Being coached by a treasure like former Kirov prima Irina Kolpakova is an experience most dancers only dream of. But company members at American Ballet Theatre have been the lucky beneficiaries of her wisdom since 1990. Thanks to Instagram, where pros like Gillian Murphy and James Whiteside share snippets of their sessions with Kolpakova, any […]
Story ballets that debut during American Ballet Theatre’s spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House are always the subject of much curiosity—and, sometimes, much debate. Cathy Marston’s Jane Eyre was no different. The ballet follows the eponymous heroine of Charlotte Brönte’s novel as she grows from a willful orphan to a self-possessed governess, charting her […]
American Ballet Theatre principal James Whiteside is known for more than just his uber-charismatic presence on the ballet stage: He doubles as both the drag queen Ühu Betch and the pop star JbDubs. Whiteside’s newest musical release, titled WTF, came out last week, and is for sure his most ballet-filled song to date. Both the […]
“Cindies” fans, this one’s for you. February 9-10, American Ballet Theatre’s James Whiteside and Isabella Boylston are collaborating with pop singer Rozzi to put on a full-length show titled When I Think Of You at The Argyros Performing Arts Center in Ketchum, Idaho. Set to Rozzi’s debut album Bad Together, performed live by the singer […]
Let’s face it. Dancers just do things differently. We can never walk down a grocery aisle—we have to tap. We can never simply pick something up we’ve dropped—without going into a penché. But it’s not a bad thing. We love all the ways that dance bleeds into our daily lives. Turns out the pros aren’t […]
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 […]
Happy Thanksgiving, dance friends! Since today is a day for reflection and gratitude (and eating…so much eating), I asked my fellow Dance Spirit editors to tell me the dance-world things they’re most grateful for. Here’s what they had to say: Courtney Bowers, managing editor: “I’m thankful for Jennifer Garner’s hilarious ballet memes, Michaela DePrince’s super-cool […]
What word would you use to describe American Ballet Theatre principal/fashion icon James Whiteside‘s sense of style? Epic? Fabulous? How about…stellar? Our favorite danseur has teamed up with NYC-based sneaker brand KOIO for “Starstruck,” a new video that has a sneaker-clad Whiteside showing off his beautiful technique in a place “where the earth and the […]