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Cupcakes & Conversation with Joseph Phillips, Corps de Ballet, American Ballet Theatre

Joseph Phillips

What motivates you at 8am on a Monday morning?

My passion for dancing has been my main motivation and drive ever since I can remember. Attending class is my favorite part of the morning it sets me up for the whole day. The night before class, I assess myself by appreciating my strengths and identifying areas for improvement. This way, I can empower myself to focus on improving myself further.

Why ballet?

I have been quite athletic since I was a child. I distinctly recall my mother telling me that I have always had strong legs because I could crawl faster than she could walk. As a young boy, I was active in playing soccer and ran track in middle school. In South Carolina, I was the State Champion for 3 consecutive years.

At a young age, I watched a ballet performance with male dancers. I was amazed at their strength and agility. Their leaps and movements were truly powerful yet graceful. I began taking a keen interest on ballet and attended an all-boys class once a week, although my focus was still on soccer and track.

After about 1 ½ years into learning ballet, a famous Russian male ballet dancer named Stanislav Issaev came to my University to teach.  My dance teacher at the time suggested that I take private lessons with him. This is where my passion for ballet began. When the Houston Ballet came to South Carolina, I went to watch it with my mother and Stanislav. I watched in awe as Carlos Acosta danced the Grand Pas de Deux from Don Quixote. I was very fortunate to learn from Stanislav, a world class dancer and superb teacher. He saw a lot of potential in me, and soon became my mentor and father figure. Soon, I made a solid commitment to learning ballet – and I was grateful to be under the wing of an inspiration as great as Stanislav who I have learned so much from.

Who would you most like to dance with & what would you dance?

I wish to dance with my girlfriend Ana Sophia Scheller. We shared a very natural and emotional experience when we performed the balcony Pas de Deux from Romeo and Juliet. I believe that dancing as Romeo is any male classical dancer’s dream. And it would even be more of an impact if you dance with someone you share passion and love with. We hope to perform Romeo and Juliet in full length one day.

If you could dance anywhere in the world (not only in a theatre), where would you dance?

The past summer brought me to Argentina. I am still at awe with the beauty and amazing architecture of Theator Colon. This is one place I visualize myself performing. I once danced at the Bolshoi in Moscow. It was a dream come true that was complimented with so much history and an audience of ballet advocates.

Keiko Guest's Shadowdance

What is your daily routine at the moment?

As a professional dancer, a daily routine needs to be followed with commitment and determination. I make sure my body is at its optimum fitness level, waking up early and having a nutritious breakfast. I attend company class and practice on my jumps and turns to further develop my flexibility and grace. I make sure that I stretch for around 30 minutes to help avoid injuries or pulled muscles. I continue with a full day of rehearsal and apply what I have tediously practiced for. Every other day, I go to the spa and do the cold plunge so that my body heals faster from all the activity during rehearsal.

How do you prepare in the hours before a show?

First of all, I make sure I arrive 2 hours before the performance. As I begin to put in my make up, I visualize myself dancing the role with the utmost grandeur and precision. I also empower myself with a small class and have that feeling of positivity and confidence. If my teacher Stanislav is present, I make sure he gives me a small class. I then practice my techniques to enhance proper body coordination, such as rehearsing my turns. As I do this, I make sure I reserve my much needed energy for optimum stage performance. I then get my adrenaline pumping 5 minutes prior to stage time. I do this by executing my high jumps and do powerful breathing exercises. Right before I step onto the stage, I picture my past performances that were well executed. I do my best to re-create that overwhelming feeling on stage. For more challenging performances, I take Jack 3-D. It is a supplement that helps enhance my energy and endurance.

What are you looking forward to dancing in 2012?

I am eagerly looking forward to dancing Bernardo in the full length production of Le Corsaire. Aside from technical ability, this role requires some acting skills. This is an advantage for me because it enables me to add my own flare to the role.

You can ask six famous people to dinner – who would you invite?

I would be honored to have Vladimir Vasiliev for dinner. I have watched him dance Spartacus numerous times and he never ceases to amaze me how his talent makes his persona adjust to the role that he portrays. I grew up admiring Baryshnikov and Nureyev, watching their tapes over and over, even playing them in slow motion by mimicking and learning the jumps. Another would be Russell Crowe because of his admirable acting ability. He is a contributing factor to why Gladiator is my favorite movie. Another icon I wish to invite would be Jean-Claude Van Damme, a martial artist with a powerful presence. I would also appreciate the presence of Gordon Mel Young, a Maximum PC reviewer, and Victoria’s Secret model Adriana Lima, for her Brazilian beauty and grace.

