#nycb ballerina

[ballet-symphonie]

hi love! i’m so sorry if this is a dumb question or one that you’ve touched on before, i’ve been really interested in ballet lately and your account has been a gold mine of information haha xx

i’m just wondering, does the title of prima / principal ballerina carry over between companies? i’m not too sure if that makes sense given that i have no idea how these dancers are chosen or anything.

But say a dancer were to be a principal / prima at the Bolshoi, and then transfer to the Royal Ballet in London. Would they still be recognised as that position at the RB, or would they have to start from the Corps and work their way back up? Is prima a universally recognised position in the ballet world?

thank u :)

Hello thank you for the kind words!

Think of transferring from one ballet company to another exactly the same as changing jobs in any other field. You're not guaranteed to get the same title or position. But most often, if you become a principal and want to change companies, you're unlikely to effectively take a demotion. Many top principal dancers have done this, Iana Salenko, Jurgita Dronina, Olga Smirnova, Natalia Osipova, Roberto Bolle, and even Svetlana Zakharova early in her career.

There are cases of dancers working at smaller/less prestigious companies and joining a bigger one at a lower rank. Some more recent ones are:

Betsy McBride- Principal at Texas Ballet Theater, took a corps de ballet contract with ABT, and has since been promoted to soloist.

Chun Wai Chan: Longtime Houston ballet principal, was hired by NYCB as a soloist, before soon becoming a principal

Jeffery Cirio: Principal at Boston, took soloist contract at ABT before being promoted to principal there

There is one big exception, and that's the Paris Opera. Everyone has to audition to be accepted; even then, you must start at the bottom. This is currently whats happening to Shale Wagman, he was a Bayerisches Staatsballett first soloist but is now in their corps. Granted, I don't imagine he will stay there long, but that is their process.

[balanchine-ballet-master]

Mira Nadon Interview

Mira Nadon is this month's Dance magazine cover girl. Inside, the following article appears:

Above: Mira Nadon by Sabrina Santiago for the New York Times

Cover Story

The Diamond: New York City Ballet Principal Mira Nadon’s Brilliance Has Many Facets

By Amy Brandt

As Mira Nadon stepped onstage for George Balanchine’s “Diamonds” pas de deux at the Kennedy Center in June, I was struck by both her youth and her maturity. At just 23, the New York City Ballet principal was making her debut in a role typically reserved for the company’s senior ballerinas. Yet she was bringing something new and distinctive to her interpretation. Her movement was lush and dreamy; her connection with her partner, Peter Walker, warmly genuine. She was mysterious without being remote, as if searching for something beyond reach that only she could sense.

“Her debut was so uniquely her own, and yet it honored the ballet,” says NYCB associate artistic director Wendy Whelan. “You can see she has worked through this role in her body and mind so clearly.”

Nadon did come prepared: She spent years watching NYCB stars like Maria Kowroski and Sara Mearns perform “Diamonds,” her longtime dream role. “I watched a lot of old videos, too, just taking in the information and letting it go,” says Nadon. She reached out to Suzanne Farrell, the role’s originator, who talked her through the pas de deux and emphasized its simplicity and humility. And when Rebecca Krohn, a mentor and an NYCB repertory director, advised her to embrace her age, she took it to heart.  “I knew I needed to find my own way, and I realized that I have to bring youth and warmth to the role for it to feel right,” Nadon says.

Above: Nadon in Errante (formerly Tzigane). Photo by Erin Baiano for NYCB via Instagram

That intelligent focus and level-headedness have enabled Nadon to take on major roles since joining NYCB’s corps in 2018—and to handle the intense pressure that comes with them. Her extraordinary range has been on full display following her promotion to principal in 2023. She brings sophisticated, old-world glamour to Balanchine’s Apollo and Concerto Barocco, romantic lyricism to his Liebeslieder Walzer and Serenade, deadpan cool to the postmodern works of Pam Tanowitz. She can be astonishingly explosive, hurling herself through deep lunges in Alexei Ratmansky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. (“She’s got guts,” Whelan says.) 

Nadon’s offstage focus allows her to live in the moment­ onstage. Last season, when Farrell staged a revival of Balanchine’s­ 1975 Errante, she chose Nadon to dance the lead. The ballet, previously titled Tzigane, was created on Farrell, and begins with a mesmerizing five-minute solo. 

“Suzanne kept saying every show is going to be different, you’ll just feel it when you’re out there,” says Nadon. On opening night, Nadon delivered a fearless performance: sultry, wild, off-balance yet utterly in control. It was a career-defining debut that secured her reputation as one of NYCB’s most exciting, distinctive artists.

