What We Learned from "city.ballet." Season 2, Episode 7

Season 2 of “city.ballet.”—the AOL On series that gives an insider’s look at New York City Ballet—is live now! We’re recapping one episode per week. Watch all 12 at dancemagazine.com. 

We love, love, love that this second season of “city.ballet.” is zooming in on some of New York City Ballet’s most fantastic, and most interesting, dancers. The entirety of episode 7 is devoted to principal Ashley Bouder—she of the killer jump and, as we discovered, unbelievable work ethic. Here are five things we learned from the ep.

1. Bouder gives amazing slo-mo face
. Just look at that opening shot!

2. Her personality offstage is, in a funny way, exactly what you’d expect after seeing her onstage.
 Bouder’s an incredibly incisive, decisive performer—she knows precisely what she wants to do out there, and she always gets it done. She seems to live her whole life the same way: She decided very early on that she wanted to dance, and she never let anything get in her way. It’s pretty inspiring.

3. She’s a singular dancer.
Frequently, people describe NYCB ballerinas as “the new Suzanne Farrell,” or “the new Patricia McBride.” But, as artistic director Peter Martins says, “Ashley Bouder does not remind me of anybody else.” And that’s a good thing. “You don’t want to think about somebody else when you see Ashley,” Martins explains.”She’s extremely versatile. She has an unbelievable technique.”

4. She’s also a nerd.
Bouder is majoring in political science at Fordham University. “I really like politics,” she says. “I can’t be in the classroom all the time, so my degree is going to take several years. But I’ll get there. I’ll graduate.” Hey, Under Armour: Can we nominate Ashley for your next “I Will What I Want” ad?

5. Her niece and nephew are THE CUTEST.
Oh my goodness, you guys! They’re from a small town, so Bouder likes to have them stay with her in NYC once in a while. “I think it’s very important for kids to get out and see what possibilities there are in the world,” she says. D’awwwww.

Click the image below to watch the full episode!