Gillian Murphy on stage wearing a white feathered tutu. She arches back in a tendu derriere

ABT’s Gillian Murphy on Finding Balance Between Control and Abandon

I was an introverted kid, but I constantly hummed, waltzed, and twirled through the house, wearing out the tips of my sneakers because I enjoyed standing on my toes. When my parents took me to ballet classes, I felt liberated and in my element learning a language that allowed me to express my internal world. […]

10 Times Our Fave Ballet Dancers Made Turning Actually Look Easy

At this point, you’d think we’d all be used to the level of technical absurdity Daniil Simkin achieves when he’s playing around in the studio. But then he did this: …and now we’re low-key appalled in the absolute best way. After we picked our jaws up from the floor, we were inspired to dig up […]

7 Tough-Love Lessons from the Legendary Irina Kolpakova

Being coached by a treasure like former Kirov prima Irina Kolpakova is an experience most dancers only dream of. But company members at American Ballet Theatre have been the lucky beneficiaries of her wisdom since 1990. Thanks to Instagram, where pros like Gillian Murphy and James Whiteside share snippets of their sessions with Kolpakova, any […]

9 of Our Favorite Valentine's Day Dancer Posts

No matter how much anti–Valentine’s Day sentiment I’m feeling in a given year, there’s something about dancer couples that still makes me swoon. Here’s a collection of wonderful posts from this year, but be warned: Continued scrolling is likely to give you a severe case of the warm fuzzies. Herman Cornejo got engaged! Herman Cornejo […]

8 Reasons Why Gillian Murphy Will Be the Coolest Mom

Congratulations are in order for American Ballet Theatre star Gillian Murphy and her husband, former ABT dancer Ethan Stiefel, who are expecting their first child next June! Murphy announced her pregnancy today on Instagram: Gillian Murphy on Instagram: “This might look like a pas de deux, but it’s actually a pas de trois 💗🤰👨🏼 It’s […]

What To Look For in a College Ballet Program

Can’t choose between college and a professional ballet career? It’s possible to have both! (Four artistic directors told us so.) But this path comes with extra challenges. The university you choose can make all the difference. So how do you find the right program? Gillian Murphy guest coaching at University of North Carolina School of […]

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

Sign up for any or all of these newsletters

You have Successfully Subscribed!