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Take Virtual Ballet Class From Your Kitchen Counter With These Pros

Chava Lansky for Pointe
Mar 16, 2020

One of the hardest parts of hunkering down to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is giving up our daily routines. And for dancers, that means class. Last week we shared a number of online teaching platforms (including Miami City Ballet principal soloist Lauren Fadely's new virtual ballet school), but now there are even more options. Over the weekend a handful of pros stepped forward to share that they'll be giving virtual class via Instagram or Facebook Live. So stake a claim to your kitchen counter, and start organizing your schedule for the week.

Have you seen an option for online class that we've missed? Share it in the comments and we'll add it to this list!

Tiler Peck 

After the success of yesterday's class, New York City Ballet star Tiler Peck is back. She recently wrote on Instagram that she'll be teaching class everyday. Stay tuned for updates.

Where: @tilerpeck Live

When: Tuesday, March 17 at 10 am PST/1 pm EST

Alison Stroming

Alison Stroming has just added her voice to the conversation. The former Dance Theatre of Harlem member and model is teaching an all-levels class, including barre and center, today.

Where: @alisonstroming Live

When: Tuesday, March 17 at 2 pm PST/5 pm EST

Dancewear Royale

Leotard brand Dancewear Royale is hosting a series of teachers on its Instagram account. And better yet, they're posting the classes to IGTV, so you can check them out anytime. Yesterday, Cervilio Amador taught a Cuban style class, and earlier today Joseph Gatti taught using the Gatti Method. Stay tuned to see who they'll bring on board for tomorrow.

Where: @dancewearroyal IGTV

When: Available anytime!

Ashley Bouder

Ashley Bouder is giving us an extra treat: live-streamed classes every day this week. Plus, the NYCB principal is saving the classes to her YouTube channel, so you can come back to them later.

Where: Ashley Bouder on YouTube

When: Monday, March 16-Friday, March 20 at 11 am EST

Mariaelena Ruiz

Cary Ballet Conservatory professional training program director Mariaelena Ruiz is live-streaming a class from North Carolina on Tuesday. To add a dash of Saint Patrick's Day spirit, she's asking participants to wear green, and post a photo of themselves on Instagram with the tag @caryballet.

Where: @caryballet Live

When: Tuesday, March 17 at 11 am EST

NYC Community Ballet

NYC Community Ballet opened up its advanced ballet classes, taught by a rotating list of pros, to the public via Zoom. This week's schedule includes Bethany Mitchell, Michelle Thompson Ulerich and Tyler Schnese. You can check out the full month's listing here.

Where: Zoom. Email nycommunityballet@gmail for details.

When: Tuesday, March 17 and Friday, March 30 from 10:30 am-12 pm EST, and Saturday, March 21 from 2-4 pm

Patricia Zhou

Los Angeles–based dancer Patricia Zhou taught her first class via Instagram Live today, and just announced that she'll be continuing daily for the foreseeable future.

Where: @patricia_zhou Live or on IGTV

When: Daily at 10 am PST/1 pm EST

Sarah Lane

Want to take this time to work one-on-one with a ballet star? American Ballet Theatre principal Sarah Lane is offering virtual private lessons or group classes for students and young professionals.

Where: Direct message @saralaneofficial

When: Anytime!

Alicia Graf Mack

Ever wondered what it's like to take class at The Juilliard School? Now you can find out. Juilliard dance director (and former Dance Theatre of Harlem and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater star) Alicia Graf Mack is giving barre online on Juilliard's Instagram.

Where: @juilliardschool

When: Available now!

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Because all dancers have experienced it at some point or another (Getty Images/patat)

How Dancers Can Beat Zoom Fatigue

Now that we're more than nine months into the pandemic, there's a big chance you're feeling Zoom-ed out. Read: Totally overusing the video-conferencing app for school and dance classes—and everything else. And according to dance/movement therapist Erica Hornthal, MA, LCPC, BC-DMT, there's good reason for that: "Managing your environment in a virtual space is taxing on the mind, and therefore taxing on the body."

Hornthal attributes these feelings, in part, to a mind–body disconnect that happens when we use the app: Your body knows you are alone in the room, but your mind sees a group of people on screen—and managing this COVID-era reality can be, well, exhausting. But we can also feel Zoom fatigue, Hornthal says, from having to "constantly be present to the third 'person' in the room: the Zoom camera." Uh, relatable!

So if staring at a grid of fuzzy faces—or into the abyss of that cold, dark lens on your device—has you feeling less than energized, here are some ways to cope.

