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Tag: ballet

  • Best Bets: Barricade Boys, mutability and Apollo 10 ½

    Best Bets: Barricade Boys, mutability and Apollo 10 ½

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    We’re officially into June, and the month of June – if you didn’t know – is National Outdoors Month. There’s been very little reason to want to be outdoors so far this month, so rest assured that most of this week’s best bets will keep you in a nice, air-conditioned, rain-free building. Keep reading for our picks, which include jazzy films, glow-in-the-dark art, and a “scandal” at the Symphony.

    The Barricade Boys are coming to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, June 6, at 7 p.m. to sing songs from musicals like Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked, as well as pop tunes, Motown hits and even “Bohemian Rhapsody” during for The Barricade Boys West End Party! Barricade Boys Kieran Brown and Scott Garnham recently described their show to Broadway World Houston, with Brown saying the set is a mix “of pretty much everything” and Garnham noting that it’s “called a Broadway party, and there’s a reason for that,” adding that they want “people to come and get involved” with singing, dancing and cheering. The show will be performed a second time at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 7. Tickets for either performance can be purchased here for $54 to $124.

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    Artists of Houston Ballet in Disha Zhang’s Elapse, which returns to the Houston Ballet stage this week.

    Photo by Amitava Sarkar, Courtesy of Houston Ballet

    Houston Ballet’s latest mixed repertory program, Four Seasons, will open on Thursday, June 6, at 7:30 p.m. with dance works from George Balanchine, Disha Zhang, Dwight Rhoden and Stanton Welch, whose “The Four Seasons” will feature a familiar face. Former principal dancer and current ballet master Amy Fote, whose role in Welch’s work marks her return to dancing on the Houston Ballet stage after more than ten years, recently told the Houston Press that the ballet tells “one woman’s story through…four different artists who dance each of the seasons,” and that it’s “quite a special story with iconic, lovely music.” Performances will continue at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and June 8, and 2 p.m. Sundays through June 16 at the Wortham Theater Center. Tickets can be purchased here for $25 to $215.

    Did you know that Vaseline and ripe bananas glow blue under a black light? A black light emits ultraviolet light and those things that glow under it are called phosphors, and phosphors will be all over Hardy & Nance Studios on Friday, June 7, at 7 p.m. when Insomnia Gallery presents Near Dark: A Black Light Art Show. The all-ages-welcome, free show is returning for the fifth time, so get ready to enjoy work – all fluorescent – from local artists. Get in on the fun and deck yourself out in neon colors or be ready to glow yourself up with highlighters that will be provided on-site. Food trucks will also be present, and Eureka Heights Brewing Company, Bad Astronaut Brewing Co., Equal Parts Brewing and City Orchard will be pouring the (free) drinks.

    A restoration of Bruce Weber’s 1988 documentary Let’s Get Lost, a “shimmeringly decadent and fascinating portrait of the West Coast jazz legend Chet Baker,” will open Jazz on Film, a films series curated by Peter Lucas at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston on Friday, June 7, at 7 p.m. Over three weekends, the series will feature films that sit at the intersection of jazz and cinema, including the Houston premiere of Elis and Tom, about the 1974 collaboration between Brazilian artists Antonio Carlos Jobim and Elis Regina; a special 50th anniversary screening of Afrofuturist classic, Sun Ra’s Space Is the Place; two short documentaries focusing on women (International Sweethearts of Rhythm and Maxine Sullivan: Love to Be in Love) and more. You can view the full schedule here and also get individual tickets for $7 to $9.

    Haruki Murakami’s literary “world is an allegorical one,” making him “arguably the most experimental Japanese novelist to have been translated into English” as well as “the most popular, with sales in the millions worldwide.” The latest program from ISHIDA Dance Company, mutability, includes two original works from Brett Ishida, one of which is the women-centric “green apples” and the second, which lends its name to the program, draws inspiration from Murakami. In true ISHIDA fashion, the program, which opens at Asia Society Texas on Friday, June 7, at 8 p.m., will also include works from international guest choreographers that you are unlikely to see anywhere else in the U.S. The program will also be performed at 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 8, and 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 9. Tickets can be purchased here for $40 to $120.

    Kaiser Wilhelm II famously lamented Richard Strauss’s “scandalous” Salome, an opera based on Oscar Wilde’s equally “scandalous” play, fearing it would do Strauss “a lot of damage.” Instead, “Salome played to sold out opera houses around the world,” and on Friday, June 7, at 8 p.m. the Houston Symphony will produce the opera with costumes, projections, lighting and more during the Strauss Festival: Salome in Concert at Jones Hall. Soprano Jennifer Holloway will sing the title role in the opera, which includes the (in)famous “Dance of the Seven Veils,” which Salome performs in exchange for anything she wants – and what she wants is the head of John the Baptist. Salome will be performed a second time on Sunday, June 9, at 7 p.m. Tickets for either can be purchased here for $34 to $125.

    Get a taste of Caribbean and Latin American culture, including the music of Argentina’s most iconic dance and Venezuela’s most traditional (and national) dance, without blowing your savings on a roundtrip plane ticket at Miller Outdoor Theatre on Saturday, June 8, at 8:30 p.m. during Tango, Joropo, Danzas y Mas! produced by Aperio, Music of the Americas. Conductor Marlon Chen of the Manila Symphony Orchestra will lead Aperio’s ensemble, which will be joined by clarinetist Ernesto Vega, Venezuelan violinist Eddy Marcano and tango pianist Pablo Estigarribia. As with all shows at Miller, the program is free, and you can reserve tickets here starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 7, or you can take a seat on the no-ticket-required Hill.

    Experience the summer of 1969 and the days leading up to the moon landing through the eyes of a Houston fourth grader named Stan in Richard Linklater’s Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood, an animated coming-of-age film that will screen on the lawn outside The Menil Collection’s main building on Saturday, June 8, at 8:30 p.m. The film, co-presented with Friends of River Oaks Theatre, is “a lively and charming stroll down memory lane,” one loosely based on Linklater’s own childhood with a “meticulous sense of detail” and “tolerant, easygoing spirit.” The event is free, and before the film at 8:30 p.m., you can enjoy music by DJ Vincent Priceless at 7:30 p.m. and remarks by the film’s co-producer, Craig Staggs, at 8:15 p.m. (and don’t forget to bring a picnic blanket).

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    Natalie de la Garza

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  • Gripping Psychological Drama and Dance Collide in Mayerling at Houston Ballet

    Gripping Psychological Drama and Dance Collide in Mayerling at Houston Ballet

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    History should always look as good as it does in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling, a beautifully grim take on a scandalous chapter from 19th-century Hapsburg history now playing on the Houston Ballet stage.

    The scandalous chapter refers to the 1889 murder-suicide committed by Rudolf, the Crown Prince of Austria. His victim? His 17-year-old mistress, Baroness Mary Vetsera, who he shot before taking his own life. The crime occurred at a hunting lodge in Mayerling, which lends its name to both the ballet and the so-called “incident” as it’s commonly referred.

    Fun (and by fun, I mean ghoulish) fact: Rudolf was the only son of the emperor, making him the only heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary. Following his death, the heir became Franz Ferdinand who you may remember from history class as the archduke whose assassination kicked off World War I, a war that ended with the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. So, yeah.

    MacMillan’s Mayerling, which originally premiered in 1978, dramatizes the life of Crown Prince Rudolf, from his arranged marriage to Princess Stéphanie to his infamous end. In between, we get peeks into the prince’s psyche, primarily through his relationships with the women in his life, including his mother, Empress Elisabeth; his wife, Princess Stéphanie; his former mistress/current friend(?) Marie Larisch; former lover and prostitute Mitzi Caspar; and, of course, Mary Vetsera.

    Interestingly, MacMillan teamed up with writer Gillian Freeman, who he tasked with crafting a scenario (which I’d liken to writing a libretto) for the show. It was an inspired decision that results in a deeply layered and compelling ballet, one that is even more special in its focus on a male character. The last time such a richly drawn, complex male character graced the Houston Ballet stage was, well, the last production of Mayerling back in 2017. Taking on the challenging role of Rudolf is, once again, Connor Walsh.

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    Houston Ballet Principal Connor Walsh as Crown Prince Rudolf in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling.

