Peter Martins, ballet master in chief of New York City Ballet, knew he had a winner in Wendy Whelan from the moment he hired her for the corps de ballet in January 1986. “But,” says Martins, “the question was ‘What kind of ballerina would Wendy be?’ She was sort of an unusual ‘bird’ and didn’t […]
Amy Hall Garner was in Chicago choreographing the musical Dream Girls when she got a phone call from New York City Ballet associate artistic director Wendy Whelan. It was the summer of 2022, and the call came as a surprise. Whelan, Garner explains, had seen her work around New York City and was interested in […]
It’s official: our friends at Dance Magazine have announced their 2024 “25 to Watch” list. The annual round-up features rising talent throughout the dance industry and spanning multiple dance genres. Of course, we can’t help but feel excited about those from the ballet world. Read on to learn more about them, then be sure to read the […]
As the number of female artistic directors leading ballet companies continues to rise, I’m curious: What skills does an aspiring leader need to realize her dream? Historically, most artistic directors of ballet companies have been men, despite the fact that ballet is a female-dominated field. Dance Data Project recently reported that, in 2023, only 29 […]
Nestled in the entertainment mecca of Los Angeles, the Colburn School’s Dance Academy is a full-time training program for dancers ages 14 through 19. Since its founding in 2014, the Dance Academy has been committed to passing on the heritage and tradition of the Balanchine style to its students. This legacy will continue with the appointment of Margaret […]
The past few weeks have brought another exciting round of career news—check out the latest farewells, appointments, promotions, and more in this month’s ballet roster roundup. Promotions and Appointments The Paris Opéra Ballet celebrates the promotions of its three newest étoiles, Hannah O’Neill, Marc Moreau, and Guillaume Diop. Diop, who was recently named one of […]
The past few weeks have 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 Following the company’s final performance of The Sleeping Beauty on February 26, New York City Ballet artistic director Jonathan Stafford and associate artistic director Wendy Whelan announced […]
Every December we’ve asked our writers to look back on some of the most memorable performances they’ve seen during the year. But with pandemic-related interruptions, cancellations and postponements keeping dancers offstage, we had to take a two-year hiatus. That’s why we are thrilled to be able to celebrate our favorite live performances once again! Here […]