Take breaks from tech throughout the day

Tamia Strickland, a sophomore in the Ailey/Fordham BFA dance program, trains both in person (with a mask, of course!) and online but says there are unique challenges that come with the latter. For one, she says, it's hard "to stay focused and motivated when you are in your basement or living room staring at a computer screen all by yourself—and all day long." These feelings can lead to frustration: You want to stay engaged with the class, but after staring at your computer screen for so long, you start to feel unmotivated.

As a remedy, Hornthal suggests taking breaks from your tech devices when you can. "The last thing you want to do," she says, "is exit a Zoom session and then immediately jump onto your phone." Instead, take a breather from everything virtual, and give your mind—and body—time to recalibrate. "Create space to connect or reconnect with your body when you are off technology," Hornthal says. "Take a walk, practice mindful breathing, embrace nature."

Move for yourself—and on your own

Another way to overcome feelings of online-class fatigue, Hornthal says, is to find time to move on your own—away from the camera on your device. As you begin moving for yourself, try to recognize and notice your own body wisdom. As a dancer, this could simply mean taking stock of what feels good and natural to your body as you, say, indulge in an improv sesh.

Tim Roberts, a Maryland dance studio owner and former performer, says giving his students time to turn their cameras off and work through their own movement has helped keep them motivated. "Opening that space for them is so necessary­ and beneficial, and helps them appreciate the time they do have with me," he says.

If you're not feeling up to a movement break, consider cooling down the mind and body by taking some time to stretch out and take up space in the body, Hornthal says. By encouraging greater body awareness, stretching can help give you more insight into what your body needs at any given point—a physical check-in before you head back into The Land of Zoom.

Tap into your other senses

When you're on Zoom, you're constantly using your eyes—to learn choreography, to support fellow dancers, to catch physical cues from teachers—so it's important, Hornthal says, to give yourself screen breaks. As you give your eyes a rest, take time to whet your other senses: Squeeze a stress ball; smell the outside air; gulp a tasty green smoothie; listen to your favorite playlist. The key here is to take in stimuli that trigger your other senses, rather than continuing to use (or overuse) your sense of sight.

And as a golden rule for your overall Zoom-life health, always remember: "It isn't just dance that is happening online—our entire lives are virtual," Hornthal says. "That means we have to be intentional with our downtime, and turn off technology, so we can tune in to ourselves."

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Tanairi Vazquez (James Jin, courtesy Tanairi Vazquez)

Broadway Performer Tanairi Vazquez on What It’s Really Like to Dance in a Super Bowl Commercial

When Tanairi Vazquez was cast in her very first Super Bowl commercial, she had no idea that she would be the star, or that Dolly Parton would be involved. But Vazquez was one of several dancers featured in the Squarespace commercial that aired during this year's Super Bowl, featuring a 2021 remix of the country music legend's hit song "9 to 5."

The commercial, choreographed by New York City Ballet's Justin Peck, is Vazquez's first job since the Broadway shutdown—up until Broadway's closure last year, she appeared in the Hamilton ensemble. She plays the lead accountant in the spot, and feels that the role marks a milestone in her career as a Latinx performer.

"It's nice to see the versatility that Latinos have too. We can be leads," says Vazquez. "For me to be in a national Super Bowl commercial—hello! That, to me, is one of the most important things as an artist."

Dance Spirit: What was the pressure like to be in a Super Bowl commercial?

Tanairi Vazquez: It's major. Millions of people watch. I was so overwhelmed, especially when people saw it on "Good Morning America." I woke up to so many texts, calls and Instagram notifications from people that I know—and that I don't know. Being able to represent the arts right now on such a huge platform like the Super Bowl is incredible.

DS: How did you book the job?

TV: I got an audition through my commercial agent. I knew it was for Squarespace, but I didn't know who was a part of it. I didn't know there was a celebrity involved at all.

For the audition they sent me a video of Justin Peck demonstrating the choreography. The style was very Justin Peck—athletic, grounded, with quick footwork. At the time, I was on vacation with my parents, so I learned the choreography in the Airbnb that we were staying in. My mom recorded me doing it on concrete in the parking lot. So that was crazy.

A couple days later, I got a callback saying they want me to do it again, asking if I could improv for 30 or 60 seconds. They also asked me to do a little bit of acting for the accountant part. So I made a video where I redid the choreography, and added a little somethin'-somethin'.

I got another callback via Zoom. It was just for the acting beat as the accountant. The next day, I got the call. And they're like, "Congratulations! We're giving you the accountant role!"

DS: What was the process of filming like?

