NYCB Veterans | Ep. 11 | city.ballet

Veteran dancers face new challenges as they enter the final stages of their career.
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About 'city.ballet': Enter the competitive world of ballet through the eyes of exec producer, Sarah Jessica Parker. The returning docudrama reveals what it takes to perform on the ultimate stage, the New York City Ballet
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[@powerofalto]

So good to see LGBT members of New York City Ballet represented in this video! Gay men in particular have contributed enormously to this company and to dance in general, but because of stereotyping, homophobia, and intersecting matters of arts funding/politics/and gender in America, their contributions have been under-represented in the general discourse. Bravo to NYCB for taking a step in a new direction!

[@whitneycurtis-archer9730]

powerofalto I think it is important laud to greatness. Period. I don't want to be overlooked because of my sexuality. I also don't want to be showcased because of it. I think these dancers feel the same way. If you take sexuality into consideration at all, you are being bigoted. Whether it be to a straight person or a gay person. If you make your judgement based on their skills, then you are being fair to everyone.

[@MotionPictureMuse]

+powerofalto Yes, thank you! I completely agree.

[@elsypie9834]

I guess being a dance teacher is the best option.

[@miranda75289]

I'll be so sad when Maria leaves. I worshipped her when I was younger and watched that SAB documentary that came with the Barbie in the Nutcracker DVD.

[@jacobfulcher1083]

that is what sucks about being a dancer is you live in uncertainty daily on top of the life outside of it.

[@daffo595]

Craig hall really doesn't look 35

[@katelynbell8526]

Daph Duck let’s be honest no one here looks like they are in their 30’s 😂

[@richardvergara]

No, he looks like he’s in his 40s.

[@Jayjen35]

I saw some of Craig Hall's photography on his ig and it is really wonderful.

[@richardvergara]

It’s too bad that Craig or even Megan Lecrone never made it principal dancer. Sad for the company.

[@SimplyyLizzie]

Maria has officially retired as of October 2021 🩰

[@Directormariatorres]

What a wonderful episode It is inspiring to hear and see a sneak peek of the next chapter of their lives. I am a performer who evolved into a choreographer ,director, producer and master teacher. I will live out my life creating and sharing my craft with the world. Kudos to you all NYCB!

[@kipklop975]

Haha let pop tell you

[@ReadingIsLife1908]

It’s sad to see these dancers think they are “old” at 30, 35 even 40! Some of these dancer are in their prime. Why the ballet community belittles them because of their age is beyond meI

[@stuffykong]

Yeah, but on the other side, they officially started working at 15 or so-- they were in the working world when many of us aren't. I don't know that the ballet community belittles them so much as they are honest about the constraints of the human body.

[@rens3333]

It's more about just not physically being able to keep up.

[@Dioynsia4566]

Yeah I agree, for once this isn't about making them feel old before their time or belittling. All elite athletes have a limited period to get to do what they love before their body simply begins to change and slowly loses the ability to perform at that highest level. The good news is that, just like those of us that are non-professionals, they can continue dancing and enjoying their passion, just not at that elite level anymore. For example, there is this wonderful woman you can find on KZbin- she still both dances and teaches en pointe in her 90s! So yeah, not discrimination, just the sad realities of biology. :-)

[@richard217]

MASSIVE, MASSIVE ACHIEVEMENTS....BALLET DANCING IS SO RESPECTED..age is just a number...

[@ZivaIsNotATraitor]

This show is so amazing! Thank you so much for these episodes!

[@nlawrence321]

I love Craig Hall, Maria Kowroski, Andrew Veyette, Kathleen Tracey, Ashley Bouder, Wendy Whelan, Teresa Reichlen, and Frank Wildermann.

[@smskksksnssnsksns9574]

+Abril Green you're such a bitch stop correcting people and commenting on other people's comments

[@emialda]

this is so touching

[@giogamez94]

i didn´t know Wendy retired :(

[@worldofjess7862]

End of an era, but I think she was ready emotionally.

[@powerofalto]

She retired from NYCB, but not from dance. See: www.wendywhelan.org/projects/restless-creature/

[@catalinaguzmancantante212]

watch restless creature on netflix. Its awesome

[@mathildewesendonck7225]

2.37 geez, at Paris Opera you retire at 42... why do people think of „Europe“ when they hear about one country

[@michelboudot2882]

Why the city ballet put so much emphasis on getting older….RINGER A FEW YEARS AGO BOUDER NOW… FERRI IS STILL DANCING LOOKING GOOD…

[@JavaDebo]

Why are dancers so beautiful?

[@jeannevacca1328]

They are all great

[@eurekamreum5458]

Could someone tell me what music is that at 3:06?

[@mediumslicedbaekhyunwithlo2346]

Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, I believe it is the second movement?

[@tordyclark]

Enough with the vocal fry.

[@squalter.kaufmann]

Tordy Clark it’s unlistenable

[@catalinaguzmancantante212]

vocal fry...I never heard that expression but it fits perfectly. I cant stand it... why??? just why???

[@StrawberryNinjaNibbles]

Why can I not hear it lol

[@tommunyon2874]

I still try to do barre, but absolutely no leaping and/or jumping. It's the coming in for a landing that kills, when one is past 70. Got to get one of those medic alert pendants before I even think about anything aerial.

[@isabelle8836]

Maria is retiring this year in October. She is my favorite ballerina. I still have the Barbie in the Nutcracker DVD and 12 Dancing Princesses because she dances Barbie.

[@dolcepeter]

Wendy Whelan everyday all day

[@breyannawynn2751]

i agree

[@leisahlou]

Admiration 💞

[@normamimosa5991]

Insularity is a definite con of the NYCB. Sounds as if age locks in with that insularity. When principals hog the space too long, incredibly talented dancers -- often more talented -- lower down the ladder suffer. In Russia, they are great about giving incredible principal roles to dancers down the chain, if they have the talent for the particular principal role. Ballet is a profession for young people. For example, an old Juliet partnered with a young virile Romeo, no matter how in-shape that old Juliet, often just doesn't look right.

[@lea4834]

They do give younger dancers "lower down the ladder" those opportunities of dancing principal roles too. That's what the position of soloist is all about and on top of that many corps members or even apprentices are given the chance to understudy these roles and sometimes they are even given a cast right off the bat.

[@kenjoneslee]

I just hope the retired dancers don't do what most athletes end up doing.....pig out and get fat and lazy!!! Really, there is no need for that.

[@Jayjen35]

That is a rarity. Most ex dancers are very aware of their body image. So they usually look great - even if they are in pain.

[@exaudi33]

Sad to see the great creation of George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein dumbed down this way. When did a ballet mistress become a ballet "master"? And that cheesy rock music score is painful to the ear. Where is the mystique and the depth? Consigned to history, I guess.

[@volz519]

She's equally well accomplished and hard working as her male coworkers, as well as performing exactly the same job. Why call her something different? There's only one ballet mistress of the company: Rosemary Dunleavy who is right behind Peter. All other people who set ballets for the company are referred to as a ballet master regardless of gender. Is it really fair to become so hung up on a minuscule semantic difference that it has to be looked at as the dumbing down of Balanchine?