An Early Standout

Nadon is now the rare NYCB dancer to have performed leads in all three sections of Jewels. Her first breakout role, at age 18, was the “Tall Girl” soloist in “Rubies.” In 2023, she performed Violette Verdy’s part in “Emeralds,” an opportunity that surprised her, but perhaps shouldn’t have. “When I was a student I saw myself as more of a lyrical dancer,” says Nadon. “So ‘Emeralds’ kind of harkened back to that.” In fact, she first learned her “Emeralds” solo in a variations class at her home studio. Born in Boston, Nadon grew up in Montclair, California, alongside her twin brother, Benjamin (“truly the most uncoordinated person,” she jokes). Her mother, originally from India, was a lawyer; her father is a college professor. Around age 6, Nadon started training at the nearby Inland Pacific Ballet Academy. Led by Victoria Koenig and Jill Voznik, the studio has a regional company attached, giving Nadon ample opportunities to perform and grow comfortable onstage.

Above: Nadon in Emeralds, with Davide Riccardo. Photo: Erin Baiano for NYCB via Instagram

After getting her first taste of Balanchine’s choreography at IPBA, she attended the School of American Ballet’s summer course at age 13, and at 14 she joined SAB’s year-round program. Her even-temperedness and independence allowed her to adjust easily—and thrive: At 16, she danced the lead in Scotch Symphony at SAB’s annual workshop, and her onstage charisma caught NYCB leadership’s attention. She joined NYCB as an apprentice five months later, in November 2017.

Whelan, who was appointed associate director in 2019, remembers hearing buzz about the coltish teenager’s potential. “She was very young and had all these things to work on,” Whelan says. “But I started to see beyond her unfinishedness. I could see her work ethic kicking in. And she could jump and turn, and be a poet.”

Nadon made her “Rubies” debut in 2019, less than a year after joining the corps. In January 2020, she performed Balanchine’s Monumentum pro Gesualdo and Movements for Piano and Orchestra. Krohn noticed how easily Nadon took on the ballet’s essence. 

“Movements is very angular and off-center,” Krohn says. “You can teach someone the steps, but they also need a certain kind of instinct that isn’t really teachable. Right off the bat I saw that she had that. I realized I was working with someone who’s going to be really special.”

A Whirlwind Rise

In the fall of 2021, when NYCB emerged from its COVID-19 shutdown, Nadon was more than ready to resume her pre-pandemic momentum. A few months later, artistic director Jonathan Stafford promoted her to soloist, showcasing her rising talent in the “Black Swan Pas de Deux.”

Her career paused briefly after the company’s 2022 spring season, when she underwent surgery to remove an extra bone in her ankle. “I’d never really dealt with an injury like that before, and then having to refind your body,” says Nadon. Though she was back onstage by the fall, it was a full year and a half before her ankle felt normal again. “I think that’s one reason why everything in my dancing feels like it’s coming together now—my foot finally feels better,” she says.

Above: Nadon and Peter Walker in Liebeslieder Walzer. Photo: Erin Baiano for NYCB via Dance magazine

At the end of the 2023 winter season, Nadon was promoted again, making her the first Asian American female principal in NYCB’s 75-year history. She’s proud to carry that title, though she’s quick to say she’s never faced negative repercussions for being Asian American. “Most people assume I’m white,” she says. “But having people reach out to me and say it’s meant a lot to them is an honor, and I’m happy that I can be a part of some representation in the company. Hopefully there’s more to come.”

From Studio to Stage

Nadon spends a lot of time thinking about a ballet before a performance. But onstage she tunes in to her intuition, her senses, and the orchestra. “There’s just something different that happens when I’m in front of an audience,” she says. “I’m able to feel their energy and connect into the music in a different way.”

Walker, a frequent partner, admits he was initially thrown by her onstage spontaneity. “I’m very analytical and really value preparation,” Walker says. “And Mira is such a natural performer.”

But the connection they shared in “Diamonds,” Walker says, was a culmination of the effort and communication they’ve put into their partnership. “I feel it’s my job to make sure that we focus on certain things in preparation that can allow her to do whatever she wants within the approach that we’ve built.” Dancing with an artist of Nadon’s caliber, he says, feels momentous: “She’s inspired me to be better.”

Above: Nadon in Rubies. Photo: Erin Baiano for NYCB

A Generational Shift

Nadon’s intense schedule leaves little time for much else. She’s taking a break from her coursework at Fordham University, where she is studying math and economics. An avid reader, she’s started a book club, and enjoys cooking and baking, hosting small dinner parties, and bringing fresh batches of cookies into work to share with her colleagues.

She leans on a close, core group of friends who keep her grounded, and says a generational shift in the company has made it feel less hierarchical. “A lot of times when someone is propelled forward so quickly, you can easily get isolated from your peers,” says Krohn. “But she’s maintained healthy relationships around her. She’s not putting herself on this untouchable pedestal.”

Nadon danced in her first international gala this year, and she hopes to one day tackle ballets like Mozartiana and Swan Lake. But she also simply wants to keep developing as an artist. 