    Photo by Amitava Sarkar, Courtesy of Houston Ballet.

    Walsh’s evolution from seemingly discontent to degenerate prince – violent-prone, gonorrhea-infected, drug-addicted, and death-obsessed – is played with wild-eyed intensity. Incredibly well-acted and superbly nuanced, Walsh’s performance also wows for his ability to utilize his impressive athleticism and strength (put to use, for example, in a serious of increasingly dramatic lifts during Rudolf’s final pas de deux with Mary), without ever distracting from the prince’s weakened, deteriorated state.

    Though Rudolf’s psyche is best expressed through his relationships with the women in his life, let’s first speak to his interactions with the other men in his life; specifically, the four Hungarian officers played Ryo Kato, Riley McMurray, Naazir Muhammad and Ryan Williams. He engages in several spirited dance-cussions with the officers, who quite literally badger and push him around regarding his support for the separatist cause. Kato, in particular, was a standout among the officers due to an applause-earning (and applause-deserving) solo.

    Aaron Daniel Sharratt’s Emperor Franz Josef is as impenetrable a figure as Rudolf’s father, as Yuriko Kajiya, as Rudolf’s mother the Empress Elisabeth, is cold. The empress is, at best, uninterested in her son, but also at times seemingly disgusted and scared of him. Their complicated relationship is well established in the first act during a heart-aching pas de deux, much of which is spent back to back, emphasizing the disconnect between the two.

    Countess Marie Larisch is the most inscrutable character in terms of motive. (Why exactly is she playing matchmaker? Because we know it’s not altruism.) And Jessica Collado maintains that intrigue while also showing flashes of true concern for the prince, with whom her relationship is marked by familiarity.

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    Houston Ballet Principal Connor Walsh as Crown Prince Rudolf in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling.

    Photo by Amitava Sarkar, Courtesy of Houston Ballet.

    On the flip side is Mónica Gómez’s Princess Stéphanie, who we witness being dominated, scandalized and humiliated at the hands of Rudolf. It’s completely understandable that even Simone Acri’s Bratfisch – who delivered short bursts of joyful energy during two sure-to-put-a-smile-on-your-face solos – couldn’t cheer her up.

    Karina González receives a light and airy introduction as Mary, and as we glimpse her throughout the first two acts, she is every bit the infatuated school girl. But the tragedy of her relationship with Rudolf is never lost, so by the time they dance their last dance, it’s nothing short of chill-inducing.

    Finally, Rudolf’s second-act sojourn to a tavern – beautifully lit to red-hued seediness by lighting designer Lisa J. Pinkham – is electric, and that’s in no small part due to Danbi Kim’s attention-commanding turn as Mitzi Caspar. Astounding is Kim’s ability to always look like the one in complete control of the situation, even as she’s being effortlessly spun, tossed and traded between the male dancers.

    The ballet’s score, a cleverly patchworked collection of Franz Liszt works arranged and orchestrated by John Lanchbery, is deftly performed by the Houston Ballet Orchestra under Ermanno Florio. The orchestra travels the soundscape, from gloomy, ominous strings and rhythmic pulses to boisterous jaunts and climatic swells. Also, worth noting, a second-act aria sung by mezzo-soprano Ani Kushyan, accompanied by Richard Bado, is an unexpected musical treat.

    Pablo Núñez’s towering sets, ornate gowns and crisp uniforms lend an air of grandeur to the proceedings that enhance while never distracting from the toxicity of what we’re witnessing.

    In terms of story and emotion, MacMillan’s Mayerling is not unlike the kind of scripted historical dramas we’re used to catching on cable TV and now streaming services, the kind that get all the critical acclaim (deservingly so). Except it also has dance – glorious human feats in their own right performed on a stage live in front of you. If you love dance and dark historical dramas, you won’t want to miss this one.

    Performances are scheduled through June 2 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays at the Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas. For more information, call 713-227-2787 or visit houstonballet.org. $25-$220.

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    Natalie de la Garza

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  • Best Bets: Earth Day, Noche Caliente and a Spring Festival

    Best Bets: Earth Day, Noche Caliente and a Spring Festival

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    In honor of Earth Day, which is coming up on April 22, as well as National Exercise Day, we encourage you to walk to whenever you can to reach out best bets, or at least take public transport. It will be worth it, as this week we’ve got a musical inspired by a cult classic, a spring festival, and a classic ballet. Keep reading for these and much more.

    February marked the 60th anniversary of the start of Beatlemania – specifically, February 1964 was when four lads from Liverpool appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, playing along to “She Loves You,” for “a whopping 73 million viewers and an in-studio audience of 700.” Sixty years may have passed, but on Thursday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. you can join the Houston Symphony as they welcome a band of Beatles lookalikes and soundalikes for Classical Mystery Tour: A Tribute to The Beatles at Jones Hall. The concert will feature more than two dozen of The Beatles’ classic songs – “Yesterday,” “Hey Jude,” and “Penny Lane” to name a few – all played as they were originally recorded. The show will be performed a second time on Friday, April 19, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets to either in-hall performance can be purchased here for $63 to $195.

    On Friday, April 19, at 7:30 p.m. Houston Grand Opera will present Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s take on the legend of Don Juan, Don Giovanni. Luca Pisaroni, the bass-baritone who’s set to play the title character, recently told the Houston Press that “Don Giovanni has an aura of mystery and there is an historical relevance, a vocal and acting challenge that as an artist and a singer you cannot ignore,” adding that the music is “amazing,” noting that “every time you get close to it, you realize how profound the music is and how modern it is compared to what we were hearing at that time.” Performances will continue at 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturday and Wednesday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Wortham Theater Center through May 3. Tickets can be purchased here for $25 to $210.

    A 1936 propaganda film inspired Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney to create Reefer Madness: The Musical, which The Garden Theatre will open at the MATCH on Friday, April 19, at 8 p.m. The musical – based on a famous (or infamous) “low-budget exploitation film” turned cult classic that “was financed and commissioned by a church group with the intention to raise awareness on the ‘dangers’ of marijuana to a ludicrous degree” – celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, and you won’t want to miss this chance to get in on the party. Additional performances will run through April 27 and are scheduled for 1, 6 and 10:30 p.m. Saturday, April 20; 2 p.m. Sunday, April 21; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25; 8 p.m. Friday, April 26; and 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, April 27. Tickets can be purchased here for $23 to $28.

    The first Earth Day dates back to April 22, 1970 – a time before the existence of the Environmental Protection Agency or legislation like the Clean Air and Clean Water acts. Across the nation, 20 million people turned out, making the day a “the precursor of the largest grassroots environmental movement in U.S. history.” On Saturday, April 20, from noon to 5 p.m. you can celebrate Earth Day at Discovery Green. The afternoon will feature performances from Calmecac Indigenous Arts Dancers and Lee’s Golden Dragons; music from Jukebox Trainwreck, a band that “recycles” songs you know into something new; art demonstrations, live painting, and a “battle” of chalk artists; art installations, such as art cars and solar and wind power sculptures; documentary shorts; crafts; lots of opportunities to find ways to get involved and more much. All are welcome to the free event.

    Witness the world premiere of Music for New Bodies, the first collaboration from composer Matthew Aucoin and director Peter Sellars, on Saturday, April 20, at 8 p.m. at Brockman Hall for Opera in The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. DACAMERA and The Shepherd School of Music will present the piece, inspired by the poetry of Jorie Graham, and performed by five vocalists and an 18-instrument ensemble comprised of Shepherd School of Music students and DACAMERA Young Artists. The concert will be followed by a conversation with Aucoin, Sellars and Joseph Campana, poet and director of the Center for Environmental Studies at Rice, moderated by DACAMERA’s Artistic Director Sarah Rothenberg. Tickets can be purchased here for $41 to $81.

    The celebration of different Hispanic cultures through music will make for a “hot night” at Miller Outdoor Theatre on Saturday, April 20, at 8:15 p.m. during the 23rd Annual Noche Caliente featuring David Sánchez and produced by the Diaz Music Institute. Sánchez is “recognized as one of the greatest tenor saxophonists in the world,” the winner of a Latin Grammy in 2005 and someone “known for exploring and combining his Latin heritage, Pan African influences, and the fundamentals of jazz in his music compositions.” During the concert, Sánchez performing with Houston youth group “Caliente,” under the direction of Grammy-nominated music educator Jose Antonio Diaz. The event is free, and you can get reserve your free tickets here starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 19, or you can plan for the ticketless seating on the Hill. 

