Patricia McBride in George Balanchine’s Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux Last Sunday night in the nation’s capital, the who’s who of Hollywood and politics came together for the 37th annual Kennedy Center Honors to celebrate the career of former New York City Ballet star Patricia McBride. Each year, the Honors tribute the lives and contributions of […]
Ballet has a lily-white reputation. The great “ballet blanc” works glorify white swans, white shades, white wilis and white sylphs. Still, in 2014, balletgoers might expect some progress in racial diversity onstage, especially in the U.S., where populations of color are growing. But comb the rosters of most American companies and you’ll find a striking […]
Ballet has a lily-white reputation. The great “ballet blanc” works glorify white swans, white shades, white wilis and white sylphs. Still, in 2014, balletgoers might expect some progress in racial diversity onstage, especially in the U.S., where populations of color are growing. But comb the rosters of most American companies and you’ll find a striking […]
Many dancers’ bags double as mini 7-Elevens. They’re chock full of carefully selected snacks that fuel dancers through the day, the performance and the season. There’s not a casual cracker in there! These stashes are as individual as the dancers themselves: Every performer who’s put a protein bar to her mouth has a different snack […]
Have a question? Click here to send it to Suzanne Farrell Ballet dancer Amy Brandt. I’m almost 15, and am just about to start taking pointe classes. I’m worried that after high school, companies won’t accept me because I won’t have been dancing on pointe long enough. Is it too late? I’m starting to think […]
It’s a chilly winter day in New York, but inside 890 Broadway it’s stiflingly warm. Students stretch their limbs, eyeing each other nervously. This is, after all, a New York audition for American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive. Riana Aldana, 17, is listening to her iPod to get in her zone. She’s jittery and excited, […]
On Wednesday, I attended a photo shoot with Misty Copeland, a soloist at American Ballet Theatre. Misty started ballet at 13, which is pretty late for a woman, but fell in love with it and made the choice to pursue it as a career. It’s a good thing she did, too, since she’s an absolutely […]
It’s that time of year again: Youth America Grand Prix finals. This weekend, scores of talented young dancers will descend on New York City, hoping to impress, to be seen, to win a medal, a scholarship or maybe even a job. Merde to all of the Pointe readers who will be competing! In addition […]