TV: We filmed this in the beginning of January. The whole experience was crazy. We had a car service to the airport. We flew out to Nashville, where Dolly Parton lives, in first class, and they put us up in a really nice hotel.

We get there and I had my costume fitting—that's when I found out that I was going to play a lead role in this commercial. Thank goodness I had the next day off, because I needed the whole day to process it. I've never been a lead in something this big. Justin was like, "Surprise!"

DS: What about COVID safety protocols?

TV: We got tested every day, and had to fill out a form every time before testing. We also had our temperatures checked every day, too. The crew, makeup and wardrobe teams did as well.

Vazquez takes a selfie behind the scenes of filming the commercial. She smiles at the camera from behind a clear face mask, in hair, makeup, and costume for the commercial. She wears a red tank top, and her curly brown hair is loose around her face.

Vazquez behind the scenes of the commercial (courtesy Vazquez)

DS: What was it like getting back to work after being sidelined for nearly a year due to the pandemic?

TV: I felt very insecure. I haven't been on set. I haven't been with bodies. I was doubting myself, like "Am I good enough?," because of what we've been through.

But it was an amazing feeling when we had our first rehearsal. I realized how much I missed this. It gave me hope.

DS: What did booking this role mean to you?

TV: When I got on set, I realized, "This is where I want to be." During this pandemic, there were moments where I thought, "I don't know if I can do this job. Maybe I need to do something else." But the amount of love and support that I have gotten since the commercial debuted just re-inspired me to dream big and just keep going.

My parents instilled that in me. They said: "You are Puerto Rican. You bring your best foot forward. You can do what other people can do."

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Alvin Ailey performs in Alvin Ailey's Hermit Songs (Jack Mitchell, © Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Inc. and Smithsonian Institution)

5 Iconic Black Artists Who Changed Dance History

Throughout history, trailblazing Black dancers pushed dance and choreography into the future, and broke countless barriers in their pursuit of artistry. Yet Black dancers and creators are often omitted from dance history curricula.

To celebrate Black History Month—and to help you widen your window into dance history—Dance Spirit compiled an (incomplete!) list of some of the most influential Black artists who changed the dance world forever.

Pearl Primus

Pearl Primus didn't set out to become a dancer. Born in Trinidad in 1919 and raised in New York City, Primus initially studied biology and intended to become a medical researcher until she was unable to find employment in a laboratory due to racial discrimination. She then studied modern dance and performed many solo performances as well as on Broadway.

Primus' research skills were put to use once more when she received a scholarship to travel to Africa in order to study dance. Her research there influenced her own choreography and she founded her own company, the New Dance Group, in 1944. Primus was influential in bringing African dance to American audiences, which in turn changed American modern dance as genre.

Katherine Dunham

Much like Primus, Katherine Dunham's work as a choreographer, dancer, and anthropologist changed the course of modern dance in America. Dunham was born in Chicago in 1909, and after a childhood of performing with her church, she became one of the first African American women to attend the University of Chicago. Dunham earned three degrees in anthropology. At the same time, Dunham studied dance and traveled to the Caribbean to learn cultural dances from the source.

Her studies led her to publish several books and articles, and as a choreographer Dunham toured with her own company for two decades. She challenged racial discrimination by refusing to perform in segregated venues. Her signature Dunham Technique not only changed modern dance, but became the foundations of jazz technique as we know it today.

Arthur Mitchell

In 1956, Arthur Mitchell broke boundaries by becoming the first Black dancer in the New York City Ballet. He premiered iconic roles such as Balanchine's Agon, and by 1962 he was promoted to principal. Although he achieved much personal success, Mitchell was conscious of the prejudice faced by Black dancers. In 1969, he and fellow dancer Karel Shook founded Dance Theatre of Harlem as an integrated dance school. The school's company premiered in 1971 and still thrives to this day.

Alvin Ailey

Alvin Ailey's Revelations is undoubtedly one of the most iconic modern dance performances, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater remains one of the world's premier modern dance companies to this day. Alvin Ailey trained under dance greats such as Katherine Dunham and Lester Horton, and in 1958, founded his own company. Much of his work, including Revelations, was inspired by his experience growing up in the South and focuses on the uniquely African American cultural identity.

Lauren Anderson

Before Misty Copeland rose to the rank of principal at American Ballet Theatre, Houston-native Lauren Anderson became one of the first Black principal dancers of a major company in the United States. As a principal with Houston Ballet, Anderson famously performed lead roles in ballets like Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and Don Quixote—but she cared most about inspiring the next generation of ballerinas. Today, pair of her pointe shoes are on display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

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