    If you’re not aware, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, opened in 1924, which means this year we’re celebrating the museum’s 100th anniversary. The perfect way to start the celebration is during the museum’s Spring Festival – New Beginnings on Sunday, April 21, from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Brown Foundation, Inc. Plaza and the Cullen Sculpture Garden. The family-friendly event will include musical and dance performances, international food vendors, artmaking stations and activity tables, such as a table to see an Arabic calligraphy demonstration (with the Islamic Arts Society) and story time (with the Houston Public Library), and much more. Admission is free all day to both the museum’s permanent-collection galleries and the Spring Festival. No tickets needed for the outdoor activities, and you can reserve a free ticket to enter the museum here.

    Fun fact: Despite Swan Lake being one of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “sure-fire hits for ballet companies around the world” – along with The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty – “was a critical failure when it was first performed by the Bolshoi Ballet in 1877.” Critics aside, “the audience lapped it up,” and on Sunday, April 21, at 2 p.m. you can catch the classic ballet at the Wortham Theater Center when Performing Arts Houston brings World Ballet Series: Swan Lake to town. The project features hand-painted sets, more than 150 costumes and, of course, all of the ballet’s classic moments, such as the Dance of the Cygnets, Odile’s 32 fouettés and the Black Swan pas de deux. The ballet will be performed a second time on Sunday, April 21, at 6 p.m. Tickets to either performance can be purchased here for $45 to $125.

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    Natalie de la Garza

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  • Best Bets: Rebirth, Houston’s Got Bollywood and The Taming of the Shrew

    Best Bets: Rebirth, Houston’s Got Bollywood and The Taming of the Shrew

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    Interestingly, today is National Barbershop Quartet Day. We don’t have any barbershop quartets on this week’s list of best bets, but we do have plenty of musical performances, from a Tony Award-winning musical about an American icon to Bollywood in the Bayou City, as well as films, dance, and theater shows. Keep reading for these and more events on our list of best bets.

    For decades, Rob Reiner’s 1987 film The Princess Bride, “a high-spirited adventure that pits true love against inconceivable odds,” has been charming “legions of fans with its irreverent gags, eccentric ensemble, and dazzling swordplay.” On Thursday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. Performing Arts Houston will welcome the actor who played heroic farm boy Westley, Cary Elwes, to Jones Hall for The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes. Following a screening of the film, Elwes, who authored As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales From the Making of The Princess Bride, will join Houston Public Media‘s Ernie Manouse to give audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film during a moderated discussion. A second screening is scheduled for Friday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. and tickets to either are available here for $39 to $99.

    The 1950s-style American sitcom meets William Shakespeare in Classical Theatre Company’s upcoming production of The Bard’s The Taming of the Shrew, which opens at The DeLuxe Theater on Friday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. Director Dana Bowman has noted that the classic is “definitely a sexist play,” and their approach is to “look back at the 1950s and sort of see what parallels we can draw” while staging it as sitcom – like Father Knows Best or The Dick Van Dyke Show – so “it can still be fun.” The production, which will conclude the company’s season-long celebration of iconic women, will run through April 20 with performances scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and April 15; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets can be purchased here for $10 to $30.

    Art on wheels once again comes to the streets of Houston as The Orange Show Center For Visionary Art presents the 37th Annual Art Car Parade, led by Saint Arnold’s founder Brock Wagner and scheduled to start at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, on Allen Parkway between Bagby and Dallas. Orange Show Executive Director Tommy Ralph Pace recently told the Houston Press that he thinks the event “is more about celebrating the spirit of creativity that the city of Houston has,” adding that “it’s such an incredible honor to be able to steward this celebration for the city.” If you can’t get your fill of art car celebrations, information about the events around the parade, such as the Art Car Ball on Friday, April 12, can be found here. The parade is free to attend.

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    Houston’s Got Bollywood returns to Miller Outdoor Theatre on Saturday with Once Upon a Time to Happily Ever After.

    Photo by Navin Mediwala

    Bollywood, the “humorous moniker for the Indian cinema industry,” will come to Miller Outdoor Theatre on Saturday, April 13, at 8:15 p.m. during Houston’s Got Bollywood – Once Upon a Time to Happily Ever produced by Moksh Community Arts. The dance-theater performance by Naach Houston will feature 50 dancers in beautiful costumes telling short stories across four acts, all of which draws from the “extravagant song-and-dance scenes, romantic melodrama, and eye-catching set designs” Bollywood is known for. Like all shows at Miller Outdoor Theatre, this one is free and you can reserve free tickets here starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 12, if you want an assigned, covered seat. Alternatively, you can bring a blanket or lawn chair and head for the ticketless seating on the Hill.

    There’s a new dance collective in town, and you can get your first look at the Skylar Campbell Dance Collective when they present their debut showcase, titled Rebirth, at 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, at the MATCH. Campbell, a principal dancer with Houston Ballet, curates the evening, which features works from Guillaume Cote, Kristina Paulin and Alexei Ratmansky, along with world premiere commissions from Julia Adam, Robert Binet, Connor Walsh and Jack Wolff. Completing the program will be the talents of dancers from Houston Ballet and National Ballet of Canada, as well as live music provided by Tonya Burton and Yvonne Chen of the Monarch Chamber Players. Tickets to the performance, which is expected to run about 60 minutes, can be purchased here for $45.

    In 1979, tension between the fishing community of Seadrift, Texas, and an influx of Vietnamese immigrants led to the shooting of a local white man by a Vietnamese man, an incident that got the attention of the Ku Klux Klan and would later inspire the film Alamo Bay. On Tuesday, April 16, at 7 p.m. Asia Society Texas, in partnership with Humanities Texas, will present a screening of the documentary Seadrift followed by a talk and audience Q&A with Tim Tsai, the film’s director. Tsai has said that questions about Seadrift – like “Are the Vietnamese still there? Is it possible for a community to heal from past division and violence? If yes, how?” – “compelled” him “to find out more.” Admission is free, but registration is required here.

    The Tony Award-winning musical about the woman born Cherilyn Sarkisian but known today simply as Cher will come to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m. when Theatre Under the Stars opens the national touring production of The Cher Show. Cher is played by three actresses in the production, and one of those actresses, Morgan Scott, recently told the Houston Press that she thinks Cher’s “re-invention of herself is what makes her absolutely so incredible,” adding that the show – even for non-Cher fans – is “a really uplifting and empowering show to go to.” Performances will continue at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and Sundays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays through April 28. Tickets can be purchased here for $40 to $139.

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    Natalie de la Garza

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  • UM Dance Team first to compete nationally in university, state history

    UM Dance Team first to compete nationally in university, state history

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    Between performing in front of crowds exceeding 26,000 and committing to a lengthy season that spans July through April, the University of Montana Dance Team knows how to face a challenge together.

    The team is about to take on a new and historic challenge: dancing on behalf of the university and the entire Treasure State at a national championship competition.






    The team’s competition routine is an ambitious dance that requires each teammate to be perfectly synchronized.




    “This is the first time in program history, in school history and in the history of the entire state of Montana that a college team is going to represent our state at the national level,” said UM Dance Team Coach Alli Baumgardner. “This is such a huge step for our program. Our momentum with the team is just exploding.”

    The Dance Team, along with their coach, spirit squad director, Monte and a few very excited moms, will travel to Orlando, Florida, for the College Classic National Championship on April 10-15. They will face off against others from around the country to compete in the jazz and spirit categories.

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    The team and Monte also will showcase their competition routines for the campus community at 8 p.m. Sunday, April 7, in Dahlberg Arena in the Adams Center. Admission is free.

    Baumgardner hopes the competition will put a national spotlight on the team, gaining more recognition, respect and support for their somewhat hidden talent.







    Dance Team practice

    UM Dance Team Coach Alli Baumgardner instructs her team during rehearsal.




