by Amy Brandt | Mar 6, 2026 | Pointe+, Technique, Training
At its most simplified, to plié (from the French verb “plier”) means “to bend.” Yet this foundational ballet step—usually the first one we learn as dancers—holds the secrets to so much more, including relevés, jumping, turning, traveling, and...
by Barry Kerollis | Sep 19, 2025 | Pointe+, Training
Growing up, I trained in ballet while dabbling in the competition circuit. This gave me a deep appreciation for stylistic diversity and led to a career with both classical and contemporary ballet troupes. After retiring, I naturally gravitated toward the intersection...
by Barry Kerollis | Apr 22, 2025 | Pointe+, Training
With spring comes the final rounds of youth ballet competitions, including Youth America Grand Prix, ADC | IBC, and the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition. While we hope every dancer has the smoothest moment in the spotlight, the potential...
by Barry Kerollis | Apr 12, 2024 | Pointe+, Training
When Youth America Grand Prix was founded 25 years ago, ballet training experienced a big shift. While elite international ballet competitions have existed for decades, YAGP’s model helped democratize them by granting access to any student wishing to participate. Not...
by Barry Kerollis | Nov 13, 2023 | Career, Company Life, Pointe+
New York City is famous for being a place where one’s dreams come true. I relocated here in 2017 hoping to one day start my own contemporary ballet company. After several years researching the scene, building community, and cultivating the necessary skills, I launched...
by Barry Kerollis | Aug 1, 2019 | Career, Training
When we watch dancers with drool-worthy arches, we assume they either worked really hard for them or they were born with them. Professionals spend years training the articulation of their foot muscles. But some of us who have made it in the big leagues still need some...
by Nicole Loeffler-Gladstone | Sep 28, 2015 | Company Life
(Photo by Candice DeTore) Starting October 1, the ballet community will have a new and intriguing web series to watch. Barry Kerollis—a former dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet and Houston Ballet, and a current freelancer—is piloting...
by Amy Brandt | Aug 13, 2015 | Company Life
When former Ballet West principal Michael Beardon took over Ballet Arkansas in 2013, he wanted to find ways to connect the small, 13-member company to the greater dance world and help its young artists develop. “The more interaction they have with knowledgeable...