by Michael Henry Shavelle | Aug 21, 2025 | TBT
Alicia Graf Mack’s exceptional dancing earned her a place at three renowned companies: Dance Theatre of Harlem, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Her grace and clarity of movement is showcased beautifully in this clip of The...
by Michael Henry Shavelle | Jul 24, 2025 | Profiles, TBT, Videos
In 1984, Dance Theatre of Harlem presented Creole Giselle, a groundbreaking interpretation of one of ballet’s beloved classics. Imagined by Arthur Mitchell and staged by Frederic Franklin, the production moves the original tale from Austria to Louisiana in the 1840s,...
by Michael Henry Shavelle | Jul 10, 2025 | TBT
Firebird has had many iterations over the years. Long before George Balanchine and Alexei Ratmansky brought their lasting interpretations, Michel Fokine originated the work to Igor Stravinsky’s music in 1910. In this video, Margot Fonteyn, The Royal Ballet’s reigning...
by Michael Henry Shavelle | Jul 3, 2025 | TBT
It is rare to see a complete ballet starring just one dancer. Jerome Robbins’ A Suite of Dances is a series of solos set to a single cello arrangement by Bach. Originally choreographed on Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1994, the work encompasses the naturalistic, witty, and...
by Michael Henry Shavelle | Jun 19, 2025 | TBT
La Sylphide, one of ballet’s oldest surviving works, highlights the Romantic era’s delicate classicism and ethereal style. The leading ballerina seems to float across the stage with a dreamlike charm, showcasing the choreography’s pure, yet challenging steps. This...
by Kyra Laubacher | Dec 22, 2022 | Career, TBT
On December 10, The Royal Ballet announced the passing of English National Ballet president and former artistic director Dame Beryl Grey. At 95, she leaves behind a lasting legacy as a prolific performer and champion of the artform. Grey (1927–2022) famously debuted...
