What you might not know about some of America’s leading male dancers might surprise you. Rasta Thomas, Desmond Richardson, Damian Woetzel and Julio Bocca have all reached the top of their field earning accolades from audiences and critics alike. What they are achieving offstage is equally interesting and impressive. The Entrepreneur Rasta Thomas has always […]
Julie Kent appears at the costume fitting for the dress she wears on the cover after a rehearsal for Jorma Elo’s new work for American Ballet Theatre. Her feet are killing her, so she slouches while she gets measured, but she’s pretty easygoing about the whole thing, including being plied with questions. When conversation turns […]
In many fields, excellence can be measured. Tiger Woods is known as a great golfer because of his record of tournament wins. Warren Buffett is considered a great stock picker, because he’s made billions. A great ballet, however, isn’t quantifiable. A performing art like ballet is developed through the blood, sweat and tears of the […]
Student Opportunities: Youth America Grand Prix Each year, Youth America Grand Prix, the world’s largest student ballet competition, is literally filled with the stars of tomorrow. Some of ballet’s best and brightest have competed on the YAGP stage, including New York City Ballet’s Sara Mearns, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Dusty Button and American Ballet Theatre’s Sarah […]
As children, we aren’t taught how to run, we just start running. But once we break down the technique of running and walking in class, we suddenly find both completely unnatural. And once pointe shoes are on, creating a smooth—and silent—run becomes even more challenging. Kristina Windom, a Washington Ballet School faculty member, says, “I […]
Kiara Howe, 14, lives in Olympia, Washington, about a two-hour drive each way from her ballet classes at Oregon Ballet Theatre. She believes her dreams of dancing for American Ballet Theatre would be even further away if she had to fit in her commute around a regular school day. Instead, Kiara learns reading, writing and […]
Cuban Panache Comes To DC Ballet Nacional de Cuba returns to the Kennedy Center. By Abi Stafford This May, Ballet Nacional de Cuba will perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, for the first time in 10 years. New York City Ballet principal Abi Stafford, who danced in Havana at the […]
South Africa seems like an unlikely place for ballet. But Cape Town actually attracts its fair share of top talent, especially since the inception of the Cape Town Internationl Ballet Competition in 2008. Royal Ballet director designate Kevin O’Hare, Washington Ballet director Septime Webre, National Ballet School of Cuba director Ramona de Saá and other […]