Since creating his first work for New York City Ballet in 2012, 29-year-old Justin Peck has catapulted into a dancemaking career that spans ballet and contemporary companies across the world. His spellbinding formations, unusual partnering and impossibly fast petit allégro—along with his hipster-cool collaborations with trendsetters like alt-rocker Sufjan Stevens and fashion label Opening Ceremony—give […]

The first executive director in New York City Ballet’s history is also the executive director of its home, the David H. Koch Theater. Which means Katherine E. Brown oversees a 141-person staff and an annual budget of about $90 million. Under her leadership, NYCB has never been more accessible. It consistently puts out shareable videos […]

New York City Ballet has an image problem. Despite having the moniker of one of the most diverse cities on the planet, the company regularly comes under fire for its lack of diversity. A perception of overbearing whiteness has plagued the institution, often acting as a cultural barrier for prospective students and audiences. Over the […]

Living the #dancerlife is no easy feat. Between daily technique classes, late night rehearsals and numerous side gigs to get the bills paid, dancers often don’t prioritize self care. It may seem like the least important item on your never-ending to-do list, but it’s vital to make time for your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. […]

Isabella LaFreniere dances like a beam of light. A member of New York City Ballet’s corps since 2014, LaFreniere, 5′ 8″, is a technical powerhouse who exudes a sweet radiance: It’s no surprise to learn that while she hasn’t danced many principal roles yet, she is being primed for them in the studio. One is […]

While still in the corps of New York City Ballet, Jason Fowler was drawn to the role of répétiteur. “Ballet mistress Rosemary Dunleavy was my rock in the company,” he says. Fowler loved the process: learning steps quickly and absorbing the choreographer’s intentions. He knew early on he wanted to nurture dancers through the rehearsal […]

Efficient movement is easy to recognize—we all know when we see a dancer whose every action seems essential and unmannered. Understanding how to create this effect, however, is far more elusive. From a practical perspective, dancing with efficiency helps you to conserve your energy and minimize wear and tear on the body; from an artistic […]

Wendy Whelan gave away all her leotards in December. It was a Christmas surprise for her Ballet Academy East students—and an experiment. By getting rid of her uniform of more than 30 years, she hoped her muscle memory would let go of old movement patterns. “The minute I got myself out of leotards, my body […]