New York City Ballet

is transfixed. Do they know what the ballet world is truly like? Don't tell them—it might ruin the magic. After twelve years of dancing, the biggest lesson I have learned is that life is not fair. Ballet has taught me many difficult lessons and has helped me grow into the person I am today. Despite all of the challenges the artform gives me, my passion for it grows exponentially. I would be lost without it. My first ballet class was at Pacific Northwest Ballet School when I was six. I would…

here for one reason, to shine. Something about New York just makes you feel like you have a larger purpose in life, and there are opportunities out there somewhere in the concreate jungle to whole-heartedly explore. Winning an astonishing “First Place Ensemble” with my Ballet Academy at the Youth America Grand Prix Las Vegas Regionals was a major indication that we would be bound for New York City later that year to compete in the International Ballet Competition Finals. The Youth America Grand…

Happily Ever After was premiered at the New York City Center on November 3, 1976 by the Joffrey Ballet and the Twyla Tharp dance companies. The dance was commissioned by the Joffrey Ballet and was the second piece to combine the two dance companies together. The production was set to a selections of bluegrass songs. Richard Peaslee adapted the section titled Skillet Lickers (“Cackling hen and rooter too”). The music was performed by "Snuffy" Jenkins, "Pappy" Sherrill, and the Hired Hands.…

Candace Bushnell is an American television producer and novelist best known for writing a series of chick lit novels. Her best known works are the Sex and the City novels which were adapted from the columns by the same name that she wrote for the New York Observer between 1994 and 1996. Candace was born to Camile Salonia and Calvin L. Bushnell in 1958 Glastonbury, Connecticut. Her father was something of a celebrity in her town having been an inventor of the Air Cooled Hydrogen Fuel Cell that…

I was four years old when I went to see my first ballet. It was being performed by the New York City Ballet at the Lincoln Center. My Grandmother thought that by age four I could sit quietly. In her wisdom, she knew once the orchestra was introduced it wouldn't take long, and I would drop all interest in telling the person next to me all about my new red firetruck. I was mesmerized by the Nutcracker and barely blinked as the stage came to life with color and story. I can even remember the…

Alvin Ailey was an American choreographer who was born in Rodgers, Texas but made his way to New York City through the years of his life. Before beginning on his own company Ailey studied and observed many other choreographers. For example, he observed Martha Graham and Doris Humphrey. He also was a student at Lester Horn’s dance school for many years. Ailey indulged very well in Horton’s style of dance and it displayed once Horton died. Alvin took lead as the company’s director. With the…

Over at NYCB, for the past three weeks night after night houses have been heavily sold and celebrities (Mandy Patinkin, Tommy Tune, and countless ballet luminaries from the past like Mikhail Baryshikov, Patricia McBride, Wendy Whelan, etc.) have been spotted at many performances. The Jerome Robbins Centennial Celebration was certainly a box office success. I didn't get to every all-Robbins performance but I did see three programs (Interplay/The Cage/Other Dances/Fanfare, In G Major/Afternoon of…

I was born in Brooklyn Hospital on March 15 in the afternoon. I guess I didn’t want to come out because I was a week over due, so the Doctor had to force her into labor. It took the doctor almost 9 hours to get me out but after all those hours I was born. When I came out I was about 7 pounds and 8 ounces, also I came out with a really big head for some reason. When I was born my Doctor asked my mom and dad if they had a name already but they didn’t have a name at all, so when I was born I didn’t…

influential American composers in the 1990’s. Aaron lived in New York most of his life, he was born there and he died there. He was known as “the Dean of American Composers” by his peers and critics. His parents were Russian Jews, and he utilized Jewish topics in such structures as Vitebsk (1929) for cello, piano, and violin. Aaron Copland has composed many different musical pieces. Some of his famous pieces include Symphony No. 3, Quiet City, The Cat and the Mouse, and Lincoln Portrait. Those…

Preserving Arts Education in New York City Public Schools When people think of education and the public school system, they usually think of the four core subjects such as english, math, history, and science. Often, forgetting about the importance of an arts education. Yet, it is performing and visual arts that enhance a student’s academic performance. Exposing children to the incredible world of dance, music, or even visual art allows them to think creatively. It allows them to think…