I caught a preview screening of The White Crow earlier this week at New York City’s 92Y, and I have to say: Even with a solid grasp of dance history and a smattering of film studies knowledge, I had some questions when the credits rolled. The Ralph Fiennes–directed Rudolf Nureyev biopic dramatizes the events leading […]
Pre-professional ballet students know this to be true: Training comes first; everything else fits when—or if—it can. Are the sacrifices pre-professional ballet dancers make to pursue a highly competitive career worth it? Four professionals weigh in. Jim Nowakowski: BalletMet Dancer Nowakowski and BalletMet dancer Jessica Brown in rehearsal Jennifer Zmuda, Courtesy BalletMet At my home […]
Training in Manila, Philippines may seem a world away from dancing with the big ballet companies in New York City. Yet in April 2018, local ballet students Elwince Magbitang and Raye Vince Pelegrin, both 17, shared the stage in Manila with leading dancers from American Ballet Theatre in the benefit gala An Intimate Evening with […]
This week, over 1,000 young hopefuls gathered in New York City for the Youth America Grand Prix finals, giving them the chance to compete for scholarships and contracts to some of the world’s top ballet schools and companies. Roughly 85 dancers made it to the final round at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater on […]
Since the project was first announced toward the end of 2017, we’ve been extremely curious about Yuli. The film, based on Carlos Acosta‘s memoir No Way Home, promised as much dancing as biography, with Acosta appearing as himself and dance sequences featuring his eponymous Cuba-based company Acosta Danza. Add in filmmaking power couple Icíar Bollaín […]
After the horrific March 15 terrorist attacks at two New Zealand mosques, the music and arts community sprang into action to plan a way to help victims and their families. A series of resulting concerts, titled “You Are Us/Aroha Nui,” will take place in New Zealand (April 13 and 17), Jersey City, New Jersey (April […]
Last night at Parsons Dance’s 2019 gala, the company celebrated one of our own: DanceMedia owner Frederic M. Seegal. In a speech, artistic director David Parsons said that he wanted to honor Seegal for the way he devotes his energy to supporting premier art organizations, “making sure that the arts are part of who we […]
Youth America Grand Prix, the world’s largest student ballet competition, is coming up on the end of its 20th-anniversary season. As aspiring pre-professionals gear up for this year’s New York Finals, we’re taking a look at a handful of YAGP participants who are already generating major buzz. Gabriel Figueredo Age: 18 School: John Cranko School […]