{{BLP sources|date=October 2023}} {{Short description|American ballet dancer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2015}} {{Infobox dancer | name = Joy Womack | birth_name = Joy Annabelle Womack | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|17|2012|April|9|noage=1|slash=y}}<ref name="HuffPost"/><ref name="Pointe1"/> | birth_place = Beverly Hills, California, U.S. | occupation = Ballet dancer | partner = Andrew Clay (husband) | former_groups = Bolshoi Theatre,<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Shuster |first1=Simon |title=American Ballerina Quits Bolshoi, Accuses Theater of Extortion |url=https://world.time.com/2013/11/13/american-ballerina-quits-bolshoi-accuses-theater-of-extortion/ |magazine=Time |date=November 13, 2013 |access-date=13 September 2022}}</ref> Universal Ballet, Boston Ballet, Kremlin Ballet Theatre of Moscow, Astrakhan Opera and Ballet Theatre Ballet du Capitole | website = {{URL|http://www.joywomack.com/}} }} '''Joy Annabelle Womack''' is an American ballet dancer. She is the first American woman to graduate from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy’s main training program with a red diploma, and the first American woman to sign a contract with the Bolshoi Ballet.<ref name="Pointe1">{{cite web |url=http://www.pointemagazine.com/issues/augustseptember-2012/go-your-own-way |title=Pointe magazine – Ballet at its Best. |first=Lauren |last=Key |date=August–September 2012 |publisher=Pointe |access-date=December 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007080152/http://www.pointemagazine.com/issues/augustseptember-2012/go-your-own-way |archive-date=October 7, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She was a principal dancer with the Universal Ballet and Kremlin Ballet, Astrakhan Opera and Ballet Theatre and got a fixed-term contract with Paris Opera Ballet in January 2023.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Джой Аннабель Уомак|url=https://www.astoperahouse.ru/artists/257-dzhoy-annabel-uomak|access-date=2021-05-19|website=«Астраханский Государственный Театр Оперы и Балета»|language=ru|archive-date=May 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519081955/https://www.astoperahouse.ru/artists/257-dzhoy-annabel-uomak|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Womack was born one of nine children in Beverly Hills, California, and raised in Santa Monica, California and studied under Yvonne Mounsey at the Westside School of Ballet until the age of twelve when her family moved to Austin, Texas.<ref name="Black Swan HR">{{Cite web |last=Abramovitch |first=Seth |date=2022-11-11 |title=A Real-World 'Black Swan' in Exile |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/joy-womack-reunited-dance-bolshoi-black-swan-exile-1235260507/ |access-date=2023-07-18 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> Her parents found her a Russian ballet teacher in the Austin area,<ref name="Burtt">{{cite AV media|people= Joy Womack, Kristyn Burtt |date= 28 Nov 2017 |title= Joy Womack – To The Pointe with Kristyn Burtt |type= YouTube interview |language= en |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzumL15HjgE |access-date= 5 Oct 2023 |time= 4:41 |publisher= Popcorn TV}}</ref> and she attended a dance school that specialized in the Vaganova method.<ref name="Black Swan HR"/>
She trained at the Kirov Academy of Ballet, and then attended the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, Russia in 2009 after Academy teachers noticed her at that year's summer intensive.<ref name="HuffPost">{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/09/joy-womack-american-graduate-russia-bolshoi-ballet-school_n_1412393.html |title=Teen Dancer's AMAZING Accomplishment |date=April 9, 2012 |work=The Huffington Post |access-date=December 6, 2012}}</ref> She was fifteen years old at the time.<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/arts/dance/01bolshoi.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 |title=Young Americans Embrace Rigors of the Bolshoi |first=Clifford |last=J. Levy |date=May 31, 2010 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=December 6, 2012}}</ref> During her first year at the Academy,<ref name=Fowler/> Womack was among a group of students selected to perform for a regular Bolshoi audience in a special gala, along with the stars of the Bolshoi Ballet itself; she performed despite needing surgery for a bone injury.<ref name="nytimes" /> She received the surgery later after a parishioner at her English-language church in Moscow offered to pay.<ref name="nytimes" />
==Career== Some of Womack's classical repertoire includes the roles of Giselle in ''Giselle'', Masha in ''The Nutcracker'', the pas de deux from Diana and Acteon, and Princess Budur in ''One Thousand and One Nights''.<ref name="Joy Womack"/>
