#TBT: Debra Austin in La Sylphide
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 clip of Debra Austin in the role during her time as a principal with Pennsylvania Ballet (now Philadelphia Ballet) exemplifies the qualities of a leading dancer. Her textbook sissonnes––particularly her ability to freeze her legs at their peak of ascent––make her appear to be flying. Her luscious port de bras and relaxed demeanor beautifully contrast the rigorous demands of the lower body. She truly looks like a fairy floating through the woods.
Trained at the School of American Ballet, Austin was the first Black female dancer to join the New York City Ballet in 1971. Balanchine choreographed a notable solo on her in his Ballo della Regina that beautifully demonstrated her otherworldly jump. After nine years, she left the company to join Zürich Ballet and was then recruited to Pennsylvania Ballet as a principal in 1982, becoming the first Black woman to achieve that status at a major American ballet company outside of Dance Theatre of Harlem. Since leaving the stage in 1990, Austin continues to shape the next generation of dancers. She has been a teacher and ballet master for Carolina Ballet since 1997. In 2025, the School of American Ballet recognized Austin with the Alumni of Distinction Award, a testament to her lasting legacy in the dance world. Debra Austin remains an icon and a trailblazer of ballet, and her artistic resonance continues to inspire. Happy #ThrowbackThursday!
