Some like white, others prefer black. But Viengsay Valdés, Ballet Nacional de Cuba’s dazzling ballerina, likes both colors of swans. “When I’ve danced a good Act II Odette,” she says with a grin, “I know that my Odile will be good too. It’s like a reward to myself.” The dynamic ballerina is the darling […]
Retirements With the charisma of a movie star, Damian Woetzel has been irresistible to audiences at New York City Ballet for 23 years. One of the best virtuosos of his generation, he is also a gloriously relaxed performer. He brought bursting spirit to Stars and Stripes, tossing off amazing turns and jumps like fireworks. […]
Seems like everyone is rounding up their personal faves of 2007, so I thought I would throw mine into the fray. This is an entirely subjective list. Everything is in NYC unless otherwise specified. Please tell me your top picks of 2007 (just three please) by emailing me at [email protected] . (Listed alphabetically within […]
As Ashley Bouder runs onto the stage and into a crisp, high pas de chat, arms held overhead in delight, there is no doubt that she is queen of that pearly underworld that is George Balanchine’s Ballo della Regina. And when, after the flirtatious little polka on pointe that opens her first solo, she suddenly […]
Everyone has an idol, a mentor, a personal hero—someone whose influence inspires life-changing decisions. For dancers, those pivotal moments might come from seeing a breathtaking performance, watching the evolving artistry of a colleague, or opening their minds to the revelations offered by a coach, choreographer, or director. Dance Magazine contributing editor Cheryl Ossola asked 12 dancers—themselves […]
A dancer laces a pair of size 11 double-wide pointe shoes around each calf. Making one last check in the mirror for makeup and hair, Ashley Merrill-Lynch moves with the other corps de ballet members to the stage wings. One by one, the dancers step under the blazing lights, each executing on count two the […]
With her sweeping lines, improbably arched feet, eloquent port de bras, and dramatic intention behind every step, Alessandra Ferri breathed life into ballet. She made her indelible mark on the ballet repertory and inspired audiences and fellow dancers alike. She joined American Ballet Theatre in 1985, and on June 23, she will take her final […]
Alessandra Ferri is a beautiful and exquisite dancer, but her greatness lies in how much she makes us feel, not how much she makes us admire. When she dances Juliet, you feel her childishness in the first scene with her Nurse; you feel her attraction to Romeo at the ball, her embarrassment at dancing with […]
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