Michaela DePrince, War Orphan Turned Leading Ballerina, Dies at 29

“In an impoverished orphanage in Sierra Leone, she longed to dance ballet. After being adopted by American parents, her improbable dream came true.”

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Dallas Black Dance Theatre says dancers were fired over video not union efforts

“Turning seventy-five is a milestone, especially for a ballet company. At three-quarters of a century, New York City Ballet is considered not just one of the best dance companies in the world, but also the foundation of ballet in America.”

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Calvin Royal III Creates a Ballet Festival With Intention and Care

“Here and in other rehearsals that day, Royal, 35, a leading dancer at American Ballet Theater and the company’s only Black male principal, radiated an engaged, gentle energy. He was preparing for “Unite,” a ballet festival that he planned and curated, which will be�presented by the Joyce Theater, Aug. 13-18.”

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New York City Ballet turns 75

“Turning seventy-five is a milestone, especially for a ballet company. At three-quarters of a century, New York City Ballet is considered not just one of the best dance companies in the world, but also the foundation of ballet in America.”

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What Is Ballet in the 21st Century? It’s All Over the Place.

New York City Ballet wrapped up its 75th anniversary celebration at Lincoln Center this spring with a look to the future. “But it didn’t always speak to it.What the ballet strives for — what companies and choreographers should always be striving for — is the opposite: a work of art that can live only on a stage. That is ballet at its most untouchable.” Click To View Full Article

Oregon Ballet Theatre closing out record-breaking year

“It has been an incredible response and we are so grateful to our community in Portland,” Shane Jewell, Executive Director of the Oregon Ballet Theatre, said. “The most people we’ve ever had attend the ballet in our 35-year history. We had 92,000 attendees this year.”

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At City Ballet, a Once-in-a-Generation Dancer Arrives

“Nadon, the first Asian American female principal dancer at City Ballet, is a special, once-in-a-generation kind of dancer. Nadon can flip among many sides of herself — secretive, seductive, funny, serene. And she lives on the edge, with rapid shifts from romantic elegance to ferocious force. A principal since 2023, Nadon still has raw moments, but so much is starting to click: Her feet are more precise, her partnering more secure.” Click To View Full Article

NYC Ballet attracts younger audiences with affordable pricing, social media

“Alice McDermott settled into her seat at New York City Ballet on a recent Friday night, excited to see her first-ever ballet performance. The 31-year-old Manhattanite, who works in recruiting, was on a fun girls’ night out with three friends she’d met through work, starting with dinner.

“They told me I’d love the ballet,” says McDermott, who was also excited to realize she was already familiar with one of the evening’s performers, Tiler Peck, via the dancer’s popular Instagram feed. “They said you can put on a nice dress and just immerse yourself in another world, whilst marveling at what the human body can achieve.” Click To View Full Article

Mariinsky Dancers Barred From Youth Ballet Gala in New York

“Two dancers from the Mariinsky Theater in Russia were barred from performing at a youth ballet gala in New York this week after their participation drew criticism from pro-Ukrainian officials and activists.” Click To View Full Article

How many ballerinas can dance on tiptoes in one place? A world record 353 at New York’s Plaza Hotel

“Hundreds of young dancers in white tutus and tightly coiffed hair gathered in New York’s Plaza Hotel on Wednesday to break the world record for dancing on pointe in one place. The spectacle was organized by Youth America Grand Prix, a ballet scholarship program that is celebrating its 25th anniversary with three nights of performances at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.” Click To View Full Article

Moving On: Nashville Ballet Explores the Changing Language of Ballet

“Ballet is a centuries-old art form, marked by beauty, grace and exquisite storytelling. And while there will always be a place for great classical works such as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, the language of ballet is clearly changing — embracing new voices, fresh ideas and even different body types. “The truth is that ballet has been shifting for years,” says Nick Mullikin, artistic director and CEO at Nashville Ballet.” Click To View Full Article

Ukraine war: Kharkiv Opera and Ballet to reopen underground

“If you want to go to a concert in Kharkiv these days, you have to know who to ask. In Ukraine’s second city, just 40 kilometres from the Russian border, mass gatherings have been banned since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. But after two years of near-silence, the Kharkiv National Opera and Ballet is about to burst back into sound – underground.” Click To View Full Article

“The Boston Balletcompany is one of the most diverse in the country, featuring dancers from all around the world, of just about every color. Those dancers are hoping to send a message to inspire the future generation. WBZ-TV is shining the spotlight on Boston Ballet as a part of Black History Month. Artist Sydney Williams and second soloist Daniel Durrett said they hope to show the next generation what is possible. But Durrett said it wasn’t easy as a young dancer growing up in Cincinnati.” Click To View Full Article

S.F. Ballet receives $60 million donation, the largest in its history

“The San Francisco Ballet has received a donation of $60 million, the largest in the company’s history and believed to be among the largest ever given to an American ballet company. The gift, from an anonymous donor described as a longtime backer, is intended to help support the creation of new work and to strengthen the Ballet’s financial security, the company announced Thursday.” Click To View Full Article

The Royal Ballet celebrates new talent in choreography with edgy set design

“The Royal Ballet Festival of Choreography is championing new voices in choreography and innovative set design at a series of events at the Royal Opera House in London. An emphasis on immersion and accessibility runs throughout most noticeably in Canadian choreographer Robert Binet’s show at the Linbury Theatre (within the Royal Opera House).” Click To View Full Article

José Martín Trujillo Announced as Director of Boston Ballet School’s Professional Division at Walnut Hill

“Walnut Hill School for the Arts Head of School Eric Barber and Boston Ballet School Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen today announced the appointment of José Martín Trujillo as its next Director of Boston Ballet School’s Professional Division at Walnut Hill (Director of Dance), starting in the 2024–25 academic year.” Click To View Full Article

Los Angeles Works to Build Its Dance Muscles

“The L.A. Dance Project, co-founded over a decade ago by Benjamin Millepied, the acclaimed choreographer and former New York City Ballet dancer who went on to lead the Paris Opera Ballet, is expanding its downtown studio and performance space, doubling its seating capacity.” Click To View Full Article

Review: At City Ballet, Tiler Peck Lets the Music Show the Way

“For her first choreographic act at New York City Ballet, Tiler Peck, a longtime principal, has chosen her music, by Francis Poulenc, wisely: It is as sparkling as her dance, “Concerto for Two Pianos,” which had its debut on Thursday at the David H. Koch Theater. In a long exhalation, she sets her dancers free.” Click To View Full Article