Search results for: William Forsythe

The Bewitching Ekaterina Kondaurova

One of the best moments of last April’s Youth America Grand Prix gala at New York’s City Center came in the evening’s second act. Kirov artists Ekaterina Kondaurova and Islom Baimuradov were dancing Alexei Ratmansky’s hypnotic Middle Duet. They’d reached the point where the man and the woman separate and each dance alone in a […]

Under Her Spell

Erica Cornejo is exactly the kind of dancer you want in your company. Who wouldn’t dream of working with a ballerina with vivid imagination, an infallible work ethic, a fine-tuned musical ear, a no-divas-here attitude, an incredible jump, intuitive dramatic ability, pure classical line, the ability to take on virtually any role in the repertoire […]

Morphoses—and Beatriz Stix-Brunell—Head to Vail

Every ballet student dreams of dancing new works with a world-class company. But for Beatriz Stix-Brunell, that dream came true a little early. About a year ago, Christopher Wheeldon picked the 16-year-old wunderkind to dance in his elite troupe, Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company. Stix-Brunell, who trains with renowned instructor Fabrice Herrault in New York, has found […]

ADF Does Ballet

American Dance Festival has traditionally showcased great modern companies. But this year ADF is taking a slightly different tack, exploring the symbiotic relationship between ballet and modern dance with its “Where Ballet and Modern Meet” theme. Many of the modern choreographers whose works will be presented during the Durham-based festival—familiar names like Paul Taylor, Twyla […]

Classical To Contemporary

With a history reaching back to Louis XIV, the Paris Opéra Ballet is one of the dance world’s most tradition-bound institutions. The 154-member company is strictly hierarchical, with casting strongly influenced by rank: leading roles go almost without exception to “étoiles” (“stars,” or principals), soloist roles to “premiers danseurs” and so on. POB is one […]

Inside a Great Partnership

In the ballet world, great partnerships are rare. The unique chemistry of a splendid ballerina and her attentive partner can hold audiences spellbound. Witnessing a pas de deux by extraordinarily simpatico dancers can fundamentally change the way one perceives ballet. At American Ballet Theatre, Paloma Herrera and Marcelo Gomes deliver that special combination of ballet […]

A Ballerina Grows in Charlotte

North Carolina Dance Theatre’s Traci Gilchrest didn’t always command the sublime confidence that makes her the versatile and emotionally captivating dancer she is today. “Early on, Traci didn’t fully trust herself,” says Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, the company’s artistic director. Both Gilchrest and Bonnefoux agree that her turning point came about three years into her tenure with […]

A Future For The Past

The 75th anniversary of San Francisco Ballet this year is a reminder of how much ballet has changed. This season alone, SFB company members are expected to dance a full-length Giselle, neoclassical works by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, and contemporary fare from Jorma Elo, Val Caniparoli and Mark Morris, among others. And SFB’s repertoire […]