To Charlie Hodges, the idea of quitting dance is nothing more than a state of mind. “You can choose to quit, or you can choose to translate,” he says. “Dance can be your tool set for the next step.” Today, he’s translating the lessons he learned from working with Twyla Tharp on Broadway and in […]

In early March, Hope Boykin took the stage with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater thinking it was just a regular performance. “I wish I had known it was my last one,” she says. “I didn’t have the intent to say farewell that night.” The show marking her retirement and celebrating her 20-year career with the […]

Joffrey Ballet dancer Fabrice Calmels announced Monday that he’ll take his final bow with the company after a performance of Nutcracker on December 29. Born in France, Calmels trained at the Paris Opéra Ballet School before moving to the United States to study at the Rock School, Boston Ballet School and School of American Ballet. […]

Many dancers would rather do just about anything than spend time on their finances. They procrastinate when it comes to recording their income and expenses, and put off investing for another day. As artists, we would rather be in the studio. But looking after your financial health can actually lead to more artistic freedom. Here […]

For 17 years, James Samson has been the model Paul Taylor dancer. There is something fundamentally decent about his stage persona. He’s a tall dancer—six feet—but never imposes himself. He’s muscular, but gentle. And when he moves, it is his humanity that shines through, even more than his technique. But all dancing careers come to […]

Muriel Maffre is no less elegant up close in pedestrian clothing than she was onstage in glittering tutus. Since retiring from San Francisco Ballet, where she danced as a principal from 1990 to 2007, Maffre has been deeply involved in the Bay Area arts community. She has taught and worked at Alonzo King LINES Ballet, […]

Who are you when you no longer do what you’ve been doing for years? It is the big question facing anyone who retires. For top ballet dancers, however, the situation is more extreme. They start young, grow up in a rarified atmosphere, mostly see only each other, and become more and more removed from ordinary […]