    “I’m really hoping to increase awareness of our spirit program,” echoed UM Spirit Squad Director Stacey Richards, who oversees both the Dance and Cheer teams. “They really are such a talented, amazing group, and I think our dance program is only going to gain more recognition after nationals. I want to put the University of Montana on the map for dance.”

    Baumgardner, who danced for UM as a student and captained the team her sophomore through senior years, took the coaching reins last academic year. She saw how the team had grown in talent and number — almost doubling in less than a decade to 20 members this year — and realized their talent rose to the level of nationally competitive.

    Raising the $2,000 needed for each dancer to go to Orlando was the first step. The team met their goal through donations and fundraising, with some team members running dance clinics for high schoolers over winter break.

    “I’m really proud of them for stepping up and finding ways to generate some revenue,” Richards said. “We’re in a good place now, and we have a good plan in place for next year so all of this is done earlier and nobody has that extra stress.”

    The road to the national stage also required additional rehearsal hours to learn a new, unfamiliar routine while maintaining the dancers’ regular practice and performance duties, as well as their responsibilities as students.

    During a normal season, the dancers practice four to five days each week for two to four hours depending on the time of year, and dedicate time to lifting in the weight room. They also perform at all home football, basketball and volleyball game days. In November, each sport overlaps, meaning the team can perform at as many as six different games in a week.

    “We’re dedicated athletes,” said team captain Andrea Newbrough, a biochemistry senior from Great Falls who’s danced since age 4. “We put a lot of time and effort into our craft, just like any other sport does.”

    Newbrough and her teammates noted how the smiles, cheers and laughter they share with crowds on game days can create the illusion that the team’s work is relatively easy, but it’s the behind-the-scenes work that allows the dancers to entertain with seemingly such ease.

    Competing nationally meant adding a new practice day to their calendars to rehearse choreography for their two-minute jazz routine — a physically demanding dance that is stylistically different from game day performances and requires each dancer to operate synchronously. They danced for 30 hours over a single weekend while learning choreography from Seattle Seahawks dancers, who were blown away by the UM team’s talent.







    Dance Team practice

    On top of their game day and student responsibilities, the Dance Team puts in copious hours practicing each week.




    “The choreographers were like, ‘These are the dancers hiding in Montana?’” Baumgardner said. “We are now to the point where we have the skills that big teams are competing with.”

    Since then, the team has meticulously cleaned every second of choreography to ensure each dancer perfectly mirrors the other, down to details as precise as the angle of their hands.

    The competition’s spirit category, which showcases the team’s fight song and media timeout routine, is familiar ground. Entertaining and hyping-up Griz Nation on game day is the Dance Team’s top focus and area of excellence. Dancers cite the rush of performing in front of 26,000-plus fans at Griz football games, which ranks among the top attendance in FCS football, as an experience unequal in measure that helped prepare them for the pressure of nationals.

    “I’ll be recognized by people I don’t know at the grocery store. It feels like being a part of a big family,” said co-captain Addie Wood, a senior elementary education major from Spokane, Washington. “I take a lot of pride in who the people in the community know me as.”

    Until this year though, dancing at UM meant trading the thrill of competition for the excitement of game day.

    “It’s been a dream for a lot of the girls on the team, because most of us were competitive studio dancers growing up,” Newbrough said. “It’s something you had to walk away from when you committed to this team. Now you can have both: You get quite possibly one of the best game day experiences dancing here, but you also get to compete.”

    Competing is a major selling point to prospective dancers considering UM, as it was for freshman dancer Kendall Hanson of Coeur D’Alene, Idaho.

    “This is literally what I dreamed of in college,” said Hanson, who began dancing competitively at age 6. “The teamwork, the effort, the determination by everyone.”

    Despite the absence of a crowd, Hanson said, practicing for nationals is just as thrilling as game days. While nervous, she feels more confident in the jazz routine with each practice.

    “It’s definitely the hardest dance I’ve ever done, and I’ve been dancing since I was 2,” Hanson said. “I just want my team to be the best we can be and leave our hearts out on the stage. No matter what happens, we’re proud of each other.

    “I also want to make coach proud. She’s put so much effort into building this team.”

    Regardless of how they place, Hanson said, it’s an honor to hold the title of first team to represent Montana at nationals, and she looks forward to carrying that torch forward at UM.







    Team.jpg

    The UM Dance Team practices for the College Classic National Championship in their competition uniforms.




    For seniors Newbrough and Wood, this year’s nationals represent their only chance to compete nationally with a team of girls who are also their best friends and fiercest advocates.

    “I’ve been watching this competition for years. The moment I get on stage is just going to be surreal,” Wood said. “We’re all working so hard for one unified goal and for each other.”

    Wood is proud to leave a legacy by helping the dance team take a massive leap and is excited to see how it will grow after she leaves.

    “Every single year I’ve been on this team, the freshmen are better and better,” Wood said. “We are moving up in the eyes of the competition world and the dance team world, as well as in the eyes of our community.”







    uniform.jpg

    UM student Andrea Newbrough holds up her competition uniform.




    Newbrough has high hopes for her team at nationals but can’t help get emotional thinking about ending her college dance career with such a historic achievement.

    “I cannot imagine my college experience without Dance Team,” Newbrough said. “I think I’ll miss the girls the most.”

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  • Poignancy and Aggression Captivate in Houston Ballet’s Latest Mixed Rep Bespoke

    Poignancy and Aggression Captivate in Houston Ballet’s Latest Mixed Rep Bespoke

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    For the commitment-phobic amongst us, there’s nothing better than a mixed repertory program. It’s much needed variety in comfortable, bite-size pieces. Over at the Wortham Theater Center, Houston Ballet is teasing us once again with a mix of classical (neoclassical) and modern works in their latest mixed rep, Bespoke, which aptly opens with the Houston premiere of Stanton Welch’s Bespoke, originally created for the San Francisco Ballet in 2018.

    Bespoke is a tender contemplation, a thoughtfully abstract peek into what it is to love something with an expiration date attached to it. In this case, that something is dance itself. Set across two Johann Sebastian Bach violin concertos, masterfully brought to vivid life by violinist Denise Tarrant, it is five movements of fond, lovingly crafted movement for 12 dancers.

    In silence and solo, Eric Best opens the piece with charm, both easing the audience in and holding court. It’s easy to imagine Best preening before a mirror in a dance studio, just a dancer and technique on display to no one and everyone. Soon, however, dancers run in from the wings, filling and traveling across a set that feels unfathomably deep. Time is a clear motif introduced early, with port de bras stiffly leaning into and lending themselves to the implied tick of a clock’s hand inexorably moving forward.

    The piece feels stripped down – figuratively and literally, considering Holly Hynes underwear-y, pajama-like costumes, which brighten the proceedings with simple pops of color. It’s a bit like a curtain pulled back, letting the audience in on something quite intimate and particularly well-articulated during the second movement’s pas de deux.

    click to enlarge

    Houston Ballet Soloist Danbi Kim and Principal Chase O’Connell in Stanton Welch’s Bespoke.

    Photo by Amitava Sarkar (2024). Courtesy of Houston Ballet.

    Ominous red, courtesy of James F. Ingalls exacting lighting designs, opens the section, which features a serious, straight-faced Chase O’Connell partnering with Danbi Kim. It’s heartrending, poignant and at times fraught, with gorgeous lifts, careful extensions and weighty holds. Scrawled in my notes is a “this feels like a break up,” but more accurately it’s like watching something come to an unwanted end. Time, of course, is never far away either, with Kim briefly resembling a metronome.

    Though Bespoke has a wistful undercurrent, Bach’s lively music allows plenty of welcome room for spates of pairs, trios and groups, showing off an impressive amount of control in spacing and formations, not to mention clever footwork and flair (like Simone Acri’s stunning series of turns). Though the piece, overall, feels light, that feeling’s deceptive, particularly when we come to an ending that is unexpectedly powerful.

    Going into the first intermission, Bespoke filled the Wortham with good vibes and satisfied patrons, which the next work – the Houston premiere of Jiří Kylián’s Overgrown Path – couldn’t quite capitalize on.

    Originally created back in 1980 for the Nederlands Dans Theater and set to the music of Leoš Janáček, Overgrown Path is…

    click to enlarge

    Artists of Houston Ballet in Jiří Kylián’s Overgrown Path.

