Kathryn Bennetts credits William Forsythe's Artifact with changing her life. “I've heard a lot of people say that—the piece is just a monster in its importance," she says during a break in rehearsals at Boston Ballet, where she and Noah Gelber are staging the full-length work for what will be its North American company premiere tomorrow night.
Bennetts has danced in and staged Forsythe ballets for more than 30 years as a Stuttgart Ballet soloist, ballet mistress at the Frankfurt Ballet and artistic director of the Royal Ballet of Flanders. “Audiences are transported, even overwhelmed, by the enormity of Artifact. It ends with a bang, after which the audience tends to sit in silence for a minute."
“It makes you think about society and life for days after," she says.
Video by Ernesto Galan, Courtesy Boston Ballet
Even as a seminal work—the first full-length ballet Forsythe created as director of Frankfurt Ballet in 1984—Artifact is not pinned to its place in history, forever under glass. Forsythe has allowed his “ode to ballet" to evolve with the advancement of ballet technique and his own experience as a choreographer, says Bennetts.
For the first ballet of a new five-year relationship with Boston Ballet, Forsythe came to town just a few weeks before opening night to tweak certain parts to suit specific dancers, while creating a new group section before the finale and updating Act Three. (In the early years, Act Three gradually included less improvisation and more structure. “Part three in Frankfurt was rather crazy aggressive," says Bennetts.)
Boston Ballet rehearses Artifact. Photo by Liza Voll, courtesy Boston Ballet.
“Bill doesn't hold on to the past," Bennetts explains. “He doesn't get sentimental; he can just let it go." After all, Forsythe was 33 years old when he choreographed Artifact. “Now he says he's a grandpa. His movement is less harsh, less like an attack."
He wants this to be the Boston version, says Bennetts. “Bill always wants to update certain parts for the dancers in front of him. It challenges them, but it's also an older piece and the technique has improved."
Forsythe working with Misa Kuranaga. Photo by Liza Voll, courtesy Boston Ballet.
Forsythe is also spending time with the Boston Ballet dancers just as he's discovering his enthusiasm for ballet again. “He took a break for a long time, and I think he's having fun challenging himself as much as the dancers," says Bennetts. “This process is also for himself—he's like a painter or an actor watching himself in film. He has examined this work for more than 30 years and never had time to fix it."
“I've never met anyone not blown away by this piece, but every choreographer has doubts," she adds. “Recently he said to me, 'I can actually do this.' "
Photo by Liza Voll, Courtesy Boston Ballet
We're sure of it.
William Forsythe's full-length Artifact runs February 23–March 5, 2017 at the Boston Opera House.
Your favorite home-away-from-home app has an intriguing new offering: The chance to get a behind the scenes look at your favorite dance companies.
With the launch of its new Experiences section, Airbnb has begun letting travelers get to know the places they visit not only by staying in a real home (or treehouse or Airstream trailer), but also by experiencing the destination with locals who share their interests—whether that’s whiskey drinking, truffle hunting, sushi making, or, yes, even dancing.
Unsurprisingly, two of the first dance companies to sign up are based in Airbnb's hometown: San Francisco.
Pauli Magierek leading class
The Ballet experience is hosted by former San Francisco Ballet soloist Pauli Magierek, who will meet you at the War Memorial Opera House and whisk you right to the barre for a beginner/intermediate ballet class taught by an SFB faculty member. The following night, you’ll attend a performance, drink champagne and eat chocolates at intermission, then go backstage to meet a dancer or two for an insider perspective after the show. Bonus: You'll also get a pair of autographed pointe shoes.
The two-day itinerary costs $250 per person, but because this is one of Airbnb's Social Impact Experiences, 100 percent of what you pay goes directly to SFB to help under-served children and their families attend a performance of the Nutcracker at no cost.
Watch a trailer for The Ballet experience here.
Class at LINES Dance Center
If you're looking for something more contemporary—or have a smaller budget—check out the 3-hour Move on Market Street experience at Alonzo King LINES Ballet, hosted by the company’s community and teen program coordinator, Briana Dickinson. From the description, it sounds like you could get a glimpse at a rehearsal or composition exercise with either the company or student dancers at LINES Dance Center before you head into the studio yourself for a private Pilates class. You'll also be given "a piece of LINES gear," which we're assuming is something along the lines of a branded t-shirt or tote bag.