What would surprise people about you?

I am a very tech-savvy person, who loves discovering the latest electronic gadgets. I built my own supercomputer and love spending time customizing it.

Who inspired you to dance?

My mentor Stanislav Issaev has always been my inspiration. Being an amazing dancer, he won multiple gold medals and has performed globally. He taught me at a very young age, being a strong influence and continually guided me through the promising path towards being a professional dancer.

How would someone else describe you?

People often describe me as very shy, and that I don’t talk much. But people who just see me on stage think I’m must be a very out-going guy.

What is your best piece of advice?

Every day that passes is a day you will never have again, so live life to the fullest and never waste it.

Which role has tested you the most & how?

When I first performed Albrecht in Giselle, it was a very challenging role with a lot of technical and acting ability. There are many meticulous details that make up this role. I had to give the impression to my audience that I actually was devastated, making my every gesture and step properly calculated. I also did my best to make the audience feel my pain and sorrow in the role, making a more lyrical approach. This proved to be a very challenging yet helpful learning experience for me.

If you designed your own stage costume, what would you create?

I have always intended to design a new La Bayadère costume, simple because this is my favourite role to portray and it was one of my key variations that helped me when I was competing.

A phrase I use far too often is …

“Oh my days!”

Who would play you in the film of your life?

A lot of people say I have a strong resemblance to Ryan Philippe, so I would think he would be appropriate to portray me. Another possibility would be Jet Li, because of the dedication he shows towards his craft.

What is your favorite quote?

“That which does not kill you makes you stronger.” –Neitzsche

What’s in your iPod?

I often listen to country music and occasionally a bit of pop music.

Who would you most like to dance for, and why?

I would love to perform for the President of the United States. That would truly be an honour for me and show my pride in being American.

What makes you a good dance partner?

I make sure I am reasonable and show flexibility towards my partner. I do not show I know everything; I adjust instead and guide my partner throughout rehearsals and performances.

Do you have a secret skill which no one knows about?

I can bake really good biscuits, a very delicious recipe that I learned from my grandmother.

Describe yourself in just three words.

Dedicated, hard-working, romantic.

If you could dance in front of anyone, who would it be and what makes them special to you?

I love to dance in front of my mother. She is such a wonderful person and I see her truly happy when she sees me dancing.

In terms of your ballet career, where would you like to be this time next year?

I wish to continue being a part of the American Ballet Theatre, dancing more leading roles. I also see myself starting my own business revolving around dance, specifically ballet. My passion for dance will surely be a big contribution to the success of the business.

Watch Joseph Phillips in Don Quixote

Watch Joseph Phillips in Romeo & Juliet Balcony Pas de Deux with Ana Sophia Scheller

Click here to view the embedded video.

RALEIGH, NC —  Principal guest choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett has created a over dozen ballets on Carolina Ballet over the past 14 seasons that run the gamut from The Ugly Duckling to Dracula, Carolina Jamboree to Carmina Burana, and most recently seen in Raleigh, her very moving Lost and Found.  Now Lynne Taylor Corbett and Carolina Ballet are presenting a new ballet to Hans Christian Andersen’s endearing fairy tale, The Little Mermaid.  The production opens Thursday, March 15, 2012 and runs over three weekends through April 1 at the A.J. Fletcher Theater of  the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh.  The schedule of performances is as follows:

Thursday, March 15 & Friday, March 16 at 8pm

Saturday, March 17 & 31 at 2:00pm & 8:00pm

Saturday, March 24 at 11:00am, 2:00pm & 8:00pm

Sunday, March 18, 25 & April 1 at 2pm

Artistic director Robert Weiss says that this new production of The Little Mermaid will combine the charm of The Ugly Duckling with the theatricality of Dracula.  “My goal is to provide Broadway-style production values using traditional ballet conventions,” explains Taylor-Corbett.  “Mermaid will be a show for adults and children alike with plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor, cutting edge eye candy and timeless pathos.”  The Little Mermaid is part of Carolina Ballet’s family subscription package for the spring season that includes Beauty and the Beast in May.