In November 2013, Womack announced in an interview with ''Izvestia'' that she was leaving the Bolshoi Ballet, which she claimed was fraught with corruption.<ref>{{cite news|title=Американская балерина обвинила руководство Большого в вымогательстве|url=http://izvestia.ru/news/560562|newspaper=Izvestia|access-date=February 3, 2015}}</ref> During the interview, she made allegations of extortion from an unnamed director in exchange for a solo part in a performance in September of that year.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=American Ballerina Quits Bolshoi, Accuses Theater of Extortion|url=https://world.time.com/2013/11/13/american-ballerina-quits-bolshoi-accuses-theater-of-extortion/|magazine=Time|access-date=February 3, 2015|date=November 13, 2013}}</ref> Although some dancers, such as Alexander Petukhov, denied the allegations, stating, "...If she knows something, let her name those people. Why smear the theater like that?", others, such as Natalia Vyskubeno, supported Womack's account.<ref name="Loiko">{{cite news|title=Joy Womack tells a story of bribe request, struggles at the Bolshoi|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-xpm-2013-nov-20-la-et-cm-bolshoi-ballet-bribe-joy-womack-20131120-story.html|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=February 3, 2015|first=Sergei L.|last=Loiko|date=November 20, 2013}}</ref> Womack herself described this time as "...like breaking up with your first love."<ref name="Loiko"/>
In 2014, at the age of 19, she became a principal dancer of the Kremlin Ballet Theatre of Moscow. She left the company in 2017.<ref name="Joy Womack">{{cite web|title=Joy Womack|url=http://kremlinpalace.org/en/profile/joy-womack|publisher=Kremlin Palace|access-date=February 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160115145052/http://kremlinpalace.org/en/profile/joy-womack|archive-date=January 15, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2018, she was a principal dancer with the Universal Ballet in Seoul, South Korea.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.pointemagazine.com/joy-womack-2611145625.html|title=After Careers in Moscow and Seoul, Joy Womack Looks to Expand Her Horizons |date=10 Oct 2018|access-date=16 April 2020}}</ref> Womack also guest performed in Sofia National Opera and Ballet, Kraków Opera and Ballet, and The Russian State Ballet.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}} She joined the Boston Ballet as an artist in 2019.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}} The following year she joined the Astrakhan Opera and Ballet Theatre as prima ballerina.<ref name=":0"/>
Womack founded Project Prima, a supplement company that caters specifically to dancers and performance athletes.<ref name="Primabar20">{{cite web |url= http://theprimabar.com/ |title= Project Prima |website= theprimabar.com/|publisher= Project Prima |access-date= 5 Oct 2023 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200105055917/http://theprimabar.com/ |archive-date=2020-01-05}}</ref> As of Oct 2021, Project Prima was no longer active and the URL redirects to Womack's official website.<ref name="Primabar21">{{cite web |url=https://www.joywomack.com/ |title= Hi, Prima Friends |website= joywomack.com |publisher= Joy Womack |access-date= 5 Oct 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021220957/https://www.joywomack.com/ |archive-date=2021-10-21}}</ref> She modeled for Cloud and Victory in 2014.<ref name="S&C">{{cite web |url= http://sessions.cloudandvictory.com/interview-joy-womack/ |title= Interview: Joy Womack |author= Min |date= 11 July 2014 |website= cloudandvictory.com |publisher= Cloud & Victory |access-date= 5 Oct 2023}}</ref> She was a Gaynor Girl Pro Ambassador for Gaynor Minden, a dance wear and ballet brand.<ref name="Gaynor2017">{{cite web |url= https://dancer.com/ambassadors/gaynor-girl-pros/ |title= Gaynor Girl Pros |website= dancer.com |language=en |publisher= Gaynor Minden |access-date= 5 Oct 2023 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170925203938/https://dancer.com/ambassadors/gaynor-girl-pros/ |archive-date=2017-09-25}}</ref> In 2020, Gaynor Minden listed Womack as an Artist Ambassador.<ref name="Gaynor2020">{{cite web |url= https://dancer.com/ambassadors/see-full-list/ |title= Our Ambassadors Full List |website= dancer.com |publisher= Gaynor Minden |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201001041541/https://dancer.com/ambassadors/see-full-list/ |archive-date= 2020-10-01 |quote=JOY WOMACK — Principal, Universal Ballet}}</ref>
Womack appeared in the documentary ''Joy Womack: The White Swan'', made by Dina Burlis, Danila Kuznetsov and Sergey Gavrilov, detailing her journey from a young American girl to becoming prima ballerina of Kremlin Ballet. It debuted in June 2020 at the Marché du Film at Cannes<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pointemagazine.com/joy-womack-films-2646850523.html?rebelltitem=2#rebelltitem2|title=Catching Up With Joy Womack on Two Upcoming Films Based on Her Life, Plus How She's Managed in Quarantine|date=August 2, 2020 |access-date=October 1, 2020}}</ref> and was released in late 2021.
