We all know the internet has overhauled traditional dance criticism, giving anyone with an opinion and a wifi connection the ability to share their thoughts, no matter how informed—or not—those thoughts might be. But should those who take part in a ballet have their say as well? Last week, writer Hanna Weibye reviewed a Royal […]
The astonishing thing about the women of New York City Ballet is that even with the retirement of two of the company’ most magnificent dancers, the bench of remarkable women is still deep. The six-week winter season that just ended brought this home to me. Needless to say, I will miss Jenifer Ringer and Janie […]
In only two years, the Colburn Dance Academy in Los Angeles has surpassed expectations. Directed by former New York City Ballet stars Jenifer Ringer and James Fayette, the Academy has placed grads, either as trainees or full professionals, into Dance Theatre of Harlem, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Fayette and Ringer have […]
Thinkstock Despite calls for change, ballet’s obsession with extreme thinness persists. During a recent performance of Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments, a corps member at a prominent company complained that she was so hungry she thought she’d faint. The dancer next to her started to worry that she herself wasn’t hungry enough. “In shape for us […]
Women make up the vast majority of the dance world. Yet it’s no secret that they’re routinely passed over for leadership positions and choreography commissions, confronted with sexism in the studio and stymied by expectations of how female artists should look and behave. Here, 10 industry leaders open up, candidly sharing their stories, and offering […]
Whether you’re getting paid less than your male counterparts to guest or you’re seeing more creative opportunities go to the guys, what can women do when they’re being treated unfairly in the studio? Talk About Your Goals The fact that men are more coveted in dance doesn’t have to mean that women lose out on […]
Melody Mennite’s first published review hurt like a punch in the gut. While dancing Clara’s solo in The Nutcracker, Mennite, then a teen, decided to sustain a balance for a few seconds. “I got greedy and held it too long and then fell flat on my face,” says Mennite, a principal dancer with Houston Ballet […]
Embrace the last step of your career. Jenifer Ringer after her retirement performance in Balanchine’s Union Jack. Photo by Paul Kolnik, Courtesy NYCB. For a BalletMet performance in April 2014, Carrie West danced principal roles in both Balanchine’s Symphony in C and Edwaard Liang’s Wunderland. But she had no idea this would lead to the […]
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