“I’m aware that I’ve gotten promoted very young, so a lot of these roles I’ll be doing for a long time,” Nadon says. “I don’t want to start phoning it in, or for it to get dull or boring—I want to continue to keep all these ballets alive.” 

[miss-mollys-ballet-blog]

Indiana Woodward and Aaron Sanz in Serenade.

[tikitania]

Nutcracker Season!

Nutcracker season can elicit an array of feelings. Some love it, some hate it. I was falling into the indifferent category. I don't live in a major city, so the month long onslaught of ballet school-civic rep level productions has me a bit bummed out…and ready to tune it all out. AND THEN…I stumbled upon this very interesting panel discussion lead by ballet critic, Alastair McCauley, comparing the original Lev Ivanov Sugarplum PDD to the Balanchine version, getting into the nitty gritty of the score and the choreographic language that can be found in both versions, pointing out the various ways in which Balanchine quoted Ivanov. This is so interesting and only available online until Dec. 17, so hurry and watch it while you can. Who knew about the original version of the Sugar Plum sliding across the stage on point on a hidden stage tracking device?! If you do anything, watch this first video with the panel talk and demonstrations. The videos I included after that are just if you want to get obsessive like I did to dig deeper. Panelists: Suki Schorer, Wendy Whelan, Sara Mearns, Jonathan Stafford. (Watching Suki coach is worth watching!) NYCB Dancers: Chun Wai Chan, Ashley Hod (Balanchine version) & Anthony Huxley, Emma Von Enck (Ivanov Version)

MacCauley mentions the Fonteyn version a few times during this talk, so I found it for you. The tempo is certainly much faster, and it really makes you appreciate Fonteyn's speed! But I actually prefer the slower tempo, which allows the music to really soar. But I also wondered if it was the audio quality of this historic recording is simply too compressed and tinny to do it justice.

The Mariinsky dances the Vasily Vaionen version of the Nutcracker, and I wanted to see how it compared to the Ivanov version. I really love the Mariinsky version. It's a departure from Ivanov, but still very classical and regal. PPD below with Baby Shakirova.

BONUS: If you want to watch the full Mariinsky Nutcracker, here's a 1994 recording with Larissa Lezhnina and Victor Baranov. And for some real fun going down the rabbit hole, this is an amazing Soviet black and white recording of the PDD with the late Svetlana Efremova (SHE IS AMAZING!) and Sergei Vikulov. Notice that the extra four cavaliers are not in this one, so the choreography is adjusted. I have a thing for soviet era black-and-white ballet films. Not to be overlooked, the Grigorivich version at the Bolshoi is worth mentioning. There are a few things that stood out to me. Its religiosity, for one. The PDD essentially starts with Masha and her prince praying together as if at a mass. And then, towards the end, are the huge lifts that end with an upside down ballerina (not my favorite pose…)

Interestingly, ABT's version by Ratmansky also incorporates the same big lift, but transitions into a spin. You can see it here, and it's a much smoother transition. Ignore the weird speed manipulation in this video. It can give you motion sickness.

AND….I found this POB version. The Nureyev choreography is horrible and Tsikaridze knows it. He can barely hold back his own laughter as how bad this performance is. When I watched this, my first thought is that Nureyev must have been a misogynist because the Sugar Plum/Clara choreography is so god awful that it seems like he's trying to humiliate ballerinas. Poor Myriam Ould-Braham, she does her best to dignify the choreography with her impeccable technique, but there is no saving this. Another thing that bothers me is that the couple are hardly dancing together, it's like a bad ballet class where they dance side to side. I hope this version soon disappears forever. Watch at your own risk. It made my blood boil.

Okay, that's it for a while. I may go see the Houston Ballet's Nutcracker if I have time. But I will mostly be focused on taking time off with the family, puttering in the garden, and catching up on my ever-expanding to-do list. Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season!

[tallgreenlady]

My mother’s greatest bugbear is the way the NYT talks about New York City Ballet (and to a lesser extent American Ballet Theatre) as if they’re the only ballet companies in America, never mind NYC.

[balletomaneblog]

Hi there! Do you have to share some ballet documentaries? I've been really wanting to watch some, but I don't know where to begin.

Great question! There are tons of ballet documentaries and plenty are available for free on youtube and other streaming platforms. Here are just a few of my personal favorites:

The ballet documentary that got me into Russian ballet for the first time is Ballerina (2006). This film is centered around the Mariinsky Ballet and the Vaganova Academy and a bunch of really amazing dancers are interviewed in it, Somova, Obratzova, Zakharova, Vishneva, and Lopatkina!

Ballet 422 is another really interesting documentary. This one follows Justin Peck through the process of creating a new ballet for NYCB. I found watching the creative process to be really fascinating, from rehearsals with dancers to backstage making decisions about lighting and costumes.