Lynne Taylor-Corbett commissioned Michael Moricz, who composed the music for Carolina Ballet’s The Ugly Duckling, to create an original score for The Little Mermaid.   Moricz was for many years the music director for “Mister Rogers Neighborhood” on PBS.  The score includes narration and lyrics with the music to enhance the telling of the story.  Curtis Cregan (who was seen in Raleigh last season as the narrator in The Ugly Duckling) will narrate The Little Mermaid.  Cregan performed in Rent on Broadway and starred in the popular children’s show “Hi5” on the Discovery Channel.  The voice of Mermaid will be sung by Jenn Gambatese who played Jane in Disney’s Tarzan on Broadway; and the voice of the Sea Witch will be sung by Joy Hermalyn, who most recently was on Broadway in Death Takes a Holiday.

As she did for Dracula, Taylor-Corbett has hired Alan Larsen to design projections to create the atmosphere of the underwater sea kingdom.  Larsen is currently working with Stephen King on his new musical.  David Heuvel and Jeff A.R. Jones have designed the costumes and scenery respectively.  This artistic duo has worked together on many Carolina Ballet productions including Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Tempest Fantasy and The Masque of the Red Death.  Ross Kolman is the lighting designer.

To augment the Little Mermaid program, Robert Weiss has chosen several pas de deux from the company’s repertory to rotate throughout the three week run.  However, a new pas de deux for Carolina Ballet from Le Corsaire will be included on all the shows. The Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, was choreographed by Marius Petipa in 1868 to music of Adolphe Adam.  This pas de deux is from an old Russian ballet made famous in the west by Rudolph Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn when Nureyev introduced it to The Royal Ballet in London in the 1960s.  It has since been performed by most of the major ballet stars of the past fifty years.

The other pas de deux on the program from Carolina Ballet’s repertory, all choreographed by Robert Weiss, are  Sturmische Liebe with music by Gustave Mahler; Adagio to music by Tomas Albinoni; and The Visitation music to of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

For information on the family subscription package or single tickets, please call the Carolina Ballet box office at 919 719-0900 or Ticketmaster at 800 982-2787.  Ticket prices range from $65-25; and $10 student rush tickets, with valid student ID, are available one half hour before the performance.  Please note that the 11:00am performance on Saturday, March 24 will be The Little Mermaid only and there will be a special price for this one performance.

Carolina Ballet, Inc. has taken its place amongAmerica’s premier arts organizations.  Under the innovative direction of artistic directorRobert Weiss, a talented company, fiscally responsible management and community support, Carolina Ballet exposes audiences to traditional ballet by legendary masters and new works of contemporary choreographers.  This fourteenth season represents the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit and ever-increasing quality of life experienced here inNorth Carolina.

Two of the biggest stars of the dance world, former Royal Ballet Principal Ivan Putrov and dance sensation, Sergei Polunin will star in a new production of Men in Motion, highlighting the range and virtuosity of the male dancer, at Sadler’s Wells from 13 – 15 March 2012.

Following in the footsteps of the great male dancers of the last century, Vaslav Nijinsky, Rudolf Nureyev and Vladimir Vasiliev, Ivan Putrov and Sergei Polunin will be joined for these performances by a number of leading international stars including Clyde Archer and Isaac Montllor, Principals from Spain’s Compañía Nacional de Danza and Tim Matiakis, a Soloist with Royal Ballet Denmark.

Programme highlights include one of the most famous works ever created for the male dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky’s L’après-midi d’un faune set to Debussy’s haunting score; Nacho Duato’s modern trio Remanso; and Leon Jacobson’s Vestris – a solo originally choreographed in 1969 for a young Mikhail Baryshnikov.

With the Music Projects orchestra conducted by Richard Bernas.

Ivan Putrov presents

Men in Motion featuring Sergei Polunin

13 – 15 March 2012

Performances at 7.30pm

Tickets: £12 – £45

Ticket office: 0844 412 4300 and online at the Sadlers Wells website

Dalia Rawson by Scott Belding

Ballet San Jose is pleased to announce that Ballet San Jose School’s Ballet Mistress, Dalia Rawson, a former principal dancer with the Company and a faculty member at the School for the past 12 years, has been promoted to the position of School Principal.  Rawson succeeds Lise la Cour, who has been released from her role as School Director. Ballet San Jose School is San Jose’s only professionally affiliated ballet school, and has recently announced a partnership with the world renowned American Ballet Theatre.

