As a child Jenna Anderson watched Pacific Northwest Ballet’s The Nutcracker on PBS every Christmas, shushing everyone around her when the dancers came onscreen. Barred from dancing herself due to her conservative upbringing, she fueled her ballet obsession by researching first position and looking at pictures in every dance book she could find in her […]
As Royal Ballet principal Yasmine Naghdi was going through pre-professional training at The Royal Ballet School, her mother, Sabine, recalls people saying to her, “Oh, it must be such a hard journey.” To which Sabine would jokingly reply, “Oh, I could write a book about it!” Fast-forward years later, and she found herself at the […]
Royal Ballet principal Yasmine Naghdi had been gearing up to star as the Sugarplum Fairy in a December livestream performance of The Nutcracker when London went back into heavy COVID-19 restrictions. The performance was canceled, but Naghdi has been taking this current setback, and the challenges the pandemic has brought over the last 10 months, […]
Did you know that Royal Ballet principal Yasmine Naghdi‘s pointe shoes are actually made up of two different models, combined? Below, watch pointe shoe fitter Josephine Lee interview Naghdi on all of her pointe shoe hacks, from her anti-slipping tricks to her darning technique.
What is the hardest role you’ve learned? Swan Lake. You need so much endurance to get through it. Especially in Act III, when you’re about to do the fouettés—I feel like I can’t see, I’m so tired by that point. It’s a battle of your own mind. You’ve danced Aurora for The Royal Ballet and […]
This month, ballet companies debut classical reinterpretations, attend annual festivals around the world and take performances to new venues. Read on to learn about the premieres and international stars performing near you. Vail Dance Festival Highlights The annual Vail Dance Festival, directed by Damian Woetzel, runs July 29–August 9, featuring artists in residence Caili Quan […]
Romeo has a special place in my heart. I made my debut in 2015, after I had just received my promotion to First Artist. It was the first big role that I got the opportunity to dance. The story of Romeo and Juliet is something I grew up with. I read the play at school […]
In 2017, we shared this short dance film titled Duet. Starring The Royal Ballet’s Beatriz Stix-Brunell and Yasmine Naghdi, the video gained ample coverage for its exploration of same sex partnering. Now the film’s director, Andrew Morgetson, is back with Nela, a new film showcasing another of The Royal’s crown jewels: principal dancer Marianela Nuñez. […]