Dances that put artists and audience members in close proximity—whether they’re immersive, invite (or demand) audience participation, or have moments where the fourth wall is broken—can foster a powerful sense of intimacy and immediacy. - Dance Magazine
Sonja Kostich studied at Baryshnikov’s School of Classical Ballet and was 17 when he invited her to join ABT. She went on to dance with his White Oak Dance Project as well as San Francisco and Zurich Ballets. As an administrator, she has led Kaatsbaan Cultural Park and the Baryshnikov Arts Center. - CultureMap Houston
“Melissa Toogood, a Bessie Award-winning dancer who was a member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in its final years, succeeds Alicia Graf Mack, who is to become the artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Toogood, who is Australian and lives in Sydney, will begin on July 1.” - The New York Times
When I scrubbed in for my first surgery, it felt strangely familiar—there was music playing, overhead lights shining, and a team working in synchrony, each person with a precise role. The energy reminded me of a performance. - Pointe Magazine
Mejia is an airborne dancer whose exuberance shines in joyful Balanchine ballets like “Stars and Stripes,” “Rubies” and “Western Symphony.” But his repertoire, especially in recent seasons, has expanded to roles that require him to be more subtle, more sophisticated. - The New York Times
“Ballet doesn’t have to be ‘boy meets girl, girl goes crazy, girl dies, becomes a fairy, boy chases her through the woods’. Audiences want to be taken somewhere a bit deeper.” - The Telegraph (UK) (MSN)
“We spoke to four local company leaders about challenges unique to dance organizations that present shows, in addition to operating schools and serving the community through outreach programs.” - The San Diego Union-Tribune
“(Artistic) vision is most clearly expressed through the repertoire you do. It was really important for us, I felt, to go into contemporary full-lengths, like we did with The Handmaid’s Tale or Dracula or Jekyll and Hyde (or) Moulin Rouge — none of that existed in my days as a dancer.” - Winnipeg Free Press
“The former UArts undergraduate dance program, that landed at Bennington College in Vermont, had planned to return to Philadelphia for the 2025-26 school year. But leaders now say the return has been delayed as the program awaits Pennsylvania Dept. of Education’s authorization to award degrees.” - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
“This passing of the boundary between ‘doing steps’ and really dancing … is truly exhilarating. I’ve experienced it many times when dance took me away from the here and now, transported me into a different reality, soothed my thoughts and calmed my mind into one single inviting trail of thought.” - Dance Magazine
“Putting a camera in the audience POV of a dance show is only a reminder that the real thing is probably way better. Putting a camera in the wings, on stage, up close and personal ... in a way that no one can experience in an auditorium — that’s worth watching.” - IndieWire
Or at least, that’s what creator Amy Sherman-Palladino (the force behind The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) wants to see. “Ballet isn’t something for someone else. It’s storytelling; it’s athletic; it’s powerful, emotional, transporting. It’s a great, dynamic art form.” - The New York Times
“’English audiences, in particular, expect to come in, understand it, and have a good conversation about it afterwards.’ The Israeli-born, soon-to-be-British choreographer would prefer people to approach contemporary dance ‘more like a concert’ – something you experience ‘through your senses’.” - The Telegraph (UK) (Yahoo!)
“Officially called the West End Concourse, the corridor has a lot going for it: It’s easily accessible, the floors are spacious and smooth, and there are public restrooms, a rarity in New York City. It’s a ready-made stage for all sorts of group and partnered dance. … The biggest draw? It’s free.” - The New York Times
Each April, hundreds of hopeful leotard-clad dancers travel from all over to the Big Apple to audition for a coveted spot on the famous kickline — founded in 1925, halfway across the country in St. Louis, Missouri, by choreographer Russell Markert. - New York Post
