It was Boston Ballet’s first full run-through of its upcoming show, Kylián/Wings of Wax. As he prepared with a plié for a big saut de basque, principal dancer Paulo Arrais, 32, heard a Velcro-like sound and suddenly fell to the floor. He went into a state of shock, hyperventilating and feeling intense pressure on his […]

Did you know that you can dance while being completely out of touch with your body? It seems counterintuitive. Yet the stress of daily responsibilities, through a pandemic nonetheless, takes its toll and we look for ways to escape or even numb over. With all of life’s uncertainty right now, it’s common—and often necessary—to disconnect, […]

In Welcome to Barrio Ataxia, commissioned for Seattle’s Whim W’Him in 2018, contemporary choreographer Omar Román De Jesús explored bipolar disorder. He offers advice on how to mindfully broach mental illness in choreography. Do your research. Dig deep and use your connections with those who are coping with mental illness, so you can be both […]

Giselle has lost it. Her beloved Albrecht has deceived her and is betrothed to another woman. Upon the discovery of this betrayal the “fragile” Giselle descends into a grief-driven psychosis in perhaps the most famous moment in classical ballet: the mad scene. She collapses, tears at her hair and recounts her dance with Albrecht in […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown most of our lives into chaos—classes, performances and auditions are all on hold. This upending of a dancer’s jam-packed schedule not only has the potential to wreak havoc on your physical health, but on your mental health, too. “Most professional dancers are so used to being regimented,” explains Brian Goonan, […]

Kathryn Morgan is on a mission to change the dance field. The Miami City Ballet soloist and March Dance Magazine cover star appeared on the “Today” Show on February 27 where she openly discussed the challenges of body image and mental health in dance. Two days later, Morgan took to her own YouTube channel to […]

Like most dancers, once Brandon Leffler discovered dance, he went all in, leaving little time for anything besides school and the studio. “I was what anyone would call a Goody Two-shoes,” he says. “I never had a drop to drink; I never smoked.” But when he landed his first national tour, with CATS, that started […]

It’s true. Everyone’s looking at your body. In performance, it’s your instrument—which can do amazing and sometimes superhuman things. In an audition, it’s really the only information that hiring directors and choreographers have about you. Then there are the hours of class you spend scrutinizing yourself and what your body is capable of in the […]