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NEWSLETTERS
NEWSLETTERS
EF MAGAZINE WORDMARK 2 (2)

Features, Meet the Dancer

Meet the Dancer: Clay Murray // Ballet Rhode Island

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  • The Sleeping Beauty

    Dance Company: Boston Ballet

    The Sleeping Beauty
    Citizens Opera House 539 Washington St, Boston, MA, United States
    Deep in a century-long slumber, a beautiful princess and her kingdom await the power of true love’s kiss. The Sleeping Beauty enchants with a host of magical characters—from the deliciously wicked fairy Carabosse and the valiant Prince Desire, to the benevolent woodland fairies and hilarious Puss in Boots. This iconic...

  • Cinderella

    Dance Company: Ballet Idaho

    Cinderella
    Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts 2201 W Cesar Chavez Ln, Boise, ID, United States
    Ballet Idaho’s Cinderella is set to Prokofiev’s lush score and takes the audience on a narrative fairytale journey, employing all of the intricacies of classical staging yet never purely relying on convention.

  • All Lang

    Dance Company: Pacific Northwest Ballet

    All Lang
    McCaw Hall 321 Mercer St, Seattle, WA, United States
    Celebrate PNB’s Resident Choreographer Jessica Lang with some of her most beloved works. Inspired by legendary American painter Georgia O’Keeffe’s Patio Door series, Her Door to the Sky is one of Lang’s most radiant pieces. In stark contrast, Ghost Variations explores Robert Schumann’s final compositions before he was confined to...
Discover what artists Clay has on his playlist and what role he dreams of playing.

Step into the world of ballet beyond the spotlight with our exclusive feature! Each edition offers a glimpse into the off-stage lives of your favorite dancers, showcasing their unique hobbies and passions. Discover the surprising and delightful activities that make these artists’ lives as captivating as their performances.

CLAY MURRAY
Ballet Rhode Island
Company Dancer
@claymurray

Essential item in your dance bag?
My warm-up pants! Cannot start a day without them. 

Movie you can re-watch till the end of time?
The Devil Wears Prada. Easily. 

Dancer who’s inspired you
Dylan Wald, Kiyon Gaines Ross, and Jeffrey Cirio. 

Song/artist/playlist you’ve been playing on repeat?
Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Charli XCX.

Least favorite dance step?
Attitude turns, unless they work out, then they feel great. 

How do you like to spend your time outside of dance?
I love to read, play video games, listen to music, and play around with styling outfits. 

Best place to hang out in your company’s home city?
Ogie’s Trailer Park in Federal Hill is a great spot! 

Dream role?
I got to do two dream roles when I joined Ballet RI—Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty and Jester in Cinderella. Up next is Siegfried in Swan Lake. 

Go-to coffee shop order?
Iced vanilla latte with oat milk. Classic. 

Essential post-show ritual?
Lots of stretching, water, electrolytes, and a good meal. 

ABOUT CLAY
Raised in Hattiesburg, MS, Clay started training at the age of 12 at On Your Toes Dance Studio doing jazz and contemporary whilst also training at South Mississippi Ballet Theatre. At the age of sixteen, Clay joined the Houston Ballet Academy where he stayed for two years training under Claudio Munoz and Andrew Murphy while performing numerous works for the company and the school.

In 2015, Clay joined the Professional Division program at Pacific Northwest Ballet. In 2016, Clay joined Boston Ballet’s Second Company where he performed works by George Balanchine, William Forsythe, and Jill Johnson. From 2017–2022, Clay danced with Los Angeles Ballet, where he appeared in numerous classical and contemporary works by Alejandro Cerrudo, Azure Barton, and Marius Petipa.

Featured image by Kelsey Paff
Image 4 by Ian Travis Barnard 

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Elemental & Electrifying

Pointework’s Season III promises to be its best yet, with two world premieres and commanding contemporary works

Ballet Idaho Announces the 2026/27 Season

Movement, imagination, and sweeping Americana

Going Deeper & Taking Risks

Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer on the 2025–26 Season's final program, ALL LANG