Update: Additional perspectives have been added to this story as more responses have come in. When news about the lawsuit against New York City Ballet and Chase Finlay emerged last week, plaintiff Alexandra Waterbury, a former School of American Ballet student, told The New York Times: “Every time I see a little girl in a […]

Since its founding in 1999, more than 80,000 ballet dancers have participated in Youth America Grand Prix events. While more than 450 alumni are currently dancing in companies across the world, the vast majority—tens of thousands—never turn that professional corner. And these are just the statistics from one competition. “You may have the best teacher […]

Once, while teaching in an opera house in Switzerland, Janet Panetta came upon a talented dancer wearing a knee brace. She noticed he was extremely over-rotated in first and second position, and suggested he pull back a little. He respectfully declined her advice, not wanting to disturb his line. “He had knee troubles, and probably […]

Susan Jaffe at UNCSA; Jennifer Kronenberg and Carlos Guerra welcome a daughter     New Role   Last August, former American Ballet Theatre star Susan Jaffe became dean of the School of Dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. “Both ABT and UNCSA will have a deeper relationship, and there will […]