Tag: lesley rausch

How Three Odette/Odiles Handle Those 32 Fouettés

Pretty much every ballet student struggles with fouettés, those fiendishly difficult turns that require both crazy strength and laser-sharp precision. But even the pros, who can make 32 of ’em look effortless, still get a bit of fouetté fear—especially when they’re fouetté-ing at the end of Swan Lake‘s Black Swan pas de deux, one of […]

Ready, Set, Places: Six Pros Share Their Preshow Rituals

From meditation to Pilates to Drake playlists, no two preshow rituals include exactly the same ingredients. But just like bakers following a recipe, most dancers follow a very specific—and very important—routine before every performance. We asked six pros to share what they do precurtain to make sure they’re at their best onstage. Lesley Rausch, Principal, […]

My Perfect Shoes

Six ballerinas discuss why they love their pointe shoes. Kajiya in Ben Stevenson’s The Nutcracker (Photo by Amitava Sarkar, courtesy Houston Ballet) Yuriko Kajiya, Principal, Houston Ballet Foot type: Wide and flat, with long toes Shoe: Capezio Tiffany Customizations: “I like my heels and sides to be lower than those of the stock shoes. One of […]

Swan Lake Madness at PNB

The marketing department at Pacific Northwest Ballet has been going absolutely nuts, posting tons of photos of the company during their latest run of Swan Lake. And of course, we love it. Keep ’em coming, folks. With beloved ballerina Carla Körbes retiring at the end of the season, this is the last Swan Lake she’ll […]

Letter to My Teenage Self: Lesley Rausch

For dancers who dream of perfect feet, Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Lesley Rausch may be the ultimate poster girl. But it’s not just those daggers that set this principal dancer apart. Rausch’s pristine technique (carried by mile-long legs) and luxurious port de bras take her from classical roles, like Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, to […]