Finally, a series on BBC was released called "Agony and Ecstasy: A Year with English National Ballet". Right now, all that's available to watch is the first episode, but it's free on youtube, and is super fascinating, following the every day realities of a ballet company including casting complications, long rehearsals, and the pressures of debuting new roles. Plus, the first episode follows Daria Klimentova just a few years before her retirement along with Vadim Muntagirov just as he's starting out his career!

[tikitania]

Just some lovely vintage photos of Suzanne Farrell….

ballet dancer suzanne farrell for diamonds, and a midsummer night's dream ˗ˏˋ✩ˎˊ˗

[demigodsanswer]

I have a plot idea to share with you. My daughter went to Boston Ballet to see Nutcracker and one of the souvenirs in the gift shop were sets of used pointe shoes autographed by their wearers, and this was the only thing my little ballerina wanted, but she wanted a set from someone in the cast she saw. (The staff were very helpful in finding her some). But I think it would be fun for your Ballet universe if someone (Sally, or Fred, or someone else) overheard a young ballerina begging the gift shop staff to find her Annabeth's pointe shoes, and then sharing the story with Annabeth.

That's so cute!

I have actually considered including the detail that signed shoes are sold by the ballet (not sure if NYCB does this, but I have heard of/seen the practice before), but it's just never made it in. But it is, at least in my mind, very much a practice that exists in this universe! I tend to just have or reference Annabeth either signing other people's shoes, or giving away her shoes.

Here is a scene from chapter three of Variations (if that ever gets finished ha) where Annabeth does meet a fan and gives away a pair of her shoes:

~

“Excuse me?” a woman's voice said to her. Annabeth turned and found a mother with her mini-me daughter holding her hand, and a man on the other side of the girl, presumably the husband/father based on the wedding rings. The girl was maybe six, with dark skin and curly hair tied in a puff at the back of her head. 

“Hi,” Annabeth said with a smile. 

“Were you Aurora?” The mother asked. 

“I was,” she said, holding out her hand to the mother first. “I’m Annabeth.” 

“I’m Mona,” she said. 

“Marcus,” the man said.  

“And this,” Mona rested her hand on her daughter’s shoulder, “is Layla. She’s a big fan.” 

Annabeth squatted to be more at Layla’s level. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said, holding out her hand. The little girl took it and shook it gently. “Did you like the show?” 

Layla nodded. “You looked really pretty. Was it hard?” 

Annabeth smiled as she nodded. “Thank you. Yes, it’s a lot of work. But we practice for a long time before the show, so that we can make it look easy,” she said.  

“How long have you been dancing?” Layla asked. 

“I started when I was three, so twenty-three years. I’ve been at the New York City Ballet for ten years now,” Annabeth told her, realizing with small amounts of shock and horror that she’d been with the ballet longer than this little girl had been alive. 

“Layla started dancing over the summer,” Mona explained. 

“Mommy found your videos on Instagram and lets me watch them,” Layla said. 

Annabeth smiled. “Did you see the one where I fell on my face?” 

Layla laughed. “Yes!” 

“I’m glad that didn’t happen on stage,” Annabeth said. 

“You balanced really well,” Layla told her. 

“Thank you,” Annabeth said. “I bet you could do it no problem.” Layla smiled and nodded. “Do you want to try?” 

Annabeth held out her hand as Layla stepped onto her tippy toes and grabbed her hand. Annabeth held her steady. The little girl lifted her other leg up and bent. She wasn’t turned out, but Annabeth rarely was either, so it was okay. Layla put one arm up over her head and then let go of Annabeth’s hand and raised it to match. 

She held the balance for a few seconds before coming back down as Annabeth clapped and cheered. 

“That was so good! You’re gonna put me out of a job!” Annabeth said, holding up both hands for Layla to high five. Layla just bounced up and down as Annabeth smiled. 

“I hope it’s okay I got a video of that?” Mona said. 

“Of course,” Annabeth said with a smile. “Do you want a picture?” She offered. 

Annabeth hugged Layla close as her mom snapped a few photos. 

“Thank you,” Mona said, “say ‘thank you’ Layla.” 

“Thank you!” 

“Let's let her go home now, I’m sure her feet hurt,” Mona said, trying to get her daughter to leave, but Annabeth wasn’t making any strong moves away from them. 

“Do pointe shoes hurt?” Layla asked. 

Annabeth shook her head. “We get custom shoes to fit us just right, and I’m used to dancing in them now.” 

“Do you have them?” Layla asked. 

Annabeth reached into her bag and pulled out her dead pair. “We call them ‘dead’ when they get like this.” She bent the shank and squished the box. “Usually these parts are hard and meant to support us, but now it’s soft, so I can’t wear it anymore.” Layla was staring at them. “These are still sweaty from the ballet, but you can keep them if you want?” 

“Really?” Layla asked, eyes wide. 

