Looking Back at the Trailblazing Legacy of Arthur Mitchell—And How He’s Still Influencing Ballet Today
Arthur Mitchell was my mentor. He was the miracle who crossed my path and introduced me to the world of professional ballet.
Marjorie Tallchief, Trailblazing Native American Ballerina, Dies at 95
Marjorie Tallchief, renowned as the first American and Native American première danseuse étoile at the Paris Opéra Ballet, passed away on November 30 at her home in Delray Beach, Florida. She was 95. A member of the Osage Nation, Marjorie was the last surviving dancer of the “Five Moons”—Native American ballerinas from Oklahoma who rose […]
Inside Former Trocks Dancer Sabrina Pretto’s Year of Transitions
Taking center stage in Sleeping Beauty‘s “Canary Variation,” Sabrina Pretto dazzled in her pale yellow leotard and skirt, her footwork quick, arms expressive, and face broken into a wide, genuine smile. Dancing with Sheep Meadow Dance Theatre, a New York City–based troupe helmed by choreographer Billy Blanken, this was Pretto’s first time back onstage since […]
Gabe Stone Shayer Is Creating an African Narrative Ballet in a Locale That’s Not Only Dreamy, but Informing the Work Itself
American Ballet Theatre soloist Gabe Stone Shayer’s latest project will inspire some serious travel envy. From March to April of this year, Shayer has been an artist in residence at Palm Heights Grand Cayman—a resort in the Cayman Islands—where he is choreographing an African-themed narrative ballet, performing solos that will become part of the upcoming […]
What Makes It So Difficult to Diversify Ballet Faculties?
The lack of Black ballet teachers in professional training programs has long been known to be a weakness holding the field back from true inclusivity. The common refrain of “We can’t find them” might have been plausible before, given the scarcity of professional Black ballet dancers. Yet suddenly, qualified candidates are springing up. (Perhaps the […]
Ballet Dancers Are Stretching Their Business Muscles During COVID
Dancers are used to challenges. So, when COVID-19 forced them to wait in the wings, many quickly hatched a plan B—and several decided to launch or grow their own businesses or nonprofits. That same dedication and grace under pressure that drives their dancing careers has also made them ambitious entrepreneurs. Baking Cakes: Jordan Richardson Fry […]
Vladimir Djouloukhadze, One of Ballet’s Foremost Teachers, Celebrates 50 Years in Ballet
When Vladimir Djouloukhadze met Vakhtang Chabukiani (one of the first men to inject a sense of Georgian folk-dance tradition into 1930s Russian ballet), Djouloukhadze’s life changed. His ballet career would be shaped by the bold and uninhibited movement power that Chabukiani, his teacher, made so globally famous when he staged ballets like La Bayadère. When […]
Netflix’s “Tiny Pretty Things” Faces Ballet Stereotypes Head-On
The pilot of Netflix’s dance-centric series “Tiny Pretty Things”—based on the YA novel by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton—will leave you breathless. It touches on, well, everything: love, murder, racism, competition, jealousy, girl cliques, sexual experimentation, eating disorders. And the intricate plot is propelled by equally breathtaking ballet sequences. Here are the basics of that […]