A native of Saratoga, California, Dalia Rawson has spent her career with Ballet San Jose, moving from celebrated professional dancer to choreographer and leader in dance education. Upon graduating from San Francisco Ballet School, Ms. Rawson joined Cleveland San Jose Ballet as a trainee in 1991, and joined the faculty of Ballet San Jose School in 2000. Rawson’s personal coaching and aid with college applications has helped recent BSJS graduates gain acceptance to the undergraduate program at Princeton University, as well as placements at Loyola Marymount and the Boston Conservatory. She has coached students for the Youth America Grand Prix and the Silicon Valley International Arts Competition, including the 2012 bronze medalist.

“Dalia is known in the Bay Area dance community for her warmth on stage, a quality that has translated to a love of teaching dance to students of all ages,” says Ballet San Jose Principal Ballet Master Raymond Rodriguez. “It is highly desirable to find a leader with her unique combination of experience as a ballet student, professional dancer, teacher, and choreographer. I look forward to working with Dalia as we usher in this new era at Ballet San Jose School and to creating new opportunities for the students through our exciting partnership with American Ballet Theatre.”

Ballet San Jose Executive Director Stephanie Ziesel notes, “Dalia has over two decades of institutional knowledge of Ballet San Jose, and is a veteran member of the ballet school faculty. She is intimately familiar with our school and students, and has raised the artistic quality of the school with her choreography and passionate teaching. The strong working relationships Dalia has developed with our artistic leadership and faculty will insure a seamless transition as she works with Artistic Consultant Wes Chapman and Principal Ballet Master Raymond Rodriguez to lead Ballet San Jose School through the next phase of its evolution.”

“I am inspired and excited to take on this leadership role at such a pivotal moment in the school’s history,” says Rawson. “The faculty and I look forward to receiving certification in the ABT National Training Curriculum, and I know that through implementation of the National Training Guidelines, the dedication and expertise of our faculty, the commitment of BSJ’s artistic leadership to provide a growing number of professional opportunities for our students and graduates, and the talent of our student body, we will be able to take the next step and become a school where a large portion of our graduates go on to professional careers in ballet, including at our own wonderful company, Ballet San Jose.”

Ballet San Jose School Establishes New Student Trainee Program

With Rawson’s appointment, the Ballet is immediately establishing a Student Trainee Program; this traineeship will provide the opportunity for young dancers to gain experience working with Ballet San Jose’s professional company while continuing training with Ballet San Jose School. The program is intended as a stepping-stone to a professional ballet career, bridging the gap between dancing as a student in the classroom and dancing as a professional dancer in a company. Rawson says, “I thank the leadership of Ballet San Jose for adopting this program, as it highlights the institution’s confidence in our student body and commitment to nurturing the talent in our community and the careers of our graduates.”

BSJS Spring Performance at California Theater

The School’s spring performance will be held at the California Theater on the weekend of May 26, 2012. The show will feature students from the School’s open and professional divisions. Details to follow.

Ex New York City Ballet dancer Sophie Flack’s debut novel, Bunheads, draws heavily on her own experiences of life within a ballet company at the Corps de Ballet level. Flack danced with New York City Ballet for nine years in the Corps.

Bunhead, a pejorative term used to describe a ballet dancer for whom nothing else exists besides their ballet life, is an apt depiction of 19-year-old Hannah Ward, dancing in the Corps at the fictitious Manhattan Ballet Company, right until she comes up against indifference, hard work and rivalry in a professional ballet company, and slightly loses the plot.

Ward lives in a world filled with theatre trunks, leotards, Advil, water bottles, Therabands, corn pads, pointe shoes, tights, warm-ups, make-up, leggings, leg warmers, mirrors in messy dressing rooms and tiny physical therapy rooms squished into a fortress of a building in Manhattan which she hardly ever leaves except to go home and sleep.  All the references to popular culture, architecture and food are American, as you’d expect, but since I’m reviewing this book for it’s UK release you should know that you may not be familiar with them. It’s a bit like the English sense of humour – you either get it or you don’t. As a young dancer, Ward dreamed of dancing ‘Marie’ in The Nutcracker.  Elsewhere the dream part from The Nutcracker would be the Sugar Plum Fairy as it’s the Principal role, or Clara at a push - the Nutcracker productions in the US are very different to those in the UK.