In 2024, New Zealand filmmaking team James Napier Robertson and Tom Hern released a biopic called ''Joika'', based on Womack's life during her time with the Bolshoi Ballet, with Womack serving as choreographer and consultant. Actress and classically trained dancer Talia Ryder<ref name="Yossman"/> plays Womack, with Womack as her dancing double and trainer.<ref name="Embankment">{{cite web |url= https://embankmentfilms.com/portfolio_page/joika/ |title= Joika |date= 2021 |website= embankmentfilms.com |publisher= Embankment Films |access-date= 5 Oct 2023}}</ref> To prepare for the role, Ryder worked with Womack and New York City Ballet principal dancer Daniel Ulbricht.<ref name="Yossman">{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2022/film/news/first-look-diane-kruger-joika-1235172122/ |title= First Look at Talia Ryder, Diane Kruger in Joy Womack Biopic 'Joika |author= K.J. Yossman |date= 4 Feb 2022 |website= variety.com |publisher= Variety |access-date= 5 Oct 2023}}</ref> Diane Kruger plays Womack's ballet teacher and mentor in the film. Filming began in Poland in early 2022 <ref>{{Cite web|title=Diane Kruger & Talia Ryder Starring In Joy Womack Ballet Dancer Pic 'Joika'|url=https://deadline.com/2021/09/diane-kruger-talia-ryder-joy-womack-pic-joika-1234830431/|access-date=September 10, 2021|website=Deadline|date=September 10, 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Diane Kruger Teaming With 'Never Rarely Sometimes Always' Breakout Talia Ryder for 'Joika' (Exclusive)|website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=September 10, 2021 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/diane-kruger-talia-ryder-jokia-toronto-poland-shoot-1235011130/|access-date=September 10, 2021}}</ref> and wrapped in Warsaw "almost hours" before Russia invaded Ukraine.<ref name="Black Swan HR"/>
Womack danced with the Paris Opera Ballet as an extra-dancer of the corps de ballet for the Balanchine show in February 2023 and performed at various galas around the world. In 2022 she joined a variety of dancers for Reunited In Dance, a gala organized by Xander Parish for dancers who were displaced due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.<ref name="Black Swan HR"/>
Since 2022, Joy Womack has worked with Act’ble, an innovative modular system pointe shoe brand, based in Karlsruhe, Germany. In November 2023, Act’ble released a collaborative dance film with Joy Womack titled [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJOZuxn8paY ‘JOY'.] <ref>{{Cite web |title=Joy Womack |url=https://www.actable.me/joywomack |access-date=2023-11-16 |website=act'ble |language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life== Womack learned to speak fluent Russian while living and working in Russia.<ref name="Black Swan HR"/> She was married to former Bolshoi dancer-choreographer Nikita Ivanov-Goncharov.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://awfj.org/blog/2021/12/04/joy-womack-the-white-swan-review-by-lois-alter-mark/ |title= Joy Womack: The White Swan – Review by Lois Alter Mark |author= Lois Alter Mark |date= 4 Dec 2021 |website= awjf.org |access-date= 2 Apr 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://businessdoceurope.com/swans-way/ |title= Cannes Marché: Ode to Joy |author= Geoffrey Macnab |date= 21 Jun 2020 |website= businessdoceurope.com |access-date= 2 Apr 2025}}</ref> She is a Christian.<ref name="Pointe1"/><ref name="Hope">{{cite web |url= https://hope1032.com.au/stories/culture/2018/ballerina-joy-womack-faith-sacrifice-and-a-life-of-worship-in-dance/ |title= Ballerina Joy Womack: Faith, Sacrifice and a Life of Worship in Dance |author= Duncan Robinson |date= 12 Oct 2018 |website= hope1032.com.au |publisher= Hope Media |access-date= 5 Oct 2023}}</ref>
