Not Only in New York: Ballet at its Best

From Dance Informa.

Aspiring ballet dancers in America often set their sights on pursuing a career in New York City, a place where renowned companies such as American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet hold reign. Who wouldn’t want this to be the dream?

Dancers should keep in mind, however, that exciting, international level work is going on at ballet companies all across the country. New York is not the only place where a dancer’s dreams of a fulfilling professional career can come true. When thinking about participating in pre-professional programs and summer intensive workshops with ballet companies as a stepping stone to an eventual job, young dancers should keep their options open and research companies outside of New York. These companies often have a repertoire of equal caliber of ABT and NYCB, and more often than not, a smaller pool of corps de ballet members to wade through on the quest for a principal position.

Angel Corella, Artistic Director of Pennsylvania Ballet, explains:

“Sometimes when you go to a really large company, you get lost in the corps de ballet for many, many, many years, and sometimes your career finishes and you’ve never really gotten your chance.”

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