Throughout the book Ward mostly battles with relationships rather than the actual business of ballet, which she seems to be quite good at when she’s given the breaks - relationships with her parents who have sacrificed a lot and who she has hardly seen since her teenage years because of her ballet training, with her work colleagues who are all competing for the same roles/promotion, with her Artistic Director who appears disinterested to the point of disdainful, and with two guys – one a balletomane who spoils her with gifts (yes, these include lunch and yes, he spoils other dancers in the company too) and one a handsome musician that she meets in her cousin’s Italian restaurant (on a rare night out to celebrate being selected to understudy a part along with her friend/rival Zoe and yes, they do eat carbs).  She is endlessly conflicted between taking more and more classes on top of her already exhausting ballet rehearsals - Bikram yoga, Gyrotonics, Pilates – in order to be noticed by the Artistic Director and his ballet staff, or having some time with the heart-throb musician, Jacob, who makes her tingle all over but confuses her even more because of his easy access to learning and eager discovery of new experiences. Ward barely knows Manhattan; she’s always in the theatre, and Jacob makes sure she knows this.

Harry, the stagehand with a long history of working in the theatre (his father and grandfather were also stage hands) has a 9 yr old daughter Matilda who idolises Ward and typically wants to be like her one day.  Cliche ? Ward later watches Matilda dance and discovers that she is an enthusiastic dancer but, less promisingly, is built like a fire truck (engine, in the UK). For Ward, her working days often leave her feeling invisible and expendable; and even when she happens to be backstage during a show when a dancer is injured and she goes on in her place, the exhilaration is short-lived.  When the Winter season casting is posted she discovers that, along with everyone else, she’s dancing the same Corps roles she’s been dancing for three years.

When one of Ward’s colleagues is promoted, and despite the fact that at the same time she has been given a prize soloist role, she makes a bold, life-changing decision that answers the question posed on the cover of the book.

Having made her decision, I found Ward’s handling of her previously scary and remote boss quite at odds with how she has depicted him in the rest of the book – standoffish, aloof, unapproachable & disinterested. Where does she find the courage to march into his office having been told he’s busy, to say her piece ? I’m not convinced that a real-life dancer would handle the situation in a similar way, nor even to draw the same conclusions about her longed-for career after only a couple of years in the company.

Sophie Flack by Randall Slavin

Bunheads is an easy read; it doesn’t assume zero knowledge of ballet and so some terms are explained and others are not. What I don’t buy is the way that the question raised in this book is handled. Ward becomes frustrated by her own lack of ‘outside’ or as she calls it, ‘pedestrian’ knowledge/experience, recognises the stifling confines of a ballet company and wants out, having been training all her life for this one thing.  I can only think of rare occurrences where a professional ballet dancer looked at their daily ballet life as anything other than their dream job. In those instances, the dancer would have left because they had already developed skills/knowledge that would enable them to branch out into another career, and perhaps injury would have hastened the decision.

The other point made by a character in the book - that the all-consuming nature of a career in ballet would only become even more oppressive as a dancer is promoted is, well, not really accurate.  In reality, Soloists and Principals perform less frequently and have more free time than Corps de Ballet dancers in most companies.  Principals in particular might only have one or two shows in a month whereas the Corps are on every night.  Flack should know this – though her novel is a work of fiction, her background implies a sense of authenticity to the story which isn’t entirely there. It is there when Flack describes the rehearsal studio or ballet class, but the restlessness that Ward experiences and her subsequent sudden decisions go against the grain.

In real life, students who have made it into the Company attached to their school are the best of their year, and they join that Company filled with the best students from every year before (and after) them.  There is a recognition that a period of time must be spent in the Corps – to learn the rep, how the company works and to get to grips with professional ballet life.  How long that period is, depends on the dancer and the Artistic Director, but all Corps dancers want to be promoted and hope (and work like fury) to make it more likely to happen no matter how long they have been in the Corps.  Giving up isn’t really an option after all the years of compromise, expense, time and sacrifice in training ; it’s such a single-minded pursuit that to change tack is mostly unthinkable. Perhaps Flack wanted the book to follow her own pathway – she is currently studying English at Columbia University. This book won’t give you a realistic idea of life in a ballet company – it’s a work of fiction – but it’s an entertaining read that skirts around more serious subjects and remains light-hearted. So will you !