Your $125 fee will support the continuation of the contemporary ballet company’s groundbreaking work.
To browse for experiences in your next destination—burlesque lessons in London, anyone?—use the Airbnb app or click here.
Or, if you're interested in hosting an experience at your company, it's easy to create one on the site—all you need is an Airbnb account and a great idea.
Every New Year’s Eve, we make promises to ourselves about our health. But are you choosing the right goals? Nutrition experts share the resolutions you should be making.
1. Set smaller goals.
“We all focus on the finish line, and there’s nothing wrong with that,” says Joy Bauer, official nutritionist for the New York City Ballet. “But it’s all the little checkpoints we pass along the way—choosing the stairs over the elevator, passing on seconds of your favorite dessert—that help us stay motivated.” Whatever your overall target is, setting short-term goals and celebrating each small achievement will help you get there.
2. Pack more snacks.
Bringing homemade food with you to the studio ensures that you’ll be able to fuel up frequently without resorting to the drive-through window. “If you’re not a morning person, prepping your food needs to be a nonnegotiable part of your nightly self-care routine, like brushing your teeth,” says Nikki Estep, a registered dietitian nutritionist who provides on-site nutrition services at Houston Ballet.
It doesn’t have to be culinary greatness, adds Emily Harrison, who counsels dancers from around the world through her business, Dancer 
Nutrition. “Cut up an apple, throw carrot sticks in a bag or make overnight oats with yogurt, flaxseeds and berries,” she suggests. Eating more throughout the day will also help you cut down on late-night snacking, a red flag that your body isn’t getting enough food during the day.
3. Don’t give 100 percent.
No one is perfect, so instead of following an ironclad meal plan (and punishing yourself for every errant bite), Bauer recommends a more realistic 90/10 approach: Eat healthfully 90 percent of the time and color outside the lines the other 10 percent. “That leaves you some wiggle room to enjoy the indulgent foods that you would normally try to steer clear of.” Adds Estep: “Remind yourself that all foods can fit into the big picture in moderation.”
4. Give your diet a “plant slant.” “Whole foods and plant-based carbs lower inflammation and lead to better physical performance,” says Harrison. Try making your lunch or dinner with mostly plant-based foods a few times a week. Think soup, salad, stir-fry and beyond—Harrison recommends bean-flour noodles with tomato sauce or burritos with black beans, brown rice, peppers, corn, tomatoes, spinach and guacamole. “You’ll significantly change how you feel and improve your ability to build muscle mass,” she says.
5. Rethink carbs and protein.
“The most popular myth I bust is that more protein makes food magically better for you,” says Harrison. “We have become protein-obsessed, while we fear carbohydrates, the preferred source of fuel for anyone who needs short bursts of energy, like dancers.”
Become more flexible in how you think about both wheat and meat. “I respect all the different ways that people want to eat, but I’ve seen some pretty significant nutrient deficiencies stemming from gluten-free and vegan diets,” says Estep. If you’re getting injured often or your hair is falling out, your body could be trying to tell you that your diet is not working. “If you weren’t an athlete, maybe you could pull off a vegan diet with a B-12 supplement and a multivitamin, but while you’re dancing, maybe it’s better to be a vegetarian or a pescatarian to get all the protein sources and nutrients that you need.”
6. Let your body lead you.
Devote your energy to mindfulness, not adhering to a daily calorie count, says Estep. Pay attention to when you’re hungry, and every time you eat, ask yourself how that food made you feel. For example, did it satisfy your hunger? Did it give you the energy you needed to comfortably reach the next meal or snack? If you recognize that cheeseburgers make you sluggish, you’ll be less likely to reach for one when you need solid energy.
7. Educate yourself.
Research how the right nutrients can help you in the studio. But get your information from reputable sources, says Harrison, not friends
in the dressing room or websites devoted to trendy diets. She likes nutritionfacts.org and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine website (pcrm.org) for up-to-date nutrition information and tasty recipes from qualified professionals.
8. Respect your body.
“So many dancers focus on what’s wrong with their bodies instead of all the amazing things they can do, like run, leap and pirouette,” says Bauer. Appreciate the beauty of your body as it is, and, Estep adds, be realistic about what you’re asking it to do. “Dancers rely on their bodies to handle eight-hour days filled with intense, superhuman activity,” she says. “Give your body enough fuel, and you’ll be that much more powerful.”
