Search results for: stanton welch

Lauren Anderson saw Eric Best dance for the first time in the summer of 2019. Then 15 years old, the Indianapolis native was in Los Angeles for a Debbie Allen Dance Academy intensive, where Anderson, Houston Ballet’s legendary, boundary-breaking ballerina, was visiting. “I thought, Wow, besides having very good training, he’s so natural at taking the stage, coordination, physicality, elegance, […]

Achieving an elevated rank in a ballet company doesn’t always equal career fulfillment. Now and again, successful dancers upend their lives and transition to new companies in hopes of finding that thing which is missing. While promotion is often a clear motivator for change, dancers can shift workplaces for many reasons. Pointe recently spoke with […]

The USA International Ballet Competition is gearing up for the 12th time, and applications are open! The two-week competition, held every four years in Jackson, Mississippi, hosts dancers ages 15–28 from around the globe as they compete for medals, cash prizes and company contracts. The competition will run June 10–24, and this year USA IBC […]

This month has brought another exciting round of career news—check out the latest farewells, appointments, promotions and more in this month’s roster roundup. Promotions and Appointments Julie Kent will join Houston Ballet as co-artistic director alongside Stanton Welch following her six years as artistic director of The Washington Ballet. She will assume the new position […]

Watching Houston Ballet soloist Mackenzie Richter rehearse Balanchine’s “Diamonds” pas de deux with frequent partner Naazir Muhammad, it’s easy to see why the dancer embodies the company’s future. Richter stretches out time in the quieter moments, dancing with a reserved quality as the couple establishes their boundaries. Slowly riding the ballet’s emotional arc, Richter’s dancing […]

Spring is in full bloom with another round of exciting digital dance offerings. This month, companies across the country are releasing world premieres, season finales, artistic collaborations and more. We’ve rounded up some highlights below. New York City Ballet Sebastian Villarini-Velez and India Bradley with KJ Takahashi and Jonathan Fahoury in Kyle Abraham’s When We […]

For dance—and the world at large—2020 has been one of the most challenging years in recent memory. Yet its stops, starts and slowdowns brought reflection, introspection and growth. Pointe asked three dancers what this year taught them about themselves. ​​Nikisha Fogo, San Francisco Ballet​​ Nikisha Fogo and Julian MacKay rehearsing Helgi Tomasson’s new work at […]

To some dancers, a winter without The Nutcracker may seem like a gift. No Tchaikovsky on an endless loop. No missing real parties to dance in the party scene. No pulling fake snow out of your hair. It’s the stuff that burned-out ballerinas might dream about in mid-December. But, true to E.T.A. Hoffmann’s original “Nutcracker […]