Tag: principal dancer

Boston Ballet Principal John Lam Writes a Letter to His Teenage Self

John Lam is everything you would expect from a leading man—powerful leaps, endless turns, effortless partnering, and a chivalrous sensibility befitting of the princes and kings he portrays. As a child, Lam trained with Marin Ballet through the support of an inner-city dance program that recognized his natural talent. At age 15, he began training […]

5 Principal Dancers on the Ballet Steps That Still Challenge Them

Their technique might seem effortless onstage, but even the most seasoned ballet professionals have that one step that still drives them crazy. We asked five principal dancers to open up about the skills they still find challenging, and how they’re working to finesse them. Dana Benton as Kitri in Don Quixote (Francisco Estevez, courtesy Colorado […]

6 Ballerinas Share Their First Pointe Shoe Memories

The mark of a truly skilled ballerina is her ability to make the pointe shoe look like a part of her body, an extension of her beautifully S-curved leg. It’s hard to believe the shoe was ever foreign to her, or that she ever had that awkward first time on pointe. We asked six professional […]

What It's Really Like to Be a Principal Dancer in a Ballet Company

It was Valentine’s Day when then–16-year-old Lia Cirio auditioned for Boston Ballet—and was hired on the spot. Every year since, Cirio has celebrated February 14th as not only a day for teddy bears and chocolates, but also as the day she became a professional ballet dancer. Now, Cirio is a principal at the company, and […]