Ever since I was 8 years old, I’ve worked privately on the side with various coaches. I’ve been with Irina and Max the longest out of all the coaches I’ve studied with; maybe seven or eight years now. I call them my ballet mom and dad. They have completely transformed my dancing. I grew up […]
Last week at our DT+ Teacher Talk, I had the honor of being joined by not one but three very special guests—Dionne Figgins, artistic director of Ballet Tech; Bianca Zumbo Caryl, head coach of the Arizona State University dance team; and Nile H. Russell, director of education for the American Dance Festival—to discuss what audition […]
There is perhaps no one else Skylar Brandt has disappointed more than her childhood piano teacher. “I knew by the age of 8 that I wanted to be a ballerina, but my parents insisted on having me try other activities, including piano,” she explains. “With my sense of musicality at a young age, my teacher […]
What is the secret sauce to Skylar Brandt’s seemingly superhuman technique? (Those balances! Those turns!) Well, the American Ballet Theatre principal is ready to share some insights. Take a free online class with the cover star of our February issue through Dance Media Live! On Wednesday, March 3, at 4 pm ET, Brandt will teach […]
Being coached by a treasure like former Kirov prima Irina Kolpakova is an experience most dancers only dream of. But company members at American Ballet Theatre have been the lucky beneficiaries of her wisdom since 1990. Thanks to Instagram, where pros like Gillian Murphy and James Whiteside share snippets of their sessions with Kolpakova, any […]