Curtain Up

While New York City Ballet has terrific women principals, so many male principals have retired that for a while there was a dearth of good men. But now City Ballet’s got a crop of young men who have swept through its vast repertoire with charisma and flair. They bring very individual qualities to the stage, and audiences have watched them rise through the ranks with affection. When you read Joseph Carman’s “The Golden Guys,” you’ll learn how each has made his mark. But what you won’t see in the story is the easy camaraderie they had at our photo shoot. They joked with each other constantly, but they were also supportive, sensing hidden insecurities and extending a hand to help. As each one posed separately, the others offered suggestions, calling out “Open your chest!” or “Look into the camera!” Of course, the competitive urge was still in force, as when they spontaneously erupted into a spinning match, each outdoing the previous one in number of pirouettes—having nothing to do with the task at hand.

We hear about so many neat things happening on college campuses that we wanted to reflect that spirit of resourcefulness and ingenuity. So this month we’re launching a new column called “Making It Happen.” It highlights innovations on campus, the kind of thing that’s instigated by a single passionate teacher—or student—who sees a crucial need and has an idea for how to address it. First up is Barnard’s CoLab, a student-run experimental performance collective. You’ll find the new column in the “Teach–Learn Connection” section, after “Centerwork” (our main education feature) and before “Studio Notes” (formerly “Across the Floor”).

We’ve also spruced up the front of the book, gathering “Vital Signs,” “Dance Matters,” “New York Notebook,” and “Quick Q&A” under the heading of “New Moves.” We’ve expanded “Your Body” too, adding the latest tips on health and nutrition to help you get through your hard dance days. Don’t forget to check out “Plugged In,” the new column on media products we started in July. And talking about staying plugged in, remember to visit www.dancemagazine.com, now with the monthly “Choreography in Focus” video, in which I have an intimate chat with a current dancemaker about their work. This month, tune in to the amazing site-specific wizard Noémie Lafrance.

And
y, Robbie, Amar, Tyler, and Craig. Photo by Matthew Karas.