“Sure. I can sign them for you,” Annabeth offered. Layla nodded. Annabeth fished out one of the sharpies she kept on her for autographs, but mostly pointe shoe labeling. She scrawled her name on the box of one of the shoes, then slotted the back of one shoe into the other, so they were linked.

Layla gave her a big hug as she took the shoes. “Thank you!” She said, this time without her mom having to remind her. 

“Of course,” Annabeth said. “It was lovely to meet you,” Annabeth said, finally getting off the floor, trying not to groan as she did. 

“Thank you,” Mona said. “Should I tag you in the pictures?” 

“If you want to,” Annabeth said. 

Mona nodded, and Marcus took his daughter’s hand and walking towards the exit. Layla looked back and waved again, and Annabeth waved back.

[tendrflesh]

*     ◟    :    〔   margaret qualley  ,      demi-woman   +   she/they    〕   taylor ryan ,      some say you’re a  twenty - five  lost soul among the neon lights.      known for being both  perceptive  and  evasive,  one can’t help but think of  i’m your man  by mitski  when you walk by.    are you still a    empress   /     principal ballerina  at   the snake den   /  nya ballet,     even with your reputation as the the opulent?     i think we’ll be seeing more of you and  skin glittering under the moonlight, doe eyes looking up at you, ribbons flowing in the wind, diamond rings over gloved hands.   although we can’t help but think of juliet capulet (romeo & juliet), daisy buchanan (the great gatsby), ophelia (hamlet), sansa stark (game of thrones).    whenever we see you down these rainy streets. ’

BASICS

NAME: taylor isabella ryan (originally kowalski) NICKNAMES: none JOB: nyc principal ballerina, empress in the snake den BIRTHDAY: april 19th ZODIAC: aries sun SEXUALITY: pansexual  GENDER: demi-woman, she/they RELIGION: non practicing catholic THREE POSITIVE TRAITS: perceptive, inviting, demanding THREE NEGATIVE TRAITS: evasive, vain, needy ENNEAGRAM: 7w8 MYERS-BRIGGS: enfj AESTHETIC:  skin glittering under the moonlight, doe eyes looking up at you, ribbons flowing in the wind, diamond rings over gloved hands CHARACTER INSPO:  juliet capulet (romeo & juliet), daisy buchanan (the great gatsby), ophelia (hamlet), sansa stark (game of thrones) LIKES: DISLIKES:

pinterest | playlist

WANTED CONNECTIONS

serious ex (or ex fiance?)

frenemies

someone she has charmed for her own needs

a mentor of some sort

flings/fwbs

current connections

ex-husband: bash owens (they were young and dumb)

casual fling: bash owens

siblings: raven & donovan kowalski

FAST FACTS

youngest sister of donovan and raven

is the only sibling that 'made it'

was eventually adopted by a very rich family who gave taylor everything they could ever want

distances herself from her past/siblings to keep up with her 'princess' persona she adopted

though given everything, she always wanted more, is also resentful of her parents and the life they easily lead

is a bit of a romantic at heart (or as romantic as she could)

lawful evil

has her own rules she follow, at the expense of others

on the prowl for more power hence the snake den

studied art for a while

was a dancer in her youth, now principal ballerina for nycb

considers herself classy & above others because of her money

father worked in government, mother was a philanthropist though she could have whatever she wanted, taylor still resents them...

self-obsessed and joined snake den, just because she should and seems to have a vendetta against everyone

more to come...

[ballet-symphonie]

I have a question regarding the logic of vaganova's student selection. they look for medium/tall lean girls, archy feet, hyperextend knees', natural turnout, etc. And clearly all the girls they pick already have ballet and rytmic gymnastics training.But at the same time i wonder if it's correct to limit their dancers to this, like i would love to see a vaganova trained class filled with random girls and just see what vaganova can produce without selecting the best and most blessed from the start

Logics of ballet selection part 2: Since they look for these natural talents, they must also realise that these genetics are part of some of the dancers downfall. Hyperextened knees are SO prone to injury, not to mention what high arches archy feet do to the tendons etc. Excessive flexibility and hip mobility also means a decrease of muscular strengh. Combining this with overtraining and malnutrition, young dancers are just putting their bodies through hell. Not to talk about what amenorrea does to the body, like osteoporosis, low bone density (increased stress fractures) etc So why? why is it so? is it so necessary? or can greatness be achieved in other ways.

Why?

Its a blend of aesthetics and function. Hyperextended knees and archy feet are aesthetic desires only, and you're correct that these often end up being a double-edged sword. David Hallberg has talked extensively about how his mobility became a weakness and an injury magnet.

However, searching for students with good turnout is something I understand. Ballet is so much easier with that level of natural, comfortable mobility, and without turnout, there's no classical technique. Yes, mobility has to be balanced with strength, and even then there are limits. Ballet doesn't need crazy contortionist flexibility, but a nice level of comfortable flexibility, easy splits, natrually 'flat' turnout makes classical tenique easier and more possible on the body.

