A Day in the Life of NYCB Principal Megan Fairchild
“It is chaotic, but I love my life,” says New York City Ballet principal dancer Megan Fairchild. She and her husband are raising three children (including a set of twins) while they both work full-time. “When I was pregnant, I was nervous about how my life would change, but now everyone is here who’s supposed to be here!” The current family schedule is a little lighter than before—Fairchild graduated this spring with her MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business, so she no longer has to attend college classes on her day off. And now that NYCB has finished up its spring season, she says, “[my kids and I] are really looking forward to going to the pool at our apartment building!”
Below, Fairchild takes us through her typical daily routine.
6:45 am: “I am up at 6:45 every morning, regardless of if I had a show the night before,” says Fairchild. She first gets her children dressed and ready for school. “I turn on cartoons for them while I have my first cup of coffee so we can all get moving.”
7:45 am: For everyone to get to school on time, Fairchild and her children leave their apartment in New Jersey at 7:45. Her oldest child goes to school in Jersey City, and the twins attend preschool in Hoboken. “I basically do a big loop that takes an hour door-to-door.”
8:45 am: Fairchild returns home, cleans up from the morning (“I’m putting away dishes and eating the kids’ leftover breakfast”), drinks a second cup of coffee and takes a shower.
9:30 am: Fairchild leaves for work. Her commute to Lincoln Center takes about half an hour.
10:30–11:30 am: Fairchild always attends the later of the two company classes offered at NYCB. “I was promoted to principal when I was young, but I didn’t have any repertoire under my belt yet, so it was kind of an isolating experience,” she says. “That’s why class is really important to me, so I can stay connected with my fellow dancers.” When she is not rehearsing, Fairchild tries to use the Pilates reformer in the NYCB exercise room for about an hour. “I will give myself a little Pilates workout if it’s a lighter rehearsal day, and if I’m rehearsing a lot, I use the reformer to stretch.”
12–6 pm: Rehearsal. “Our rehearsal schedule really depends on the repertoire,” says Fairchild. For instance, she was cast in 13 shows at the beginning of NYCB’s spring season, but had fewer performances towards the end. Company dancers receive their rehearsal schedules two days in advance and can also request rehearsals. For example, if during the performance season Fairchild is performing several ballets, she can request to rehearse the one she is performing that evening to keep it in her body.
7 pm: Fairchild arrives home and spends time with her family. “We have a babysitter in the evening from 6–9 pm, and she’s a huge help. With three adults and three kids, we still stay pretty busy making sure everyone gets dinner and cleaned.”
9:30–10:30 pm: After getting the kids to bed, Fairchild likes to relax. “I read or watch TV, but I find myself craving something that occupies my brain. After being with the kids, I want to feel like an adult again.”
Midnight: Bedtime. “I stay up late. Usually, my husband falls asleep shortly after the kids, and I have this time to myself—it’s indulgent me time.”
Day Off
On Monday, her day off, Fairchild prioritizes tasks at home. “I finally put the toys back where they’re supposed to be, I do a lot of laundry, and I reorganize basically one closet a week.” She still drops the kids off at school, and then proceeds to clean her house and run errands as needed. “Sometimes I get to surprise my husband at work and we have lunch together, which is really nice,” she says.
Since it’s a school day, the evening routine stays consistent. “I really enjoy when I get to have a weekend day off—then we get to spend all day together like a normal family,” Fairchild says.
Performance Days
Fairchild’s daily routine stays very similar in the morning and afternoon, although she has a small break in the early evening. “We are legally required to have two hours off before the show,” she says, “so after our rehearsal block ends for the day, I can start getting ready.” She stays at the theater instead of going home, so she can sew a new pair of shoes for the performance or take a nap. “I have a mattress in my dressing room and put a sign on our door so the costume people know not to disturb me,” she says.
If Fairchild’s not napping, she’s chatting with dressing-room-mate, Emilie Gerrity, watching “Madam Secretary,” or meditating. “I do transcendental meditation. It’s a great way to manage stress.”
After the performance, Fairchild calls her mom on her drive home. “After the pandemic, she started sending me a “merde” text before every show,” says Fairchild. “And she keeps track of when they are, so if I’m not calling her on my way home, she calls me and asks how it went.” When she arrives home, usually her children are asleep, so she will have a glass of wine and relax. “If it was a particularly exciting show, sometimes I’m texting my partner to debrief.”
