Tag: gillian murphy

7 Tough-Love Lessons from the Legendary Irina Kolpakova

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 […]

What to Watch: Inside the Life of an ABT Studio Company Dancer

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a member of American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company, you’re in luck. The latest episode of “No Days Off,” a documentary web series profiling young and inspiring athletes, spotlights 17-year-old Joseph Markey, a first-year Studio Company member. The doc not only underscores the physical aspects of Markey’s […]

Gillian Murphy's Pirouettes Are UNREAL

So, I haven’t been pirouetting much for a few years now. But when I was dancing, I used to have this amazing recurring dream, which still haunts me: I go to do a pirouette. It becomes clear that I am exactly, perfectly on balance. I have a realization that as long as I keep spotting, […]

How NYC Dance Project Makes Photos Dance

Every NYC Dance Project image feels like a glimpse into something greater: a dance that’s happening behind a curtain, in a private moment. Take, for example, one of Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal dancer Céline Cassone’s photos, a commanding shot of her on pointe in passé, her fiery red hair flung upward over her face. […]

Attention, Aspiring Auroras! Getting in Character with ABT

Everyone knows it’s not only the steps or technique that make a ballerina memorable. It’s the emotion—and the ability to tell a story—that truly captivates an audience. And American Ballet Theatre‘s latest video is here to help. It takes us inside this season’s production of The Sleeping Beauty, complete with luscious footage of the ballet […]

Your Moment of Dance Zen: Sophia Lucia's Insane Pirouettes

We’ve all had that amazing pirouette dream. You know the one I’m talking about: The one where you go into a turn, realize you’re perfectly, absolutely, unshakably on-balance, and just. keep. spotting. 5 turns. 6 turns. 7. 8. 9. TEN. But there are a select few superhumans who live that dream every day. And Sophia […]