From Center Stage to New Beginnings: Elizabeth Murphy Announces Retirement from Pacific Northwest Ballet

After a distinguished 20-year career in performance, Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) principal dancer Elizabeth Murphy is preparing to take her final bow. On June 7, Murphy will conclude her tenure with the company, marking the end of an era for one of the ballet’s most resilient and versatile performers. While she is stepping away from the stage, Murphy is not leaving the world of dance; instead, she is transitioning her focus toward entrepreneurship, education, and her family.

A Journey of Artistic Evolution

A native of Massachusetts, Murphy’s relationship with ballet began at the age of two. Her professional journey led her first to Utah’s Ballet West, where she honed her craft before arriving at PNB in 2011. For much of her time at both companies, Murphy was primarily cast in story ballets, becoming a staple of the classical repertoire.

However, a pivotal shift occurred in 2016 when she performed a featured duet in Alejandro Cerrudo’s Little mortal jump. This contemporary piece challenged Murphy to move beyond the rigid structures of classical ballet, a role she reprised during her final season. Reflecting on this growth, Murphy noted the importance of vulnerability in her art:

“Contemporary ballet surprised me. I felt vulnerable. I learned how to surrender to the art. I felt a call to be present in the moment, how to let my guard down. I had to surrender myself to the art, not the rules.”

The current season provided a poetic conclusion to her career, allowing her to return to Little mortal jump and take on the title role in Giselle one last time.

Balancing the Barre and the Boardroom

Beyond her achievements on stage, Murphy has spent over a decade navigating the complexities of business ownership. At age 18, she learned to sew, sparking a creative outlet that eventually evolved into Label Dancewear. Now known as LABL Active, the company grew alongside her dance career.

Though she sold the company in 2025, the 37-year-old remains deeply involved as the main designer. Murphy admits that balancing the demands of being a professional dancer, a mother of two young daughters, and a business owner was a significant challenge. She credits her training in ballet for providing the resiliency required to handle the pressures of the business world.

Looking Forward: Love Over Fear

The decision to retire was not one made overnight. Murphy revealed that she considered leaving PNB shortly after the birth of her second child, but she chose to stay to ensure her departure was based on readiness rather than anxiety. “I hope to always move forward in love, not fear,” she shared.

As she transitions out of professional performance, Murphy is focusing on the following next steps:

• Professional Certification: She is pursuing certification in Pilates instruction.
• Academic Interests: She intends to explore physical therapy and eventually teach ballet.
• Family Priority: After years of rigorous schedules, she is dedicating more time to her daughters.

Murphy will maintain a connection to the Pacific Northwest Ballet community through her husband, Reed Nakayama, who serves as the company’s lighting designer.

Lessons from the Stage

For Murphy, ballet was more than a profession; it was a masterclass in perseverance. She believes the discipline of dance translates directly to life’s broader challenges, teaching performers how to adapt and overcome adversity.

“There’s so many things you can learn from dance. It’s taught me that you can rise when faced with a challenge. You have the ability to regroup and reshape. You can have a different outcome from the same set of cards you’re dealt.”

Frequently Asked Questions

As Elizabeth Murphy closes this chapter of her life, she leaves behind a legacy of artistic courage and entrepreneurial spirit, proving that the discipline of the studio can pave the way for success in any arena.