Jennifer Stahl's blog

When Angelin Preljocaj asked Bolshoi Ballet dancers to improvise while creating a joint ballet on that company and his two years ago, the room exploded. “They went crazy!” he told Scotsman reporter Kelly Apter, “and did things very differently from the dancers in this part of Europe, who are used to improvising.

Extra photos of Ashley Bouder at home in her New York apartment. Videos of Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet in performance. An exclusive look behind the scenes with cover ballerina Misa Kuranaga. Pointe's August/September iPad edition is loaded with goodies!

Healthy eating is always more fun when it comes in the form of finger food. Shelby Elsbree, a Royal Danish Ballet dancer and a prolific amateur chef, created this light and refreshing recipe: "I decided to try a spin on the summer salads I've been experimenting with this season, and came up with a fun way to serve one of my staple combinations."

Pennsylvania Ballet soloist Abigail Mentzer is a dancer's dancer. On top of her innate sweetness and lyricism, she also makes all the girls around her look good—in her handmade skirts. What started as a hobby four years ago has blossomed into a lucrative side business. This fall, Capezio's flagship store in New York will sell her Abigail Mentzer Designs in a trial run. Her skirts have done for dancers' bottom halves what Yumiko leotards did for the top.

Of all the legendary dancers Mikhail Baryshnikov partnered during his career, Liza Minnelli is not the first one you think of. But check out this amazing 1980 clip of the two performing "Too Darn Hot" from Kiss Me Kate. Unfortunately, they aren't scheduled to pull off another duet anytime soon. But they will have a reunion at NYC Dance Alliance Foundation's "Bright Lights Shining Stars" Gala on September 9.

The 2012 Princess Grace Award winners were just announced. The recipients in dance include Ballet West's favorite up-and-comer and "Breaking Pointe" star Beckanne Sisk, as well as Jamal R. Callender of Ballet Hispanico, Albert Gordon of The Washington Ballet School, Franco Nieto of Northwest Dance Project, Raymond S. Pinto from Juilliard and David Schultz from Hubbard Street. Student winners recieve a year's scholarship at their school; professionals have a year of their salary paid for by the Princess Grace Foundation.

For many dancers, the International Ballet Competition in Varna is the ultimate test of technique and artistry. In ballet, a gold from Varna is just as prestigious as all those medals Michael Phelps has hanging around his neck.

Good news for all aspiring ABT dancers: The company just annouced a new apprentice program. Each year, it will prepare six talented dancers to become apprentices with the corps de ballet under the guidance of ABT Studio Company artistic associate (and Pointe editor at large!) Kate Lydon and ABT ballet master Clinton Luckett. The dancers will train intensively for 10 weeks beginning in September, then dance as apprentices during The Nutcracker, and ABT's spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Congrats to former Pointe cover girl Melissa Hough! The Houston Ballet first soloist just won a fellowship grant from New York Choreographic Institute to create a new piece on her fellow company members in Texas. Specifically, the grant gives her funds to choreograph a work to be performed in an informal studio showing.

Boston Ballet principal Misa Kuranaga is one of the most inspiring dancers I've ever met. After losing her apprenticeship with San Francisco Ballet, instead of giving up, she begged the School of American Ballet to train her. She went back to school, back to the basics, completely reworking her technique. Now she's one of ballet's most beloved stars. This photo is one of my favorite outtakes from our August/September cover shoot.