLHno7z4g==&display=motion|title=Alexandra Waterbury v. New York City Ballet et al.|website=Document List|publisher=Motions 001–010.|accessdate=6 September 2019}}</ref> In September 2020, the trial court (Judge James Edward D'Auguste presiding) dismissed Waterbury's claims against all defendants except Finlay.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/28/arts/dance/new-york-city-ballet-lawsuit.html|title = New York City Ballet Dropped from a Woman's Photo-Sharing Lawsuit|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 28 September 2020|last1 = Jacobs|first1 = Julia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Alexandra Waterbury v. New York City Ballet et al. |url=https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/DocumentList?docketId=rPLVUnskYCM89NLHno7z4g==&PageNum=3&narrow= |website=New York State Unified Court System |access-date=29 May 2023 |pages=ECF Nos. 192–203}}</ref>
left|thumb|Waterbury, 2017 In April 2022, Waterbury's claim against New York City Ballet for negligent hiring and retention was reinstated in a 4–1 decision by the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://jezebel.com/alexandra-waterbury-scores-a-win-in-nude-photo-sharing-1848860330|title=Alexandra Waterbury Scores a Win in Nude Photo-Sharing Lawsuit Against NYC Ballet|date=April 29, 2022|accessdate=21 April 2023|work=Jezebel}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Alexandra Waterbury v. New York City Ballet et al. |url=https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/DocumentList?docketId=rPLVUnskYCM89NLHno7z4g==&PageNum=4&narrow= |website=New York State Unified Court System |access-date=29 May 2023 |pages=ECF No. 295}}</ref>
Although there were no public reports of a settlement agreement, in February 2023, Waterbury agreed to withdraw "with prejudice" (i.e., permanently) all claims against NYCB and Finlay "without costs or attorneys' fees to any party."<ref>{{cite web |title=Alexandra Waterbury v. New York City Ballet et al. 158220/2018 |url=https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/DocumentList?docketId=rPLVUnskYCM89NLHno7z4g==&PageNum=4&narrow= |website=New York State Unified Court System |access-date=29 May 2023 |pages=ECF Nos. 300, 301}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=with prejudice |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/with_prejudice |website=Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute Wex |access-date=29 May 2023}}</ref>
The appeals court ruling in the ''Waterbury'' case was cited by more than a dozen other decisions in its first year, including a case against Disney, Miramax and others for negligent hiring and retention of Harvey Weinstein and several New York Child Victims Act suits against religious institutions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Waterbury v. NYC BALLET, INC., 205 AD 3d 154 |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cites=6902441361860495525&as_sdt=5,33&sciodt=6,33&hl=en |website=Google Scholar |access-date=29 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sokola v. Weinstein, 2023 NY Slip Op 23047 - NY: Supreme Court 2023 |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1508542490217723672&hl=en&as_sdt=5,33&sciodt=6,33 |website=Google Scholar |access-date=29 May 2023 |pages=passim}}</ref>
==See also== *List of female dancers
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Waterbury, Alexandra}} Category:Living people Category:American ballerinas Category:American female models Category:Columbia University School of General Studies alumni Category:School of American Ballet alumni Category:People from Herkimer County, New York Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Wilhelmina Models models