Regarding weight and bodytype, professional ballet dancers are essentially pro athletes. They need to be in ridiculous shape to dance in full length shows night after night. Look at professional womens sports, especially those that require frequent high intensity moments and endurence, you don't see many overweight women. But the hyper-skinny and frail bodytype is an extreme taken too far, and I'd argue it's not necessary.

To support this idea, some of the greatest ballerinas today don't exactly fit the mold of the ideal ballerinas- past and present. I'd advise you to look at the great NYCB ballerinas of the past decade or so: Tiler Peck, Megan Fairchild, Sara Mearns, Ashley Bouder.

It's not difficult to make an argument that the lot of them would have gotten kicked out of Vaganova- or that they wouldn't have been accepted in the first place for their physicalities.

Now I'm not about to praise SAB and NYCB as some golden place of health and wellness (lol no) but in the company, we are starting to see women, who look like women. And these women have been not only succeeding but redefining what an exceptional ballerina looks like, in every corner of the repertoire, in classical, neoclassical and contemporary dance.

[tikitania]

One day I will see Jewels performed by the NYCB! On the bucket list.

Unity Phelan in Emeralds (NYCB, 2019)

[balanchine-ballet-master]

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

Mira Nadon, the rising New York City Ballet principal, is coming off her best season yet. And it’s only the beginning. By Gia Kourlas The New York Times May 29, 2024

Mira Nadon was 5 when she took her first ballet class. It was pre-ballet, which meant running around the studio, maybe getting a shot at fluttering like a butterfly. This was not for her.

When she found out that students began proper training at 6, Nadon laid it on the line: “I told my mom, ‘This isn’t serious,’” she said. “‘I’m just going to wait till I’m 6.’”

Even then Nadon was levelheaded and unflappable. Now, at just 23, she is a principal dancer with New York City Ballet, approaching the close of a momentous season at Lincoln Center, where her versatility, artistry and jaw-dropping abandon have made her seem like a ballerina superhero. This week, she returns to the role of Helena, the rejected young woman determined to win her lover back in George Balanchine’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” An affinity for drama is in her bones, but something else makes Nadon a rarity: humor.

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.

This photo and the one at the top: Sabrina Santiago for The New York Times

“To watch her grow — and it’s not been very long—has been tremendous,” Wendy Whelan, the company’s associate artistic director, said. “It’s fast and big and just blossoming.”

This spring season, the close of the company’s 75th anniversary year, has been largely dedicated to newer ballets. She has danced in works by living choreographers, including Alexei Ratmansky and Pam Tanowitz, and made debuts in works by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. “The range has been astounding,” Whelan said. “She’s been able to hone in on the uniqueness of each of those voices. And she cares about what the intent is of each of those voices, so they’re not all the same. She doesn’t just go out and do great things. She actually carves out the idea.”

The most important debut was in “Errante” (1975), a Balanchine ballet originally called “Tzigane” after its score by Maurice Ravel. Suzanne Farrell, for whom the ballet was made, staged it and coached Nadon. “She’s such an intelligent woman and so dry and funny in the best way in the studio,” Nadon said. “She’s very, very demanding. She’s not just going to say ‘good job’ because you tried and you’re working hard. But I love that.”

The ballet opens with a five-minute solo for Nadon, whose smoldering use of her eyes and face, along with the smooth control of her body, showed a deep command of the stage as she wound her way along its mysterious violin solo. Farrell told her that the solo was a lonely experience. “I think she was excited for me to feel that onstage with the violinist,” Nadon said. Toward the end of the rehearsal process, Farrell told her that she shouldn’t move in a modern way but in a “very stylized older way,” Nadon said. “I think that’s also what makes it such a special world, that it’s unique and different from the way you approach another ballet.”

Above: Nadon in Errante. Photo: Erin Baiano via the NY Times

In Ratmansky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition,” Nadon was electric, fleshing out shapes while stretching bigger, deeper, longer—her arms are as fluid and expressive as her legs. And Nadon, at 5 foot 8 inches, has legs. Working with Ratmansky, who is City Ballet’s artist in residence, is sharpening her technique, she said, just as Tiler Peck did last season when Nadon danced in her ballet, “Concerto for Two Pianos.”

“He’s so funny," Nadon said of Ratmansky’s polite requests. “He’ll be like, ‘Do you think you could turn out the leg a little more?’ ‘Do you think you could hit fifth there?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, I probably could.’”

This season, she performed in two of Tanowitz’s ballets: “Gustave Le Gray No. 1” and “Law of Mosaics,” which ends with Nadon dancing a solo barefoot. “She doesn’t dance at you, she draws the audience in, and that’s her power,” Tanowitz said. “It’s almost like she’s letting us in on this intimate part of herself.”

