by Hannah Chang Foster | Sep 26, 2024 | Pointe+, Training
Kellen Hornbuckle attended Houston Ballet summer intensives for six years in a row, being invited back on scholarship. But she didn’t let the artistic staff’s evident interest in her make her complacent. When she was finally ready to make the leap to leave her home...
by Nancy Wozny | Aug 20, 2020 | Instagram, Training
Before Houston Ballet’s studios were forced to close down in March due to COVID-19, Jindallae Cho Bernard and Neal Burks were getting their first taste of George Balanchine’s Serenade. The dancers, members of Houston Ballet II, were learning the...
by Gavin Larsen | Jun 30, 2019 | Training
Updated 9/19/22. The path to joining a company is not as clear-cut as it once was, when advanced students auditioned straight out of school and learned the ropes on the job. Directors, wanting dancers who can hit the ground running, are increasingly relying on second...
by Amy Brandt | Dec 12, 2016 | Ask Amy, Company Life
I’m in a second company and I’d like to use my summer layoff to do an intensive elsewhere. Is there a tactful way to bring this up to my director? —Simone This is tricky, and depends on your director. When I was a trainee, we were free to go elsewhere...
by Amy Brandt | Nov 2, 2016 | Ask Amy, Higher Ed
Should I turn down an apprenticeship to finish my dance degree, or should I put my education on pause? — Ashleigh Congratulations on receiving an apprenticeship offer! They don’t come every day. If you think you’re ready for company life, and will be...
by Candice Thompson | Mar 31, 2016 | Career
This story originally appeared in the April/May 2016 issue of Pointe. After two years as a trainee and then one as a second company member at Orlando Ballet, 22-year-old Aurélio Guimarães wasn’t able to audition much due to an injury. When The...