Choreographer Francisco Graciano grew up in San Antonio before launching his lauded career with Paul Taylor Dance Company. So when he moved to Austin in 2020, he found himself wanting to reidentify with his Texas roots. One particularly tasty way to do that was by embracing his new city’s favorite dish: the breakfast taco. “This […]
Growing up, commercial dancer and choreographer Janelle Ginestra loved watching her Grandma Betty cook. “She’s a 4′ 11″, adorable little Mexican woman, and would always cook us tortas and Mexican food,” Ginestra says. Her favorite of her grandma’s dishes is enchilada pie. “I’m half Italian and half Latin, so I always loved that it was […]
Stephan Azulay has been helping out in the kitchen ever since he was a kid. “My dad’s a flamenco dancer, and part of the flamenco culture is food,” he says. When he began dancing professionally with Joffrey Ballet Concert Group and then Nevada Ballet Theatre, Azulay looked to restaurants for side gigs—everything from washing dishes […]
Food for the Gods, a classic Filipino dessert, is a staple at Anthony Huxley’s family gatherings. “It’s a dish that’s been a running theme,” says the New York City Ballet principal. “My uncle made it once, and forgot to add the flour. It was a disaster, but Food for the Gods is so good, we […]
When it came time to retire, he enrolled at the French Culinary Institute. “My first day, I was petrified. I felt like I was throwing away my dancer identity,” he admits. Instructor Toni Lynn Dickinson, who’d danced with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, set him straight. “She said, ‘As a dancer, you will excel in […]
Growing up, Leah Ives always enjoyed preparing food—especially after-school snacks. So now, while she cooks to fuel her work with the Trisha Brown Dance Company, she always wants it to be “free-form in a casual, no-pressure way,” she says. That means she preps and eats whatever her body calls for. “I’ve gone through phases of […]