How many dancers can be understated and wild? It has much to do with how utterly at ease Nadon is onstage, which dates to her training at the Inland Pacific Ballet Academy in Montclair, Calif., where she had many opportunities to perform. “I think it was really beneficial growing up,” she said, “to not be scared onstage.” This was already apparent in 2017, when she danced the female lead in Balanchine’s “Scotch Symphony” at the School of American Ballet Workshop Performances, the annual year-end display of student talent. She was a fearless rush of power and delicacy that left audience members in disbelief. Recalling it now, Nadon laughed. “I didn’t think about it too much,” she said, “and just did the show and then everyone liked it, and I was like, Oh, I guess you’ve never seen me perform.”

Photo: Sabrina Santiago for The New York Times

Next month, Nadon will make her debut in “Diamonds,” the final section of “Jewels,” set to Tchaikovsky, at the Kennedy Center. “There’s something about the Tchaikovsky—the swells and the grandeur that you just feel in your soul,” she said. “I’m excited to live in that world and see how it feels.”

The part was made for Farrell, and dancing it speaks to Nadon’s future as an integral part of City Ballet. But getting to this point was far from a sure thing. Her father is a professor of government and her mother was a lawyer; neither knew much about ballet aside from the dramatic, dark side that is often shown in films.

When Nadon was accepted to the School of American Ballet, City Ballet’s training ground, she knew her parents weren’t going to want her to go, which would mean leaving home at a young age. She is grateful to Darci Kistler, a former City Ballet principal, who offered her a scholarship for the summer course and convinced her parents that it would be more than OK to let her go.

“Even getting my parents to agree to let me audition was a struggle,” Nadon said. “I was like, ‘I just want to see if I get in’ and they were like, ‘You’re not going to go, but you can audition just for yourself.’”

To Kistler, she said: “‘Oh—my parents aren’t going to let me, but thank you so much.’ And Darci said, ‘Can you go get your mom?’ I was, like, running through the hallways.”

It wasn’t a yes on the spot, but after some conversations, they agreed. “I’ll always be really grateful to her for putting in that extra effort,” Nadon said. “My parents still are, like, Thank God for Darci.”

Nadon’s path through the City Ballet ranks has been swift. She joined the corps de ballet in November 2018 and was promoted to soloist in 2022. Just a year later, she was named principal. “There was a lot of thought that went into—when you start pushing, giving the opportunities—making sure she was ready,” Whelan said. “We don’t want any dancer to fail. We don’t want to just throw them out there and say, let’s see what happens.”

But Nadon was ready—for all of it. “When I think of myself having the title of principal dancer, it does seem kind of crazy and foreign, but on the day to day, I’m just dancing my ballets and going out onstage,” she said with a cheerful shrug. “I guess I’ve tried not to overthink it too much because I think it could be very heavy and a lot of pressure.”

Nadon is self-aware. Her temperament, she realizes, is a blessing. She gets nervous for shows, but she’s never anxious. And she’s there to dance. “My favorite part of the job is just going out onstage and seeing what happens,” she said. “It’s almost like I’m surprised by what my body does. I’m finding out what’s going to happen at the same time as the audience.”

[circulofms]

dentro de los archivos de vera quinn podemos encontrar la ficha de identificación de HOLDEN MIN persona vinculada al infame círculo ateniense, tiene un parecido sorprendente con HWANG YEJI, durante su estancia en pomona perteneció a los estudiantes interrogados debido a su pertenencia al grupo de TESTIGOS DIVERSOS, salió sin cargo alguno.

¡JUNO, te damos la bienvenida a CÍRCULOFMS! Cuentas con veinticuatro horas (24) para enviar la cuenta de tu personaje, de necesitar más tiempo no dudes en enviar un mensaje a la administración.

primer   apartado:   fuera   de   personaje.

seudónimo: juno

pronombres: femeninos

zona   horaria:   gmt-6

triggers:     -

segundo   apartado:   información   básica.

nombre   completo: holden ’ holly ’ min

rostro   utilizado: hwang yeji

cupo elegido:  cupo libre

fecha   de   nacimiento: 11 de julio (veinticuatro años)

ocupación:   ballerina profesional en nueva york

carrera que estudió:   literatura y teatro

tercer   apartado:   información   psíquica.

personalidad:

𖹭 determinada, perseverante, con corazón de pollo.

𖹭 exigente, obsesiva, perfeccionista.

cuarto   apartado:   información biográfica.

𖹭 holden creció con unas zapatillas de baile en los pies (o eso dice su padre, pero al hombre no se le tiene que creer nada) y el ritmo en la sangre. no sé cuántos bebés bailando ha visto el mundo en el que nos encontramos, pero la señora min estaba reacia en que holden era la primera niña en hacerlo, y solo por eso merecía vitoreas. así ha sido su vida hasta el sol de hoy, recibiendo el apoyo incondicional de su familia entera, incluso desde el otro lado del mundo.

