The world isn’t always a welcoming place for LGBTQIA+ people. But for those figuring out their sexuality, dance can provide welcome opportunities for expression. We talked to five star dancers about their experiences coming out and growing up, and how dance helped them live their full truth. Kyle Abraham, Artistic Director of A.I.M Kyle Abraham […]
Q: “Why do you want to dance?” A: “Why do you want to LIVE?” Ahhh, so iconic! If you know those lines (slash, embody them on a daily basis), you’re already a fan of the 1948 film The Red Shoes. The second line, as spoken by Red Shoes heroine Victoria Page, just perfectly captures the […]
In case you haven’t heard (but you have): American Ballet Theatre principal Misty Copeland is one of most famous, and most respected, ballerinas in the world. She’s also one of the only black women currently performing Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, which means her (inevitably sold-out) performances of the role come with an extra degree of […]
Happy World Theatre (or Theater) Day, everybody! Did you know that this fantastic little holiday has been celebrated every March 27th for the past 56 (!) years? In honor of WTD 2018, we thought we’d highlight eye-opening behind-the-scenes glimpses at three of the dance world’s most beautiful theaters: NYC’s Metropolitan Opera House, Paris’ Palais Garnier, […]
American Ballet Theatre principal Sarah Lane charms audiences with her bright energy and crisp technique. The San Francisco, CA, native first started dancing at age 4 at a local community center, and at age 7 started training in Memphis, TN, at the Classical Ballet Memphis. Her family later moved to Rochester, NY, where she continued […]
Dance runs in India Bradley’s family: Her mother is a dance teacher and a former member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Unsurprisingly, Bradley ended up in dance classes at a young age, studying a little bit of everything but falling hardest for ballet. After training at Dance Theatre of Harlem and the School of […]
New York City Ballet corps member Rachel Hutsell was practically destined to join the company: “When I was about two years old, my grandmother gave me a video of New York City Ballet performing George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, and I watched it every single night for two years!” she says. “That was what first sparked […]
As a student at Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy, American Ballet Theatre corps member Erica Lall saw iconic former Houston Ballet principal Lauren Anderson on a regular basis. “I think I assumed her position as an African-American principal dancer was a one-time thing,” Lall says. “Lauren became a principal in 1990. Why aren’t there dozens […]