Bunheads is released in the UK on March 15th 2012

See larger image Bunheads (Paperback) By (author) Sophie Flack List Price: 6.99 GBP New From: 4.19 In Stock

See larger image Bunheads (Kindle Edition) By (author) Sophie Flack This title will be released on March 1, 2012.

On 5 April 2012, The Royal Ballet will premiere a new work by Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor. Already well-known for his innovative and boundary-pushing collaborations which have spanned subjects as varied as science, contemporary art and history, for this ballet McGregor has joined forces with British fashion designer Gareth Pugh, award-winning music producer Mark Ronson and singer / songwriter Andrew Wyatt to create a perfect fusion of pop, dance and fashion.

Eighteen of The Royal Ballet’s dancers will be joined on-stage by a number of artists who will sing Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt’s song cycle of nine love-songs. The songs focus on the Jungian theme of anima / animus and the theory of collective masculine and feminine unconscious.

Fashion designer Gareth Pugh is known for his sculptural creations which distort the human body into new, architectural forms. His designs for this new ballet will slowly convey a carbonised version of the dancers and blur perceptions of the ballet aesthetic.

The ballet will be shown as part of a triple bill alongside another world premiere by one of the fastest rising stars of the dance world, Liam Scarlett, and Christopher Wheeldon’s 2001 work Polyphonia. With a strictly limited run of only six shows, audiences can experience a unique evening of ballet, music and fashion, showcasing some of the most creative talent working today. Tickets start from £3 with a top price of just £42.

Check The Royal Opera House website  for tickets

5, 10, 12, 14, 18 and 23 April at 7.30pm

Ballet News World Exclusive Illustration by Noemi Manalang

In an earlier feature, How to get into ballet, I outlined the early stages of a ballet career and some of the pitfalls you might need to watch out for. As part & parcel of your professional ballet career, in a visual art form, photographs of you could (and hopefully, will) end up in the media – here on Ballet News and elsewhere.

Where would you be if the press never wrote about you/published photographs of you in the media ?

Any dancer who gets exposure through photography and/or filming is better known to the public. Isn’t that how you got to know your idols ?

Digital media advances all the time and will give you more coverage more quickly than print press (newspapers and magazines), where space is very limited, especially when it comes to ballet, and lead times (the time it takes between commissioning/writing and publishing a feature) are often long.

Photographs of you are a vital promotional tool and produced intelligently will work hard for you all the way through your career and that’s why I want to cover this subject now.

Something I come across regularly is how un-media savvy a lot of young dancers are.  We’ve got the internet, social media and news 24/7, so really, can you afford to be out of the loop or miss out on promoting yourself ?

Ballet training does, to a degree, lean towards turning out pliable, receptive, attentive and agreeable dancers.  Now I’m all for good manners but the years spent in vocational ballet school and its strict rules of engagement can turn out a mindset unaccustomed to standing out.  That said, more and more dancers are now brilliantly clued up about how best to promote themselves – and these are probably the dancers you know best. Prix de Lausanne winner Patricia Zhou took up a year’s scholarship at The Royal Ballet & has her own website and British Airways Great Briton winner Heather McGowan, who created a public profile for herself (with a little help from Ballet News), appeared on the BBC’s The One Show and after a lot of hard work, successfully raised funds to meet her training costs and now blogs from Russia about her training at the Bolshoi Academy. Maria Kochetkova, a Principal with San Francisco Ballet, tweets as @balletrusse, Ashley Bouder, Principal with New York City Ballet tweets as @ashleybouder and Daniil Simkin, a Soloist at American Ballet Theatre, has his own website, facebook feed and tweets as @daniil. These dancers all know the value of promoting themselves via twitter, facebook and other social media, often sharing photographs – some professionally taken, some not.

Read on for my top tip that you can start working on right now.

Your ballet career may well thrust you into the media spotlight at some stage, so what’s it all about ?