Womack announced her engagement to Andrew Hale Clay on September 30, 2020 via her personal YouTube channel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rOJNsPD0P4|title=I GOT ENGAGED!!|website=YouTube |date=September 30, 2020 |access-date=October 1, 2020}}</ref>
==Movies== {| class="wikitable sortable" <!-- Please note: "rowspan" breaks table sortability. --> ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2013 | ''Searching for Perfection'' | Self | Short |- |- | 2017 | ''Home & Family'' | Self, ballerina | TV series, 1 episode |- | 2021 | ''Joy Womack: The White Swan'' | Self | Documentary |- | 2023 | ''Joika'' | Consultant, dance double | |- |}
==Awards== In 2011 she won the Grand Prix award at the Youth America Grand Prix in Paris, France.
In 2012, Womack was awarded the Grand Prix Award at one of the 13 Youth America Grand Prix semi-finals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://yagp.org/?event=yagp-2012-new-york-city-finals|title=YAGP 2012 - NEW YORK CITY FINALS|website=Youth America Grand Prix|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://yagp.org/?event=5472|title=2012 YAGP - PARIS, FRANCE SEMI-FINAL WINNERS|website=Youth America Grand Prix|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://yagp.org/winners/|title=YAGP Winners|website=Youth America Grand Prix|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-10}}</ref>
In 2013, she was awarded the Asian Grand Prix Award at the Asian Grand Prix in Hong Kong.<ref name="Joy Womack" />
In 2014 she won the Globex Promotion award for Emerging Expressive Talent.
In 2014 she won the Silver Medal Arabesque Ballet Competition in Perm, Russia.
In 2015, she won 1st Prize Ballet Professional & 2nd Prize Contemporary Professional in Bari Ballet Competition Italy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bariballetcompetition.com/results-of-1st-international-ballet-and-contemporary-dance-competition-domenico-modugno-in-bari-italy/|title=Awards {{!}} Bari Ballet Competition|publisher=BariBalletCompetition.com|language=en-US|access-date=January 23, 2018|archive-date=January 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122112608/http://bariballetcompetition.com/results-of-1st-international-ballet-and-contemporary-dance-competition-domenico-modugno-in-bari-italy/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In July 2016, Womack won silver medal at the International Ballet Competition at Varna, Bulgaria.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.varna-ibc.org/site/|title=IBC Varna 2016|publisher=Varna International Ballet Competition|access-date=July 31, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112073518/http://www.varna-ibc.org/site/|archive-date=January 12, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2017 she won Gold at Korea International Ballet Competition.
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=Fowler>{{cite news | last =Fowler | first =Damian | title =A Texan in Moscow | newspaper =Listen | pages =29–31 | date =Summer 2012 }}</ref> }}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.joywomack.com/}} * [https://www.youtube.com/user/reagan1233/featured Official youtube channel]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Womack, Joy}} Category:Living people Category:American ballerinas Category:1994 births Category:Moscow State Academy of Choreography alumni Category:YouTubers from Austin, Texas Category:American expatriates in Russia Category:American expatriates in South Korea Category:21st-century American ballet dancers Category:Dancers from Texas Category:21st-century American women Category:YouTubers from California Category:Entertainers from Beverly Hills, California