𖹭 ingreso a pomona no era algo deseado sino un requisito. su madre formó parte del círculo, miembro de las señoritas de artemisa con orgullo y cariño, por lo que no esperaba menos para holden. además de eso, venía cargando con la legacía de su hermano mayor en el prestigioso club, un charlatán que solía cortarle el cabello a sus muñecas y atemorizarla con los monstruos debajo de su cama, pero para el resto del mundo era el chico más encantador y por supuesto, uno de los más populares dentro del círculo. 2019 no solo fue un año traumático, sino también el único momento donde ambos min iban a coincidir en pomona por primera vez y última vez, ya que ese año era el último de su hermano.

𖹭 lo primero que hizo al llegar a la escuela fue unirse al equipo de porristas, era una de las tantas actividades que la apasionaba desde niña. al principio muchos asumieron que su camino sería fácil (incluso ella), descendiente de tremendo personaje como lo fue su madre, pero pronto se dio cuenta de que tenía que esforzarse al máximo para destacar en un equipo lleno de talento y disciplina. la exigencia física y mental fue un gran reto, no solo debía equilibrar entrenamientos intensivos con sus estudios académicos sino también su vida social. nada hubiera sido posible sin el apoyo de su familia y esa persona específica que marcó un antes y un después en su vida.

𖹭 tras su graduación, decidió perseguir su sueño de toda la vida de convertirse en bailarina profesional. sus años como porrista la ayudaron a perfeccionar sus sus habilidades atléticas y también obtener esa determinación y disciplina que necesitan las bailarinas. la holden de dieciocho años que tuvo que dejar la academia de ballet definitivamente sanó con las decisiones de la nueva holly.

𖹭 actualmente vive en nueva york y es parte del NYCB, siendo bailarina principal en varias producciones así como solista.

quinto   apartado:   culpable o inocente.

removido por administración.

[tikitania]

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Kyra Nichols and…..her mother, Sally Street! Kyra is only 11 here. Crazy. And now I want to learn more about her mom.

[tikitania]

Wish there were more videos of Gelsey because the quality of her movement through space was so unique and ethereal.

Wishing a very Happy Birthday to American prima ballerina assoluta Gelsey Kirkland (December 29, 1952)

[alarici]

I was watching ballerinas on tiktok destroy the everloving fuck out of their shoes, and I was reminded of your meronia ballet AU, and I was wondering their prefered method of customizing their shoes. (also as a nondancer, idk why but watching them do it is weirdly satisfying in a stimmy sort of way)

Long reply that doesn't really get at all the nuances (basically there aren't really big ways to customize point shoes, there's just a lot of common goals in preparing point shoes which there are different methods of achieving) but:

Mello:

Does everything she can to make her shoes flatter her feet the best. NYCB used to have all of their dancers wear the exact same shoe (like same shoe in different sizes, when a big part of point shoe fitting is being able to shop around for a brand and style that works best--opposite of one size fits all), so I can imagine Mello doing stuff like cutting the shanks 3/4 the way down (less common customization, makes the shoes last not as long but Mello does it for the aesthetic).

Mello is meticulous so she darns all of her shoes.

Mello doesn't bang her shoes in doors because her feet break them in very very quickly so no need.

Mello uses elastic ribbons unless its against a specific dress code for a specific show. The type I'm imagining are elastic and netted (not solid and not satin like the usual ones). Reason being she likes them more :3

Mello doesn't use toe pads, she just tapes her toes and puts a little lambs wool (or paper towels) or nothing and raw dogs it. (This is mostly because she was trained in Russia and also because it's what I did and I stand by it because you can feel the floor best shrug.) Mello is missing toenails.

Once Mello has to dye her shoes black for a special show and she keeps those because she thinks they're cool smile.

Near

Near doesn't cut the shank. She actually fits the default one-size-fits-all shoes they give everyone really well so all she does it but superglue (usually dancers use Jet Glue brand) to make the shoes last a little longer.

Near sews her ribbons and elastics with unscented dental floss because "it stays better" and the prefers the way it goes through the material whens she sews.

Near uses normal satin ribbons unless otherwise directed for a specific show.

Near uses proper normal toe pads (gels) and her feet look surprisingly normal for someone who dances 40+ hours per week.

Customizing pointe shoes, to me, is less a matter of personality and a lot more about habit--what you were taught when you were young and what resources you have available to you. I think more personality driven choices they make are in what practice clothes they wear (Mello wears beautiful mesh pieces & Near wears a million baggy warm ups). Overall ballet is funny/tricky/like it is because a large function of it is to collapse individuality, at least superficially, no matter what's going on "in" or "under" the shoe, so to speak. Let me know if you have more follow up questions. Always happy to blab about ballet & the ballet AU :3333