Catching Up With NYCB's Sara Adams

August 16, 2016


Photo by Ani Collier, Courtesy Tom Gold Dance.

When New York City Ballet is in season, corps member Sara Adams doesn’t head home after Sunday shows. Instead, she goes to the rehearsal studio, joining a handful of dancers who are also part of Tom Gold Dance, the small company led by the former NYCB soloist. “In City Ballet’s corps, we work a lot. So when I have downtime, I like to keep going,” she says. Pointe spoke with Adams as she geared up for the group’s latest performance, this Friday in the Berkshires.

What enticed you to add Tom Gold Dance to your already crazy-busy schedule?

It’s a very family-oriented company. I’m able to let loose, and I feel like I can work on things without having the pressure of dancing for thousands of people. With Tom, we perform in smaller venues, and it’s a more intimate group.

You’ll be dancing in Gold’s 
Poetic Episodes
. What’s the piece like?

It’s inspired by poems by Charles Simic, and it’s really fun. One section’s to Bach, one’s to Rachmaninoff, another is to Lady Gaga. Each is so different. In one part, I just wanna sing while I’m dancing. It’s classical ballet moves set to a pop song. I also do a pas de deux with my good friend Anthony Huxley, which is a dream, since I don’t think we’ve ever danced together at NYCB.

Is it hard to be in a piece that has such a variety of music?

I think we’re all used to it because in one program at NYCB, there could be four different ballets. We’re trained to make that switch. What’s fun and challenging about this piece is that it’s always something new. I’m never bored at all. It keeps our minds really working.

As a dancer, what stands out to you most about Gold’s choreography?

He does a lot of pointe stuff for the girls. That’s one thing I noticed right off the bat. The fact that he can choreograph so much pointework when he’s not dancing on pointe is impressive to me.

 


Adams with Anthony Huxley in Poetic Episodes. Photo by Eugene Gologorsky, Courtesy Tom Gold Dance

Do you have any tips for dancers that you’ve picked up while working with Tom Gold Dance?

Asking questions to clarify is big. Don’t be shy about it. Instead of guessing, it’s easier to ask what the specific step is. Then I go home and practice so it’s in my body and we can just dance it–and not have to think too much about what comes next.

 

Adams will perform with Tom Gold Dance on 
August 19
 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. 

 

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