Happy International Dance Day, everyone! Since 1982, this delightful holiday has been celebrated worldwide each April 29th. Why April 29th, you ask? It’s the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727–1810), who’s often credited as the creator of modern ballet. This year, we thought we’d mark the occasion by rounding up some of our favorite stories about […]
If Jennifer Lopez is a great dancer, and you are Jennifer Lopez’s fiancé, is there some kind of transitive property that means you are at least a pretty good dancer? Does her dance fabulosity, like, osmose into you? “The Tonight Show” just showed us that the answer to both those questions is, unfortunately, a hard […]
Dance competitions are fun, rewarding—and completely exhausting. Here are the seven stages of surviving a competition day, to which we DEEPLY relate. Stage 1: Packing Literally Everything Gotta get that car packed up super early so you can make the competition’s crack of dawn check-in time—and gotta bring ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING. You can never be too […]
You may think you know Oklahoma!, the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that made history when it first opened in 1943 and is best known for Agnes de Mille’s groundbreaking dream ballet. But the latest Broadway iteration of the musical isn’t your average trip to the frontier. Opening April 7, the revival features new choreography […]
The French definition might translate to “shouldering,” but épaulement is actually much more than that. “It’s not just a superficial turn of the shoulders—it creates energy from the inside out,” says Marisa Albee, faculty member at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School. It’s also what can elevate technically proficient dancing to something nuanced, dynamic and truly […]
Subscribe now! A Star Is Born Ariana DeBose is poised to become this generation’s greatest triple threat. In the Room Where It Happens How to mentally and physically prepare yourself for your first NYC musical theater audition. Presenting Dance Spirit‘s Annual Jazz Hand Awards We round up the hottest new Broadway shows. Stars of the […]
Subscribe now! The Unstoppable Cougarettes How Brigham Young University’s dance team achieved competition (and internet) domination. Lead the Way Strategies for success when you’re placed in a peer leadership position. Dance Team Disasters Four champion teams share their horror stories—and offer advice on how to dance through yours. The Danceline Dish What makes dance teams […]
At the tender age of 9, Destiny Wimpye moved cross-country with her mom so she could train at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy. The leap of faith paid off: Destiny’s spent summers training at the School of American Ballet, the Ailey School, and Pacific Northwest Ballet; performed for Michelle Obama at the White House; and […]