Q&A with PNB Principal Dancer Elizabeth Murphy

PNB’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® opens this Friday, November 28, 2025! To celebrate the opening of the Northwest’s favorite holiday tradition, we sat down with Sugar Plum Fairy extraordinaire and PNB Principal dancer Elizabeth Murphy. Keep reading to learn Murphy’s post-show ritual, her favorite cafe, and more!

Which local cafe or restaurant fuels you before rehearsal or after a performance?
Murphy: Metropolitan Market and Cafe Zoka

Where is your favorite spot in the city to unwind outside of ballet?
Murphy: Family time is essential. We frequent many parks and playgrounds. I love going to the farmers’ market and enjoying the food trucks. Whenever it’s nice, I like to be outside. The Zoo is another favorite.

Hidden gem or hangout in Seattle?
Murphy: Seward or Carkeek Park and Fresh Flours cafe

If you were playing tour guide, what’s the most iconic place in your city?
Murphy: I’d have to say Pike Place Market and the waterfront. Bonus points if you get on a ferry and look back at the city from the water! Just breathtaking!

What’s your favorite dance movie of all time – and why does it inspire you?
Murphy: I love so many, but I have to go with Top Hat with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. In my eyes, there has never been a more iconic pair. They are fantastic performers, and I’m drawn to the old Hollywood glamor. They both have an ease to their movement, and their dancing appears so effortless.

Who is your biggest dance inspiration (past or present)?
Murphy: Julia Diana, Sarah Lamb, and Carla Korbes. They all have a deep sincerity, and it feels like you are watching “them” onstage.

Can you share the moment you realized you wanted to be a dancer?
When I was two, I insisted on joining my older sister’s ballet class. As the story goes, I put up enough of a fuss that they let me in. It’s been ballet ever since. The truth is, I can’t remember a time before dance. As a young teen, I realized there were professional companies, and I could make a living doing what I loved. I never looked back.

How do you approach growth in the studio?
Murphy: This is something that has changed for me over the years. As a student and young professional, I would have said be the hardest worker. Do it until you can’t do it wrong. I was really hard on myself, and no matter how well the show went, I’d feel disappointed. As I’ve gotten older, I embrace mistakes more and the journey of discovery. My best work happens in a space that feels safe and joyful. Letting go of perfection while choosing to focus on the present moment has helped me becoming a stronger performer and enjoy my dancing more.

Biggest struggle you’ve faced in your dance journey, and how you overcame it?
It takes a lot of courage to show up for yourself when you don’t look or feel the way you want to. I’m fortunate enough to be the mom of two girls, and the journey back to the stage both times tested me in ways I never dreamed of. My second pregnancy and postpartum was harder for me physically and mentally. Returning to the stage began to feel impossible. I wanted to quit so many times because it was too hard. I’m proud of myself for not giving up. With the help of PNB, I was able to find creative solutions that allowed me to train and care for my family. I’m so grateful for the support and willingness to accommodate my unique needs as a mom of two.

What’s one thing you wish you had known as a young dancer?
Murphy: Not everyone is going to like you and that’s OK. It’s not a testament to your worth or what you have to offer.

If you had to describe what dance means to you in just one word, what would it be?
Murphy: Harmony or breath

Go-to coffee order-and from where?
Murphy: Vanilla oat milk latte from Zoka or Fresh Flours

Essential post-show ritual?
Murphy: A beer and a really good cleansing balm

Thanks to Elizabeth Murphy for answering all these questions! Want to meet more Sugar Plums? Come to our Sugar Plum Fairy Meet and Greets at our Nutcracker performances on December 22 and 23 @ 7:30pm! This unique opportunity to meet PNB Company dancers is free with admission, subject to capacity.