Suzanne Farrell’s rise to ballet stardom happened with uncommon swiftness.

There’s much more to stillness than simply the absence of movement. For dancers used to near-constant motion, being still can be a physical, mental and emotional challenge.

When Alessandra Stenta put aspirations of pursuing a professional dance career behind her to study biochemistry in college, she had no idea that one day, her dance and science worlds would merge. After growing up dancing in her mom’s studio, Stenta worked towards dentistry school as an undergrad, and spent her summers traveling as a […]

Along with the rewards of a dance career come numerous sources of stress, from the demands of a busy schedule to challenges in the studio. “We want to be perfect,” says Shuaib Elhassan, a dancer with Alonzo King LINES Ballet, “and we want to reach for the best we can do.” While occasional acute stress—like […]

The way you start your morning can set the tone for the rest of the day. Establishing a productive and mindful morning routine can leave you feeling relaxed, grounded, and ready to take on the day ahead, no matter how busy. We asked five professional dancers to share what they like to do each morning […]

When Alonzo King LINES Ballet dancer James Gowan started meditating in early 2017, he was seeking a more mindful approach to his dancing. “I was trying to be more aware of what I was doing inside the studio, so that it could help me be more positive with myself and my work,” he says. He […]

Whether you’re performing or choreographing, we all experience periods when we feel less than inspired. But spending relentless hours in the studio isn’t always the best solution. If you’re seeking a more nuanced way to interpret a role or if the idea for your next piece just isn’t coming to you, doing less may actually […]