by Amy Brandt | Dec 18, 2025 | Career, Company Life, Pointe+, Wellness
As I stood backstage in my snow costume, my bodice felt tight. I tried not to panic—I needed every ounce of oxygen to get through the snow scene in Jean-Paul Comelin’s Nutcracker. As an 18-year-old Milwaukee Ballet trainee, this was my first professional production,...
by Amy Brandt | Jul 7, 2020 | Ask Amy, Cross-Training, Health & Body
I’m consistently out of breath when I do petit allégro. Any suggestions on how to efficiently improve my stamina? —Kristin There are some simple things you can do to improve your petit allégro stamina. According to Lauren McIntyre, ATC, athletic trainer and...
by Gavin Larsen | Apr 8, 2019 | Cross-Training, Health & Body, Nutrition
Kelsie Nobriga’s first run-through of Nacho Duato’s Rassemblement was a wake-up call. Until then, the Oregon Ballet Theatre soloist had only rehearsed individual sections of the ballet, unaware that she’d have little time to recover in between each...
by Gavin Larsen | Mar 6, 2019 | Career, Health & Body, Training
If you’re about to learn a tough ballet, cross-training ahead of your rehearsal period can help you gain the extra stamina you need. Repeated short spurts of high- and moderate-intensity exercise most closely replicate the pacing of a pas de deux, variation and...
by Amy Brandt | Sep 30, 2015 | Ask Amy, Career, Cross-Training
This story originally appeared in the October/November 2015 issue of Pointe. I’m preparing to dance my first lead and I’m worried about my stamina. Do you have any tips for keeping your energy up during a taxing role? —Kennedy Building stamina is a gradual...