    Photo by Amitava Sarkar (2024). Courtesy of Houston Ballet.

    Well, there’s not much to say about Overgrown Path other than it misses the mark, causing an unfortunate dip in the program. It’s drawn from a Janáček piano cycle that is most definitely about life and death, grief and loss, time passing. And yet, between the piece’s repetitiveness and restlessness, it didn’t leave much of a mark emotionally. And, not to sound like too much of a homer about this, but this city is blessed with a company that not only dances ridiculously well, but acts just as well so…I suspect talent isn’t the problem.

    The sense of fighting something that can’t be fought comes through in an affecting way, but it’s fleeting. Turns out that affecting quality is difficult to sustain throughout the 32-minute piece – though the dancers tried valiantly. If there’s one blindingly bright spot in this piece, it’s the pairing of Harper Watters and Bridget Allinson-Kuhns, who turn in a pas de deux that will get you sitting up straighter and leaning forward in your seat to take it all in.

    Luckily, it’s still a merciful 30 minutes, and after another intermission, we get to the true star of the show.

    If you were lucky – and I can’t emphasize the word lucky enough – you got to see the Houston premiere of Harbour’s Filigree and Shadow back in 2018, when the Wortham was a post-Hurricane Harvey no-go and the company took up temporary residence in George R. Brown Convention Center’s Resilience Theater.

    Filigree and Shadow is a wild, 21-minute ride. Harbour dropped a metaphorical lead foot on the gas, thrusting 14 dancers and the audience into a breathless frenzy against the dense, unforgiving electronic soundscape provided by 48nord, the moniker of Munich-based duo Siegfried Rössert and Ulrich Müller. Harbour is relentless. Every sharp move, every crisp gesture – up, down, left, right – appears programmed but primal, filling Kelvin Ho’s imposing, cold-blooded set with intense, rhythmic, pulsating life and otherworldly elegance.

    click to enlarge

    Houston Ballet First Soloist Mónica Gómez and Principal Connor Walsh in Tim Harbour’s Filigree and Shadow.

    Photo by Amitava Sarkar (2024). Courtesy of Houston Ballet.

    Nowhere is that life more apparent than in the captivating, sensual partnering of Connor Walsh and Mónica Gómez. It’s impossible to take your eyes off the pair, and it’s not just because of lighting designer Benjamin Cisterne’s uber-dramatic choices, perfect as they are, too.

    Either in spite of, or maybe even because of, the stark, science fiction-like setting of Filigree and Shadow, the aggressive and ritualistic moves given to the dancers feel all the more recognizable to our, if I may, lizard brains. It’s also worth noting that not every work that opens on an awe-inducing tableau delivers on that promise, but Filigree and Shadow does with ease.

    The truth of the matter is, Filigree and Shadow being on the program is reason enough to make your way over to the Wortham. It’s a must-see on its own. Combine it with Bespoke and forget it – you should already have ticket in hand. Despite the, well, let’s call it a hiccup in the middle of the show, all the pieces selected for this mixed repertory program are worth seeing. And anyway, doesn’t that saying go, two out of three ain’t bad?

    Performances will continue at 7:30 p.m. on March 9, 15 and 16, and 2 p.m. on March 10 and 17 at the Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas. For more information, call 713-227-2787 or visit houstonballet.org. $25-$45.

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    Natalie de la Garza

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  • Houston Ballet’s Enchanting Cinderella Finds New Life in Age-Old Fairy Tale

    Houston Ballet’s Enchanting Cinderella Finds New Life in Age-Old Fairy Tale

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    Is Stanton Welch’s Cinderella as magical as its forebearers?

    That’s the question going in to the Wortham Theater Center for the Houston Ballet’s latest mounting of Welch’s more modern take on the age-old fairy tale, which he first premiered in 1997 with the Australian Ballet.

    You know the story, but a very abridged version goes like this: Once upon a time, lived a young woman named Cinderella, who was treated like little more than a servant by her stepmother and two stepsisters. One day, with a little magical intervention, Cinderella gets the chance to attend a ball where she meets a prince. But like all good things, the evening must come to an end at midnight (so say the magic), and in her haste to leave, Cinderella leaves behind a single slipper. The prince uses the slipper to track her down and save her from her wretched life. They live happily ever after. The end.

    Welch’s Cinderella retains the wicked stepmother and stepsisters, as well as a ball, a midnight deadline and a slipper that just won’t stay on. But instead instead of a doormat waiting for a prince to save her, his Cinderella is a fighter, and instead of any “bibbidi-bobbidi-boo” spouting fairy godmother, it’s Cinderella’s deceased mother and a graveyard full of ghoulish minions that get Cinderella ready for the ball. If that sounds a bit macabre, that’s because it is. But it’s also representative of what Welch has done so masterfully with this ballet: riding the tonal shifts of Sergei Prokofiev’s lyrical score.

    Prokofiev’s score can go from ominous to optimistic in seconds – just take a look at that graveyard scene. It has notes of darkness as well as whimsy, all of which the Houston Ballet Orchestra, under the hand of Ermanno Florio, approach with superb skill. Welch embraces the theatricality of Prokofiev’s music, and mines every bit of humor, with a fun and varied approach to movement. From the sweeping romance of the work’s pas de deux to the herky-jerk style of the undead, and the all-too brief shuffling and pulsating dances from the Spanish Princesses (Adelaide Clauss and Natalie Varnum) and the Arabian Princess (Yuriko Kajiya) – not to mention every head bobble and chicken neck – Welch leaves nothing to be desired. Not only is this true for the dance, it’s true for the characterization.

    click to enlarge

    Houston Ballet First Soloist Mónica Gómez as Cinderella and Principal Connor Walsh as Dandini with Artists of Houston Ballet in Stanton Welch’s Cinderella.

    Photo by Lawrence Elizabeth Knox (2024). Courtesy of Houston Ballet.

    In patchworked overalls and short hair – think Natalie Portman’s post-V for Vendetta-pixie-crop short – with her arms crossed, feet planted and chin up, Mónica Gómez is a scrappy Cinderella. She’s not one to be pushed around without pushing back (literally at times) or let her stepsisters show her up, like when she puts them to shame with a series of fouetté turns. But Gómez also imbues her Cinderella with wistfulness; it’s in the longing in her face as she gazes at her deceased mother (an exquisitely elegant Karina González), or the sadness when she looks upon her father (an absolutely defeated Aaron Daniel Sharratt).

    Gómez is also exuberant, and particularly charming when paired with Connor Walsh’s Dandini. Walsh looks enchanted as Dandini, and the pairs interactions culminate in a pas de deux straight out of, well, a fairy tale. Tender and joyous, and topped only by a second pas de deux in the third act.

    Harper Watters, with a dramatic red lip and perfectly arched eyebrow, owns this show as Cinderella’s stepmother. Easily the most enjoyable character to watch on stage. Watters cuts an imposing, intimidating figure, backed up often by the over-the-top antics of Nikita Baryshnikov and Elivelton Tomazi, who play stepsisters Grizabella and Florinda. And yes, they’re on pointe and it’s a lot of fun to see.

    Jack Wolff only has eyes for himself as the Prince (though Cinderella does briefly catch his attention). Wolff’s Prince is a perfectly preening, pouty, finger-gun shooting, winking dolt, and Steven Woodgate is his relatively benevolent father, the King, who is constantly pushing the marriage agenda. Simone Acri puts in an admirable effort as Buttons (and makes an exciting exit at one point in first act) but the character itself is a bit of a hard sell. And, out of nowhere, props to Saul Newport for earning much deserved laughs from the crowd as the dance instructor.

    click to enlarge

    Houston Ballet Principal Karina González as Mother and Artists of Houston Ballet in Stanton Welch’s Cinderella.

    Photo by Lawrence Elizabeth Knox (2024). Courtesy of Houston Ballet.

    The world of Welch’s “once upon a time,” designed by Kristian Fredrikson, looks a bit like the late 19th- or early 20th-century and is full of both the beautiful and the grotesque. There are nightmarish mannequins come to life, a carnival that Pennywise would fit right into and skeletal masks for the undead army, aside the stained-glass glow of Cinderella’s home, a peacock-adorned ballroom, and the most dramatic of choices – stark black staging in the third act, which eventually gives way to a gorgeous night sky. Lisa J. Pinkham provided the lighting concepts for the show, which makes good use of spotlights to draw the eye.

