Born in Cuba, Xiomara Reyes studied at Cuba’s National Ballet School. Upon her graduation, she danced as a soloist with La Joven Guardia, the second company of Cuba’s National Ballet. Two years later she was invited to appear with the Royal Ballet of Flanders in Belgium. She danced with this company for seven years rising to the rank of First Soloist.

Her repertoire with these companies included Nikiya in La Bayadère, Cinderella in Cinderella, Kitri in Don Quixote, Swanilda in Coppélia, Giselle in Giselle, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Odette-Odile in Swan Lake. She also performed principal roles in ballets by George Balanchine, Paolo Bortoluzzi, and Christopher D’Amboise, among others.

With the Royal Ballet of Flanders she danced in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Her awards include: the Gold Medal for the Best Soloist at the International Ballet Competition of Chiclayo, Peru (1996), Best Couple Prize at the XIV International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria (1990), Silver Medal at the Cinquienne Concours International de Danse de Paris (1992), and Second Prize at the International Ballet Competition in Luxembourg (1995).

Reyes joined American Ballet Theatre as a Soloist in January 2001 and became a principal dancer in 2003.