Noted Ballet Star William Carter, 56

William Carter, a choreographer and former principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, known for his ability to bring distinction to lifeless roles, has died of AIDS at Mt. Sinai Hospital here. He was 56.

Carter, who died Thursday, also performed as a principal with the New York City Ballet, as a modern dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company and as a Spanish dancer with Maria Alba.

Described by critics as an eloquent, serious artist, Carter performed in such diverse ballets as Agnes de Mille’s “Rodeo” and Michael Fokine’s “Petrouchka.” With three other ABT graduates he formed the First Chamber Dance Quartet and headed his own ballet and flamenco company before returning to ABT in 1969.

Carter began to study dance at age 12 to try to strengthen his legs, which had been weakened by polio. He studied with Carmelita Maracci in Los Angeles and moved to New York in 1957.

Carter choreographed for many companies in the United States and abroad, including the Milwaukee Ballet and the Athens Opera and Athens Opera Ballet. He created the ballet for the 1975 film “In the Rehearsal Room,” starring Cynthia Gregory and Ivan Nagy.

With the Graham company his Tiresias in “Night Journey” and the Figure of Death in “Clytemnestra” were widely praised, as was his dancing of Channon in “Dybuk.”

In 1986, he was named acting artistic director of the Rome Opera Ballet, where he worked with Vasilis Iracledes, his longtime companion.