In a recent editorial in The New York Times, dance critic Alastair Macaulay wrote that “the lesson of history is that ballerinadom has been continually redefined.” I believe it is time for a new definition, one that does not hold up Old World glamour or a dancer’s nationality as criteria. The greatest female dancers today […]
When a dancer fell flat on the floor during her Esmeralda solo at Youth America Grand Prix finals one year, it cost her a few points, recalls judge Phillip Broomhead. But she compounded it by how she handled the mishap. Tears welled up. She fell again in the next section of pirouettes and began visibly […]
Ballet dancers have nearly 100 percent injury rates. From minor sprained ankles to major bone breaks, nearly everyone faces time away from the stage sooner or later. The good news? Recovering from an injury doesn’t have to be a career setback. It can actually make you stronger, as these dancers discovered when they coped with […]
You have something unique that can make a big difference in the quality of your dancing: your body. That may sound obvious, but if you tap your potential fully you can achieve more than you ever imagined. A few changes in how you train and eat can help you articulate steps better, give you more […]
Ballet Classes At The Kennedy Center In its 13th year, the Ballet Class Series at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts allows serious ballet students to take master classes and attend select rehearsals with the companies performing there. “It’s such a neat opportunity to learn from the companies that come through the […]
Marie Claire posted a fun, investigative slideshow earlier this week that compares the fitness levels of five types of athletes. In addition to a biker, a boxer, a yogi and a runner, they put American Ballet Theatre soloist Stella Abrera to the test. The results? Abrera had the strongest core—and unsurprisingly lovely legs.
How do choreographers create a ballet? Youth America Grand Prix invites audiences to take a peek inside the process this Monday, February 4, with a special benefit program called “Creating the Dance with Marcelo Gomes.” Although the American Ballet Theatre principal has only recently begun choreographing, a number of his works have been seen at […]
What does it take to be a dancer with American Ballet Theatre? The company’s dancers and staff tackled that question last night at the Guggenheim Museum’s Works & Process program. “ABT dancers need to do it all,” said Kevin McKenzie in a video clip. “They need to have the ability to cross the borders of the […]