Alessandra Ferri is an Italian prima ballerina She began studying ballet at the La Scala Theatre Ballet School later transferring to the upper school of the Royal Ballet School She represented the Royal Ballet School in the 1980 Prix de Lausanne winning a scholarship which enabled her to continue studying at the school She danced with the Royal Ballet 19801984 American Ballet Theatre 19852007 and La Scala Theatre Ballet 19922007 and as an international guest artist before temporally retiring on 10 August 2007 aged 44 then returning in 2013 She was eventually granted the rank of prima ballerina assoluta