Paloma Herrera
A prodigy from Buenos Aires who became American Ballet Theatre's youngest principal dancer, captivating audiences with her fiery technique and dramatic intensity.
Born 1975 (age 51)·Argentine ballet dancer·Birthday: December 21·Generation X
Biography
Born in Buenos Aires, Paloma Herrera was a dance prodigy, entering the city's famed Teatro Colón school at age seven. Her explosive talent and technical precision led her to the American Ballet Theatre in New York at just fifteen. Two years later, she was promoted to principal dancer, becoming one of the youngest in ABT's history. For over two decades, she was a cornerstone of the company, defining roles in classics like 'Don Quixote' and 'Giselle' with a blend of fierce athleticism and passionate artistry. Her career bridged the classical and contemporary, working with choreographers from Twyla Tharp to Alexei Ratmansky. After retiring from the stage, she returned to her roots, taking the helm as Artistic Director of the Ballet at the Teatro Colón, where she dedicated herself to shaping the next generation of Argentine dancers.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Paloma was born in 1975, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Paloma Was Born
The biggest hits of 1975
#1 Movie
Jaws
Best Picture
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Paloma's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1975Born
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1980Started school
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1988Became a teenager
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Could drive
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1993Could vote
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Turned 21
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2005Turned 30
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 40
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 50
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 51 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre at the age of 17, one of the youngest in the company's history.
- Performed as a leading dancer with ABT for 24 years, starring in a vast repertoire of classical and contemporary works.
- Served as the Artistic Director of the Ballet at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires from 2017 to 2022.
- Was awarded the prestigious 'Dancer of the Year' award by the magazine Dance Europe in 1995.
Did You Know?
She was discovered by ABT's artistic director Mikhail Baryshnikov after he saw a video of her dancing as a teenager.
Herrera is an avid fan of Argentine rock music and the football club River Plate.
She published an autobiography titled 'Bailar la Vida' (Dance the Life) in 2013.
“The stage is a sacred place for me. It's where I feel most alive, most myself.”
