Much of ballet’s magic is the otherworldly presence dancers have when they step onstage—it’s hard to imagine our favorite stars having lives outside the theater. But that’s what makes documentaries like “The Dancer,” a new short film by former Miami City Ballet dancer Ezra Hurwitz, so fascinating. During its six minutes, we follow New York […]
There’s a new dance movie in the works: Dave Scott, of the “So You Think You Can Dance” and Step Up families—is choreographing High Strung, a film about a ballet dancer from the Midwest who moves to New York City to attend a prestigious school on scholarship. Who will play that ballet dancer, you ask? […]
By now, you probably have your own standard performance makeup routine. But tailoring your makeup to the ballet you’re dancing—especially if it’s a story ballet—can really enhance the look and presence of your character. Beyond a little Black Swan smoky eye and flushed Coppélia cheeks, how can you really make your features pop? Enter former […]
Dancing peasants in traditional costumes often signal a Romantic ballet. However, they don’t always consist of a three-act narrative. Divertissements are short ballets created to feature a dancer’s technical skill. August Bournonville choreographed many, including this folkloric interpretation of Gioachino Rossini’s opera William Tell. The dancers don’t appear as characters, but rather perform to express the […]
Exciting things are underfoot at American Ballet Theatre as they begin their 75th anniversary season. But this week brought bittersweet news: Three of their principal dancers have announced their retirements. Paloma Herrera, Julie Kent and Xiomara Reyes will retire at the end of ABT’s 2015 season in New York City. All three stars will dance […]
Salstein with Gemma Bond in the studio. Photo by Rosalie O’Connor, Courtesy ABT. American Ballet Theatre soloist Craig Salstein knows a thing or two about juggling a busy schedule. Along with his performance career at ABT, he directs and choreographs for his own NYC-based group INTERMEZZO Dance Company. On Jan. 17-18 they’ll perform From Myth to […]
We’ve all tried to find the best way to three-quarter pointe shoes. Now, Mary Carpenter, a professional fitter based in New York City, has launched DancewithmaryNYC, a YouTube channel dedicated to answering pointe shoe-related questions. Besides having over 20 years of pointe shoe fitting experience, Carpenter is also a ballet teacher, a Pilates mat instructor […]
Up until now, those of us in the U.S. were expecting to hear about Sylvie Guillem’s international retirement tour from afar. But yesterday brought some exciting news: Guillem has added one stop in New York. Her program, Life in Progress, will run November 12–14 at New York City Center. It will be a final chance for U.S. […]