Sara Leland

Sally Harrington (August 2, 1941 – November 28, 2020), known professionally as Sara Leland, was an American ballet dancer and répétiteur. She started her career with the Joffrey Ballet in 1959, and was recruited to join the New York City Ballet by George Balanchine in 1960. She was promoted to principal dancer in 1972, and created roles for both Balanchine and Jerome Robbins.

In the mid 1970s, she started staging Balanchine's and Robbins' works in both the U.S. and abroad. In 1981, the New York City Ballet appointed her assistant ballet master, and she retired from performing in 1983, but continued to stage and coach ballets. As a répétiteur, she had worked on more than 30 ballets.

Early life Leland was born Sally Harrington in Melrose, Massachusetts on August 2, 1941. Her father, Leland "Hago" Harrington, was an ice hockey player who played for the Boston Bruins. Sally started ballet at age five,

Career In 1959, Robert Joffrey invited Leland to join his company, the Joffrey Ballet, after seeing her dance with the New England Civic Ballet. and The Goldberg Variations. For the latter two, Leland also assisted Robbins since she could learn the choreography quickly. Other ballets she was known for include Balanchine's Serenade, Brahms–Schoenberg Quartet, Agon, La Valse, Davidsbündlertänze, The Nutcracker and Don Quixote. She retired from performing in 1983. In her later life, she lived in New City, New York.

Death On November 28, 2020, Leland died from congestive heart failure in Westwood, New Jersey. She was 79.