Roberto Bolle – ballet’s Mr Nice Guy – bows out

With a performance of Kenneth MacMillan's Manon on 20 June, Roberto Bolle said goodbye to the American Ballet Theatre. He has been a principal dancer with the company over the last decade.

Everyone likes Bolle, ballet's Mr Nice Guy, who is kind to his colleagues onstage, the backstage staff, and his many fans.

David Hallberg, who is also dancing in this week's run of the ballet, wrote on Twitter:

.@ABTBallet dancers truly love @RobertoBolle. It's not just a facade. There no kinder, sweeter, approachable dancer; especially coming from a dancer of his stature. ♥️♥️ pic.twitter.com/gldgZPAT0A

— David Hallberg (@DavidHallberg) June 21, 2019

Misty Copeland who is a Manon in one of the casts, though not with Bolle, tweeted,

Tonight @ABTBallet says farewell to one of the most generous, talented and gentle souls I've ever met. @robertobolle you will be missed but never forgotten. What you've brought to the @ABTBallet fam, to me and to the… https://t.co/sI7UGMgkiT

— Misty Copeland (@mistyonpointe) June 20, 2019

And another of this week's Manons, Sarah Lane:

Sending so much love to @robertobolle for his last show with @abtofficial tonight. This guy is an epic artist; the kind all ballerinas dream of dancing with. He is a kind, good-hearted, respectable, disciplined person and I will miss him on and off stage with us. pic.twitter.com/mLBJYKLygR

— Sarah Lane (@sarahlaneps103) June 20, 2019

In Instagram and Twitter posts, Bolle wrote, “My heart is so full of joy. I'm truly grateful!”, and, “I could not have dreamed of anything more.”

Colleagues on Instagram were keen to show their support:

gretahodgkinson
Thinking of you tonight! Wish I was there. I hope you enjoy every moment. 😘😘😘

alessandraferriofficial_
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

nicolettamanni
❤️🤩🥰😭

dianavishneva
❤️❤️❤️🙌🙌🙌❤️❤️

_xander
Huge congratulations!!! ❤️❤️❤️

julianmackay
💙✨🔝

christianfagetti
Brividi ❤️😍😢

maria.eichwald
👏🏻👏🏻❤️😘😘

alinasomovaofficial
❤️❤️❤️👏👏👏

__melissahamilton
❣❤️❣

And many took the opportunity to say that little bit more:

polinasemionovaofficial
You are a God and hero of dance ! Such a Example in work, dance and treat of people . With all my love and admiration to you 🙏🏻😚😌

juliekentofficial
BRAVISSIMO!!!
THANK YOU for all that you gave to all of us..❤️🙏🏻✨😘

guillaumecote
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Congrats! You're one of the greats. So honored to call you a friend.

isabellaboylston
Love you!!! Thank you for all the beauty and warmth you brought to us at ABT ❤️❤️❤️

osielgouneo
Bravo Roby.. An inspiration, a heart, a joy. Love

But the most significant messages arrived from fans who have followed his career assiduously over the years. Here's @BlueRasberrry on Twitter:

You and so many of us for whom he has been the most positive exemplar what Ballet is about, as an Artist, as a human being, of Italian culture at its best. Truly a ‘once in a lifetime' guy and dancer. I Know without doubt, that will continue, but we will miss his huge presence.

— Blue~ (@BlueRasberrry) June 21, 2019

His tireless fanclub, I Bollerini:

Dear @RobertoBolle as another page of history has been written by your matchless Artistry we deeply revere your greatness while commotion fill our hearts THANK YOU👑https://t.co/edq2iKhche pic.twitter.com/r1N8Zm9Adp

— I Bollerini Fan Club (@IBollerini) June 21, 2019

While fans on Instagram wrote:

twinkletoes70
Roberto you will be greatly missed! Thank you for 10 years of your extraordinary artistry, elegance and technical perfection. I have been moved by every one of your performances. Thank you for the joy you have brought to all of us.

and

brittb4567
I will never forget the way you made the audience feel, the way you made me feel, when you performed on the Met stage for the first time. Your passion yet delicacy has evolved over the past decade plus and has been a joy to watch. Molte grazie a te e @alessandraferriofficial_ for introducing you to the ABT family. Congratulations Roberto!

He certainly will be greatly missed.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

I could not have dreamed of anything more. ❤️ #thankyou @abtofficial #abtfamily #happiness

A post shared by Roberto Bolle (@robertobolle) on Jun 21, 2019 at 6:43am PDT

Gina Ardani, of Ardani Artists Management, posted a YouTube tribute:

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.