In 2017, journalist Chloe Angyal was working on a story about the astronomically high rates of bullying among boys who do ballet. Angyal, who has an undergraduate degree in sociology, found the pages of her story kept ballooning as she began to explain to readers the reasons why ballet has been considered feminine and thus mostly studied by girls. "There was so much to explain before I could even get to the experiences of the boys I had spoken to," recalls Angyal. "I started thinking that this could be a book, and I asked myself 'If I had unlimited space to talk about this art form, what els ..read more

Ballet class is pretty predictable: There are always pliés, tendus, dégagés and so forth. Usually before center, the instructor gives a quick stretch break to "do whatever you need." Many dancers use this time to sink into their splits. But should you be stretching directly after engaging your muscles at barre? We spoke with experts to determine the optimal time to stretch—and how you should change your approach throughout your dance day. Before Class It's important to have a pre-class routine to set up the body for success and to avoid injury. However, sitting in a butterfly position or the ..read more

I still have vivid memories of my summer intensive training: dancers packed tightly into a studio that could barely fit all the bodies, the mirrors misting up due to the heat and humidity. The energy in the room was invigorating, and I loved observing the talented dancers surrounding me. But sometimes it felt as if my teachers didn't even see me, and I yearned for approval and feedback. Then one year I attended an intimate summer program at Kaatsbaan, in upstate New York, and I reveled in the individual attention. Yet I lacked confidence within the small group; I feared I wasn't good enough ..read more

"Make sure you're feeling the floor!" If you had a dollar for every time you've heard a teacher say that, you'd be able to buy a new pair of pointe shoes every single day for life. But what does it actually mean to "feel the floor" in a ballet context? Pointe asked the experts how you can get up close and personal with the floor, whether that's onstage, at your ballet school, or in your at-home studio. Introduce Yourself Much like in any interpersonal relationship, how your dancing interacts with the floor will depend on the floor's own qualities. As Chrissy Ott at Harlequin Floors says, "Ha ..read more

Throughout her six seasons with Charlotte Ballet (and through her years of training), Sarah Lapointe has picked up some tricks. Take, for instance, the plain black socks she prefers to traditional ballet slippers: "When I first started my professional career, I wore flat shoes for class. But then I saw some people wearing socks, and I figured I would give it a try. I've stuck with it ever since—I feel like I'm able to roll through my feet better." Another hard-earned secret? Orajel. And, no, Lapointe isn't nursing a dental injury—she uses it on her toes. "I actually learned that trick from ..read more

It seems hard to believe, but the last time that Alessandra Ferri and Carlos Acosta performed together was more than 20 years ago. At the Havana International Ballet Festival in 2000, Ferri, who was then a principal with American Ballet Theatre, and Acosta, a Royal Ballet star, danced the bedroom pas de deux from Manon, but they never got to grace the stage together again. When Acosta became the director of Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2020, shortly before the pandemic struck the UK, he announced to great excitement that his first season would include a world premiere duet for him and Ferri. Wh ..read more

Last month, Victoria Morgan announced that she will step down as Cincinnati Ballet's artistic director at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season. The organization's board of trustees has formed a committee to conduct a national search for her replacement. Prior to coming to Cincinnati Ballet in 1997, the Salt Lake City native was a principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet and Ballet West, as well as resident choreographer for the San Francisco Opera. She graduated magna cum laude from University of Utah, where she also earned her MFA, and has judged several international ballet competitions ..read more

Last month, the legendary Italian ballerina Carla Fracci passed away at the age of 84. A star whose name was eponymous for La Scala Ballet in Milan, she went on to have an international career with companies including The Royal Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. Over her five-decade career she developed partnerships with the greatest male stars of the age, including Rudolf Nureyev and Erik Bruhn. She also acted on television and in films, playing Tamara Karsavina in the 1980 movie Nijinsky, and would go on to direct ballet companies in Naples, Verona and Rome. Often called the "Duse of the ..read more

Last summer many intensives were canceled or online-only. And the past school year has been spotty and strange for many, as well. All the more reason to look forward to an in-person summer program this year with excitement—but also, perhaps, some nerves. Take heart, says Simon Ball, men's program coordinator at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. "Once you get there the first day, all those fears will be relieved." Here, Ball and two other experts share their advice for how to make the most of this precious opportunity to dive deep into dance—and how to handle complications that may get in th ..read more

Michael "Mikey" Cusumano was a rising star at American Ballet Theatre in the 1990s, joining the company at 15 years old and dancing principal roles by age 16. But the high pressure of ballet proved detrimental to his emotional and mental well-being. "I couldn't find the joy in ballet anymore," says Cusumano. After 10 years as a professional ballet dancer, Cusumano transitioned to Broadway, where his alter ego, a sparkly-turban–wearing Russian ballet instructor named Madame Olga, was able to fully emerge. In Madame Olga, Cusumano became the ballet teacher he wished he had growing up. While Ol ..read more