    Now, there is one other thing I feel strongly about in a much less positive way: Two boob grabs, by two different characters, in one show is one too many. There’s only one dickish character who should be inappropriately copping a feel.

    Other than that, the conclusion is pretty simple: Stanton Welch’s Cinderella isn’t just as magical as its forebearers, it’s even more memorable because of its scrappy heroine, excellent cast of supporting characters, and some tweaks that make the story just a bit more real.

    Performances will continue at 7:30 p.m. Friday, 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays through March 3 at the Wortham Center, 501 Texas. For more information, call 713-227-2787 or visit houstonballet.org. $25-$220.

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    Natalie de la Garza

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  • It was a ‘Night to Shine’ at Beverly church

    It was a ‘Night to Shine’ at Beverly church

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    BEVERLY — North Shore Community Baptist Church in Beverly hosted Night to Shine 2024, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, on Feb. 9.

    Almost 80 guests and their parents and caregivers attended the event, a prom-like experience centered on “God’s love and celebrating people with special needs,” according to a press release from the church. The event was held in-person by host churches around the world simultaneously on Feb. 9.

    The evening at North Shore Community Baptist Church began with guests walking the red carpet complete with an enthusiastic welcome from a friendly crowd and paparazzi. Once inside, guests received a corsage or boutonniere as well as the royal treatment at hair, makeup and shoeshine stations.

    The festivities continued with limousine rides, a catered dinner, karaoke and dancing. Every special guest had the honor of being crowned king or queen of the prom.

    Nearly 260 volunteers from area churches, Gordon College, Gordon-Conwell Seminary, Joni and Friends, and the community worked together to make the evening memorable, organizers said.

    This was the 10th anniversary of Night to Shine. The event has provided over a half a million guest experiences through hundreds of churches from 56 different countries.

    As sponsor, the Tim Tebow Foundation provides each host church with the official Night to Shine Planning Manual, personalized guidance from a foundation staff member, the opportunity to apply for a financial grant, and access to planning sources.

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    By News Staff

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  • From Stage to Startup: Ballet Pro’s Lucrative Side Hustle | Entrepreneur

    From Stage to Startup: Ballet Pro’s Lucrative Side Hustle | Entrepreneur

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    This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Danielle Schultz, a ballet dancer at the Metropolitan Opera and founder of The Triangle Sessions, a corporate wellness company offering company retreats, interactive wellness classes and team-building events. She is based in the Greater Philadelphia Area.

    Image Credit: Devin Cruz.

    You’d been a dancer with the Metropolitan Opera since 2014 when Covid hit. How did your life and work change in those early days of the pandemic, and when did you know it was time to supplement your income with a side hustle?

    When Covid hit, I was in the middle of Die Fliegende Hollander and was slated to perform in Turandot a few weeks later. I had nurtured positions teaching fitness and ballet at New York City studios, which I continued via Zoom to stay financially afloat. However, I was also three months pregnant, and my husband was a full-time student. I had to get creative quickly. One of the first social impacts of Covid that everyone struggled with was isolation. It gave me the idea to start offering corporate wellness and team events to help employees stay connected in the newly virtual workplace.

    Related: Being an Entrepreneur Means Finding Profit in Your Passion

    How did your professional background inspire you to launch The Triangle Sessions? How did that skill set translate to your entrepreneurial journey?

    I graduated in 2009 from NYU Tisch with a dance degree and a minor in art history. It was a terrible time to graduate, especially with an arts degree. I turned down an apprenticeship with a small ballet company to perform as a dancer on a cruise ship and travel the world. Believe it or not, this was simply the more practical approach at the time. I was able to give up my New York City apartment, live expense-free and save money. This experience served as a crash course in travel and tourism, something that would come into play 10 years later when organizing a large-scale retreat for a national law firm.

    After my cruise ship contract, I danced with a small contemporary company while waiting tables at high-end restaurants. It was the New York City restaurant scene that provided excellent training in wine, spirits and food pairings. Like the cruise ship, I learned the value of customer service and how to connect with a wide variety of people. Waiting tables still goes down as the hardest job I’ve ever had, but it was too physically demanding while dancing.

    Related: Shift Your Perspective From Getting to Giving to Get Unstuck

    When I got my break at the Metropolitan Opera, a dream job for years, there was a catch…it still wasn’t full-time. So, I had to supplement my income in a way that would be easier on my body. I became a certified yoga teacher, certified nutrition counselor and Ballet Beautiful trainer for celebrity clients. All of these skills allowed me to share a deeper understanding of the human body with a wide range of people. It set me up beautifully for teaching corporate wellness.

    For years, I continued to perform at the Metropolitan Opera while juggling a slew of part-time work. It wasn’t until my aunt, a former ballroom champion and long-time business owner, told me something that I’ll never forget: “Dani, you already have the mentality of an entrepreneur in the way you support yourself. You have multiple income streams. Figure out how to work for yourself, not other people, so that you can share your knowledge on your own terms.” It was a lightbulb moment that got the wheels turning. It took a pandemic and a layoff from the Met Opera to pursue the endeavor full-time.

    What was your vision for The Triangle Sessions, and what were some of the first steps you took to get it off the ground?

    I wanted to implement the knowledge I developed in my professional dance career around healthy habits and performing at one’s best. I wanted to replicate the camaraderie I had experienced in the dance world through high-quality, purpose-driven experiences and apply it to the corporate world.

    When Covid first hit, I offered virtual wellness classes….yoga, meditation, desk stretching, etc., always with some type of social component. No one was interested. People just wanted alcohol and happy hours. I started incorporating educational wine and sake tastings WITH corporate wellness, and suddenly, there was interest! I found a fantastic vendor to help put together high-quality experience kits (and accommodate some of my wacky requests, like combining foam rollers with bottles of Prosecco and gourmet snacks), and I hit the ground running.

    Related: Side Hustles for These Times

    How did you approach continuing to build, and what does your revenue look like?

    Initially, the vast majority of business came from my own network, referrals and word-of-mouth. After some time hosting virtual team-building and wellness events, I became a small fish in a large pond. So, I partnered (and still continue to partner) with larger team-building event companies in which my services are offered. They have a dedicated sales team, and it provides steady revenue, all while nurturing my own clients and relationships. Annual revenue for 2022 was $110,000.

    What were some of the biggest challenges along the way, and how did you navigate those?

    The biggest challenge is trying to anticipate the needs of organizations and their employees without straying too far from our own mission. Employee well-being and community are at the backbone of The Triangle Sessions. I keep an open mind and experiment to see where there’s interest. In 2020, happy hours were in vogue. This last year it’s been all about wellness and creativity. Luckily, I enjoy this process and love having an open dialogue with clients to learn about their needs. Many of our signature events, like our Build-A-Terrarium workshop, which combines plant care with self-care, have been inspired by client requests.

    Personally, I’ve struggled to find the balance between running The Triangle Sessions and wanting to continue to dance. Dance is my first love, my identity since I was three years old. I returned to the Met Opera part-time in 2021 and scaled back on the number of productions I usually perform to focus on building The Triangle Sessions. However, keeping my foot in the door at the Met sometimes leads to losing momentum. It’s a risk I’m willing to take for now since I have the best of both worlds. Martha Graham once said, “A dancer dies twice—once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” These words ring true, but I’m grateful to be building another satisfying career around community, connectivity and high-quality performance.

    Related: These High School Best Friends Achieved Their Dream of Being Their Own Bosses. Their Next Step? Starting a Wellness Revolution.

    Do you have any advice for other professionals who want to start a side hustle or full-time business?

    Lean into your strengths. Learn your core values. Reflect on what makes you different. From there, assess how these skills can benefit others and bring out the best in communities. It may take a bit of experimentation and creativity, but the process can be surprisingly satisfying. Sometimes, you just need to start somewhere and see what happens. Celebrate the small wins and run (or dance!) at your own pace.

