Jane Vorburger seemed well-qualified to teach dance back in 2008, after dancing with American Ballet Theatre for five years, getting a master’s degree in dance from New York University, and teaching at ABT and top studios like Steps on Broadway. But there was something else she felt she needed: a dance teacher certification. “When I […]

What does the world look like through the eyes of a dance photographer? In this new series, some of the field’s most talented photographers will share images from their archives that are especially compelling or meaningful to them, even if they haven’t been published previously. First up is Rosalie O’Connor, who danced with American Ballet […]

Creative costumes are like moving sculptures, seamlessly blending with sets and lighting to help dancers and choreographers bring another world to life onstage. But they can bring challenges, too. Physical therapist Giovanna Salerno, PT, DPT, OCS, says that she’s worked with several patients whose ailments can be traced to costumes. “You’re having to perform and […]

Where is the dance field headed next? The dancers, choreographers, directors, and companies on our annual “25 to Watch” list offer heartening, imaginative, exciting possible answers to that question. Whether or not you’re already familiar with these up-and-comers, our editors and contributors from across the dance world predict that we’ll be hearing a lot more from these artists on the verge of a breakout in 2025 and beyond.

In the December 1994 issue of Dance Magazine, John Gruen wrote of an 18-year-old American Ballet Theatre soloist named Paloma Herrera, “Here was a prodigy at work.” He was referring to her performances of Balanchine’s demanding Theme and Variations that spring; to have been in the audience, he wrote, “was to be in the presence of a near miracle.”

The October 1974 issue marked Mikhail Baryshnikov’s first of over a dozen Dance Magazine cover appearances.

I now work with some of the smartest, hardest-working, and most inspiring people I’ve ever known. Every Sunday morning at 9 am—which, as a former professional, is very early to be taking a ballet class—40 to 50 adult dancers come into Westside Ballet and start their pliés with me. Our median age is somewhere in the late 50s, and I have students from ages 14 to 85!

The “comp kid” image has come a long way. Once viewed as over-the-top performers who prioritize tricks and trophies, competition dancers now fill the ranks of top colleges, conservatories, and companies around the globe. Competition studios are training dancers who aren’t just ready to win—they’re ready to work professionally. And the dance world is now making space for them to thrive.