Follow Amar Ramasar Through a Typical Day

November 24, 2016

Who doesn’t love a good behind-the-scenes video? As part of their new web series, American Doers, People magazine followed New York City Ballet’s Amar Ramasar around for a day. For fans of the charismatic and vibrant (not to mention stylish) principal dancer, the video does not disappoint.

We see Ramasar coaching the series host, James Marshall, through a simple combination in the company’s Lincoln Center studios; troubleshooting a challenging partnering sequence with fellow principal Sara Mearns in rehearsal; and getting physical therapy to ease the pain that comes with a 13-hour dance day. In these moments, we get an unfiltered glimpse into the daily goings-on of company life.

But the video doesn’t only take us through Ramasar’s typical schedule—through his words, it also gives insight into the drive and determination that propelled him to where he is today. Ramasar recounts his childhood in the Bronx, where “all the kids on my block wanted to be baseball players, basketball players, rappers…and I wanted to do ballet.” He got a late start at age 12, and sometimes lied to friends about his love of dance to avoid being teased. A telling moment comes when he describes a conversation he had with his uncle, at age 15. “I asked my uncle what was the best ballet company in the world, and he told me the New York City Ballet,” Ramasar says. “I told him, at that time, ‘I’m gonna dance for that company.’ ”

It’s one thing to be captivated by the performers we see onstage, but there’s something equally thrilling about getting a sense of who they are in the studio, and the experiences that led them there. Check out the full video below:

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