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    Amanda Breen

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  • Reformation’s Collab With New York City Ballet Is Epic—These 11 Items Floored Me

    Reformation’s Collab With New York City Ballet Is Epic—These 11 Items Floored Me

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    Reformation has done many exciting collaborations over the years, but I can’t say that I’ve ever been quite as thrilled about one as I was when I heard that they were partnering with New York City Ballet on a collection. The NYCB Collection is out today, and it’s every bit as good as I imagined it would be.

    Included among the 19 ballerina-inspired pieces are gauzy skirts, chic ballet flats, pretty bodysuits, and stunning dresses. The collection was photographed at Lincoln Center, NYCB’s home base, and includes actual dancers from the company among the models for the editorial shoot. Reformation says the capsule collection was designed for the “ballerina off-duty”. Specifically, it was inspired by the George Balanchin ballet Jewels, which is opening the company’s fall season.

    I took a long hard look at the collection and I legitimately want everything, but there are a few pieces that really stood out to me. Scroll to shop those and see images from the stunning editorial shoot for the collaboration.

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    Allyson Payer

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  • I’m a Former Dancer—30 Balletcore Beauty Finds I’m Dreaming About

    I’m a Former Dancer—30 Balletcore Beauty Finds I’m Dreaming About

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    Most Wanted is a weekly series in which one editor, staffer, or influencer shares their top 30 must-haves or current wish-list items.

    I’m a former ballet dancer, so it’s safe to say I’m a little more than in love with the balletcore aesthetic. Baby pink is one of my favorite colors; satin ribbons, tulle skirts, and ballet flats are mainstays in my wardrobe; and my hair is in a bun 99% of the time. Naturally, my affinity for pretty things extends to my beauty routine as well. I’ve rounded up some gorgeous finds that embody balletcore to a T, many of which I’ve used to get dolled up for performances. Keep scrolling to see my balletcore beauty edit.

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    Emma Walsh

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  • Ballet Flats Are Back, and These 16 Outfit Formulas Make Them Look Chic

    Ballet Flats Are Back, and These 16 Outfit Formulas Make Them Look Chic

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    Do you know those people who perpetually live in heels? Well, I’m one of them. For as long as I can remember, I have been wearing heels in all their forms—ankle strap heels, Mary Jane pumps, platform sandals, you get the gist. But the longer I’ve lived in New York City, the more I’ve been open to experimenting with flats partially out of pure necessity. And while I can’t imagine I’ll always have a flair for the dramatics, there are so many great shoe trends (think loafers or vintage-inspired sneakers) that are worth test-driving. But I must confess that the one trend speaking to my soul the most is ballet flats. From Miu Miu’s polished satin iterations to The Row’s square-toe Mary Jane styles, S/S 22 and F/W 22 runways proved ballet flats are back and better than ever. 

    This makes adopting the shoe trend all the more alluring. But if you’re like me and not sure how to function in flats, you’ll want to keep reading, as I’ve done some digging to see how the fashion set is already wearing this trend. Whether you’re a flat-shoe fanatic or need some convincing that this shoe style is for you, these 16 ballet-flat outfit ideas are bound to impress.

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    Jasmine Fox-Suliaman

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  • The Classic Shoe Trend Every Stylish Celeb Wears at the Airport

    The Classic Shoe Trend Every Stylish Celeb Wears at the Airport

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    When it comes to airport style, I am all about outfits that are comfortable without sacrificing style, and the shoes are the key component for accomplishing this. Heels are a hard no in my book, as well as any other shoes that make for a complicated run through the security line. This leaves flat shoes like loafers, ankle boots, sneakers, and my all-time favorite: ballet flats. While ballet flats truly never go out of style, they are currently at the forefront of shoe trends at the moment.

    I know I am not alone in this preference as evidenced by the many stylish celebrities that are spotted traveling in the timeless flat shoe style. Besides the ease, they instantly elevate even the most basic of outfits. Just don’t forget to pack a pair of socks in your carry-on to save you from a grimy barefoot walk through security. Ahead, check out 11 inspiring celebrity airport looks with ballet flats. Plus, shop some of the chicest options at the moment.

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    Jennifer Camp Forbes

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  • Must Read: Business of Fashion and McKinsey Release ‘The State of Fashion’ Report, Taylor Russell Covers ‘Dazed’

    Must Read: Business of Fashion and McKinsey Release ‘The State of Fashion’ Report, Taylor Russell Covers ‘Dazed’

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    These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Wednesday.

    Business of Fashion and McKinsey Release State of Fashion 2023 report
    Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Co. released their annual report, “The State of Fashion 2023,” containing insights for the upcoming year and 10 key trends that are set to shape the industry. Business of Fashion CEO Imran Amed cautions of an upcoming global “polycrisis” between the economy and fallout from Russia’s war in Ukraine. Major findings include that a whopping 56% of fashion executives are bracing for an industry slowdown through 2023 amid various pressures. However, luxury sales are likely to carry the industry, expected to grow 10% over the year. The industry remains cautious on the dangers of greenwashing. {Business of Fashion}

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    Andrea Bossi

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  • Break it down: Dancers begin charting path to Paris Olympics

    Break it down: Dancers begin charting path to Paris Olympics

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    NEW YORK — Breaking is in Victor Montalvo’s blood. He is a descendant of twin breakers — his father and uncle — who were performing in Mexico long before they taught a young Montalvo to spin on his back.

    Born in Kissimmee, Florida, the 28-year-old who also goes by B-Boy Victor has mastered the foundations of the dance form. He has power. He has the flavor and swagger expected of a diehard b-boy. His movement syncs with the breakbeat flowing from the DJ’s turntables.

    Scribble, chirp, rip, boom, blip.

    He hopes to take breaking further than his relatives ever dreamt, to battle his way to a medal ceremony, when the now-global dance art debuts at the Olympic Summer Games less than two years from now.

    “I feel like I have a really high chance,” Montalvo told The Associated Press.

    He is among dozens of champion b-boys and b-girls — a term for a male or female entrenched in the culture of hip hop — who are charting a path to the 2024 Games in Paris. The International Olympic Committee announced two years ago that breaking would become an official Olympic sport, a development that divided the breaking community between those excited for the larger platform and those concerned about the art form’s purity.

    But after the Red Bull BC One World Final, held earlier this month in the birthplace of hip hop and a short distance from the very streets where Black and Puerto Rican New Yorkers pioneered the art of breaking, the field of Olympic competitors is starting to take shape. The Nov. 12 event also attracted some of the original b-boys and b-girls, as the hip hop community prepares to celebrate 50 years since the culture’s founding in 1973.

    “You never thought that something you were doing for fun was going to go around the world,” said Douglas “Dancin’ Doug” Colón, a b-boy of the first generation of breakers from Harlem who beamed with pride over the dance form’s acceptance into the Olympics.

    Along with Colón, first generation b-boy Trixie sat near a circular stage in the center of Manhattan’s Hammerstein Ballroom. One by one, Red Bull BC One World Final competitors from Canada, China, France, Italy, Kazakhstan, South Korea and Venezuela took to the battle stage. The energy drink beverage company runs the world’s largest breaking competition.

    The OGs offered blessings to their descendants by giving them dap — a friendly gesture of greeting in the Black and Latino communities that communicates solidarity and well wishes to the recipient. Joe Conzo, Jr, a photographer known in the community as “Joey Snapz,” who documented hip hop in the Bronx from its infancy, also sat stageside taking pictures of the Olympic hopefuls.

    “Nothing’s going to change the culture, the culture stays the same,” Colón said. “Even though it’s now an Olympic sport, people back in the hood will still be doing their thing.”

    Victor Alicea, a Red Bull BC One World Final judge, told the AP that judging competitions within the hip hop culture has always been very subjective. But that won’t be the case with the Paris Olympics, where officials will use a newly developed judging system to decide which b-boy or b-girl bested their opponent in one-on-one battles.

    The Trivium judging system, created for the debut of breaking at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, is a digital scoring platform that allows judges to react in real time to breakers’ physical, artistic and interpretative qualities or their “body, mind and soul.” A panel of five judges scores each breaker on creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity and musicality. The scores can adjust throughout the battle, based on how a breaker responds to their opponent.

