In the wonderful world of reality-TV dance competitions, there’s perhaps nothing so wonderful as a comeback kid—the artist who, having danced their way to an elimination on a past season, is brave and passionate enough to return to that very same stage and prove their skill once again. And last night, we got the chance […]
She has movie-star looks and immaculate technique, but Lauren Adams is no superficial beauty: Her greatest gift is her sophisticated choreographic mind. Adams creates deeply felt works—loved by everyone from concert audiences to comp kids—that pulse with an energy at once raw and romantic. A native of Chesterfield, MI, she trained at Shelley’s Spotlight (now […]
Victoria Jaiani in the Joffrey Ballet’s Othello (by Cheryl Mann) It’s not just luxurious extensions and delicate port de bras that make the Joffrey Ballet’s Victoria Jaiani such a mesmerizing performer. She has that intangible “It” factor that marks a true prima ballerina—and makes her impossible not to watch, whether she’s embodying a heartbroken Dying […]
Ballroom icon Anna Trebunskaya, who returned to “Dancing with the Stars” this past fall after a five-season hiatus, is both a fierce technician and a firecracker onstage, lighting up performances with her sultry passion. After moving to the U.S. at the age of 17 to pursue a professional ballroom career, the Russian-born Trebunskaya began racking […]
American Ballet Theatre principal Stella Abrera isn’t just a breathtaking ballerina who rises to any occasion. The Filipino-American is also the founder of Steps Forward for the Philippines, a charitable partnership with Operation USA that raises funds for those who were affected by 2013’s Typhoon Haiyan. Raised in California, Abrera studied dance at the Pasadena […]
Rahardjanoto in Barbara Duffy’s Soldier’s Hymn (photo by Timur Civan, courtesy Claudia Rahardjanoto) Go see a tap show in NYC, and there’s a pretty good chance Claudia Rahardjanoto will be dancing. As a top tap performer, choreographer and educator, she’s worked with countless leaders in the field—including Dianne Walker, Mable Lee, Barbara Duffy and Max […]