    Scores can be lowered if a breaker “bites,” or copies, a set of moves from their opponent. Misbehavior, such as deliberate physical contact with an opponent, and other unsportsmanlike conduct can also lower a breaker’s score.

    “I look for someone that takes over the floor. It’s a battle. It’s not just you dance and then I dance. You’ve got to bring it,” said Alicea, who is also known as B-boy Kid Glyde.

    Montalvo, who was ranked as the world’s top b-boy after a world championship competition in Paris last December, said his path to the Olympics will require intense training. It will also require more winning performances at competitions sanctioned by the World DanceSport Federation, an IOC-approved body administering the battles. Breakers who do well in those events score points that help them qualify for the Paris Games. Olympic qualifiers kick off in September and run through June 2024.

    At the end of the process, 16 b-boys and 16 b-girls will be allowed to compete over two days at the iconic Place de la Concorde, an outdoor public square in Paris.

    That gives Olympic hopefuls lots of opportunities to sharpen their skills for the high stakes battles.

    MEET THE CONTENDERS

    B-BOY VICTOR

    What sets Montalvo apart from other b-boys, he said, is his command of judge-favored foundations of breaking: “toprock” moves, footwork, “downrock” moves done closer to the floor, “power” moves showing acrobatics and strength, along with the classic “headspins,” “windmills” and “freeze” poses.

    “I feel like the foundations are the most important thing,” he said. “I see a lot of dancers doing big moves, but then they don’t have those small details. They don’t know how to get out of those big moves. It’s important to create a story, and the foundations are like creating a story.”

    B-BOY YU-KI

    During a Red Bull BC One quarterfinal round battle against Japan’s Yuki Minatozaki, Montalvo transitioned from a windmill into a downrock move in which his legs moved back and forth so quickly that they looked like turning Double Dutch ropes. Minatozaki responded with a smirk, half-hearted applause and sarcastic thumbs up — all in the spirit of good sportsmanship — before exploding into a headspin and showcasing energetic standing footwork.

    “It feels great that the sport now has a lot more eyeballs on it,” Minatozaki, who goes by B-boy Yu-Ki, told the AP through a translator. The 23-year-old has been breaking since the age of five. He intends to seek a spot in the Paris Games, he said.

    Minatozaki lost his battle against Montalvo, who also went on to the final to defeat Lee-Lou Demierre of the Netherlands, another likely Olympic contender. That victory did not earn Montalvo points toward qualifying for the Olympics.

    B-GIRL INDIA

    India Sardjoe, a 16-year-old breaker from the Netherlands, won the Red Bull BC One World Final b-girl title. She said she planned to focus next on competing in crew battles – this entails a team of breakers competing against another for a group title and bragging rights, reminiscent of breaking’s roots in the Bronx. Sardjoe was fresh off of claiming the top honor at the European Breaking Championships, a WDSF event held in Manchester, England on Nov. 6.

    The Red Bull title is an accomplishment, nonetheless.

    “I had to battle the defending champion, so that’s not nothing,” Sardjoe said. “But I was super happy to battle against her.”

    B-GIRL LOGISTX

    Sardjoe defeated 19-year-old Logan Edra, also known as B-girl Logistx, who won last year’s Red Bull BC One World Final in Gdansk, Poland. Hailing from San Diego, Edra began breaking at age eight, after first training in ballet and jazz. Her father nudged her into hip hop lessons.

    Like Sardjoe and Montalvo, Edra told the AP she will compete in WDSF events over the next year and half for a spot in the Olympics. On Saturday, she competed in the Breaking for Gold Challenge Series in Tokyo and took home a silver medal behind Lithuania’s Dominika Banevič, known as B-Girl Nicka, who won gold.

    “I’m competing against the best of the best,” Edra said. “Because I have such a high standard for myself, I try to out-train everybody. The training is crazy — I’ve got bruises on my elbows and my knees from practicing moves over and over. It’s a lot of commitment because we don’t have as many resources as other sports do.”

    B-GIRL ISIS

    Isis Alexandra Granda Chalen, a b-girl who grew up in Ecuador before moving to the U.S., started young in ballet, folk and contemporary dance. But breaking spoke to her rebellious nature, particularly at a time when she questioned if those other dance forms were aligned with her dreams.

    “The moment that I understood that I have more responsibility for myself, I put more work into breaking and I got the opportunities to be here,” Chalen, 27, said ahead of the Red Bull BC One World Final.

    “Now, we’re going to do this transition, from artists to athletes,” she said of her Olympic dreams. “It’s a big opportunity for every country. I came from Latin America, where there aren’t as many opportunities. But the Olympics are for everybody.”

    B-GIRL SUNNY

    Sunny Choi, a Queens, New York-based b-girl who won the 2022 Red Bull BC One Cypher USA in September, said there’s an accessibility to the art and sport of breaking that will make it a huge draw at the Paris Olympics. She hopes to earn a spot on the U.S. team.

    “We have a lot of diversity in breaking, which is really beautiful about what we do, because there aren’t many financial barriers to entry,” Choi told the AP. “If you have a clean floor and, nowadays, access to YouTube or something where you can learn, and some music, you can just do this on your own.”

    She said her nascent Olympic journey has already required personal and professional sacrifices that initially had her questioning if she wanted to compete at all.

    “I’m one of those all or nothing people,” Choi said. “I’ve done a lot of soul searching to remove some of the mental blocks. I feel like this journey is going to pull out a lot from me and I just need to be ready for that.”

    ————

    Aaron Morrison is a New York City-based national writer and member of the AP’s Race and Ethnicity team. Follow him on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/aaronlmorrison.

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  • What to Wear (or More Importantly, Not Wear) to the Ballet

    What to Wear (or More Importantly, Not Wear) to the Ballet

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    As someone who just last month went to her first true ballet, I can say from experience how tricky of an event it is to dress for. Part of that it is because of the allure and exclusivity of it. Often held at lavish theaters, like the Palais Garnier Opera House in Paris and the Vienna State Opera in Austria, it’s easy to assume that attending a large-scale ballet immediately calls for an exquisite outfit that says, “Of course I’m at the ballet. Where else would I be?”

    Adding to the pressure to show up sartorially are all the pop-culture moments that take place at or outside of one of the elegant performances, from Carrie Bradshaw in that pink, drop-waist minidress outside of Lincoln Center on Sex and the City (fun fact: Sarah Jessica Parker is the vice chair of the New York City Ballet) to Julia Fox wearing a metallic gown by Zac Posen at the city’s 2022 Fall Fashion Gala. Most often, when we see photos of people attending the ballet, it’s to celebrate a big moment for the company. A red carpet is rolled out, and the expectations for what attendees show up in are high.

    But contrary to what you’ve seen in the society pages, experiencing the beauty of a ballet at one of the world’s top theaters isn’t always a glitzy event. Sometimes, say if the performance you’re going to see is taking place in the daytime, the dress code can be quite pared-back. Then again, no one’s going to say a word if you doll it up a little. Really, it’s all about your personal style preferences. According to the New York City Ballet, that and your comfort level are all that matters. Of course, if it’s a gala or other special event you’re attending, always refer to your invitation for dressing details. 

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    Eliza Huber

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  • Beyoncé celebrates the debut of her sister Solange’s ballet composition | CNN

    Beyoncé celebrates the debut of her sister Solange’s ballet composition | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    It’s no secret that talent runs through Knowles family, but Beyoncé has reason to feel especially proud of her sister Solange this week.

    Solange debuted her original composition for the New York City Ballet on Wednesday, becoming only the second Black woman to do so, after Lido Pimienta in 2021, according to a media representative for the ballet.

    Beyoncé celebrated her sister’s accomplishment and artistry in an Instagram over the weekend.

    “My beloved sister, there are no words to express the pride and admiration I have for you. You are a visionary and one of one,” Beyoncé wrote. “The piece you composed is phenomenal. I love you deep.”

    In her first collaboration with a ballet, Solange composed the work for dancer and choreographer Gianna Reisen.

    A multidisciplinary artist, Solange’s music has historically been complemented by stunning videos and films, like her 2019 visual album “When I Get Home.”

    Beyoncé concluded her tribute with a message for anyone who may question her younger sister’s cross-genre talent.

    “Might I suggest you don’t f*** with my sis,” she wrote.

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