As I alluded to in my article referenced above, your individuality and character are key when it comes to shaping your career and your route out of the Corps de Ballet. I know that some dancers are happy to remain a Corps dancer all their career, and the Corps are of course the absolute backbone of any professional company and massively valuable, plus it’s a crucial time for young dancers to learn their craft; but I also recognise a hunger in most dancers to progress to higher ranks, and pretty sharpish too.

The tiny number of dancers who have made it into the company attached to their school are the best of their year, and they join a company already filled with the best graduates from every year before (and after) them. If that’s you - wow !  You’re well and truly living the dream. But don’t get side-tracked. Already, you’ll be aware that your career is short, very short. Maybe focusing on your dancing takes up all of your energy – but how you appear in the press is going to take on greater and greater significance as you progress towards the top. The bank of images of you that are available to the media will hopefully grow over time, and you want all of those images, even (perhaps especially) the early ones, to be quality ones.

Today I want to cover one aspect of the media - photography/filming.

If you’re a dancer, I want you to think about the value of your image.  YOUR image.  Have you thought about who is in control of that image while you are working ? Is it you ?  Or your employer ? Have you signed away all rights to a say in how you are presented in the media ? Would you do that in any other field of work ?

You probably won’t have a lot of say about how much you get paid for filming work – that’s usually been agreed by the union if you’re a member but keep in mind that it may be less than the market rate. If you want to negotiate your own independent deals outside the company, make sure your contract allows for that, and if it doesn’t, negotiate its inclusion because you want to make the most of your short career and take every opportunity that appeals to you. Most ballet companies allow dancers to do whatever they want to in their own time and there is usually a process in place by which to let the company know. Don’t depend on the ballet company to promote you in the press - their agenda is not usually the same as yours. Think about how many ballet dancers in any one company are featured in the press in any given year.  In a large company such as The Royal Ballet, for example, currently, there may be two dancers featured in their World Stage series and a scattering of interviews in the press, usually with dancers they want to promote. How much opportunity for exposure does that give you this year or next ? What sort of exposure do you want ? Watch this video showing the preparation behind Royal Ballet Sarah Lamb’s photo shoot for their World Stage series.

The recent press around Royal Ballet Principal Sergei Polunin’s sudden resignation should have alerted you to the possibility that you might become a ‘brand’ – part of the furniture of the company you work for. Your own identity is your route to success in the media so guard it well. As you progress through the ranks to Soloist and beyond, you may find yourself with more time between performances and you might want to use that time to appear in Galas around the world as well as photo shoots and other opportunities. Promoters will need photographs of you to sell tickets in advance of the Gala and they may be used widely throughout that country’s media.  Do you have performance/portrait images that are relevant ? You’ll know if you are dancing a piece that could be Gala-friendly, so try to think ahead & get some images that you can use in future if you dance that piece again, in a Gala. Contact me if you’re not sure how to do this.

Your first brush with photographers may well have been to produce your audition portfolio at school. You may think that those photographs will only ever be attached to your applications and never published – but early on in your career, they may be all you have (check the rights to the image as not all of them can be used for press purposes). I have sometimes published audition photographs with interviews I’ve done with young dancers, because that was all that was available.  I don’t think that audition photographs are all that appropriate once you’ve graduated and are working in a professional company – you’re no longer auditioning so why would you want to promote a student image of yourself ? So think about that transition and don’t assume that you’ll be a Principal before the press want to feature you – or that you’ll want to fix projects of your own.

Even though the image is of you, you will not, in almost all cases, own the copyright to any photographs in which you feature.  They belong to the person who took them. Copyright is a big issue with legal terms and conditions that vary around the world; for now what’s important is to realise that any images of you taken by someone else will almost always belong to that photographer and you may not do whatever you like with them (yes, that includes putting them on facebook or sharing them on other social media sites – even if you include a credit, because that’s not enough, what you need is permission from the copyright owner before you do anything with the images).  Copyright infringements can be expensive so please think about who the work belongs to. Most photographers don’t give up copyright of their work and so they licence them to you under particular circumstances – even if you’ve paid for them.  Most likely you will have paid for the rights to one copy of the images for use under the terms and conditions set out by the photographer.  For example, an audition portfolio is just that – even when you’ve paid for the portfolio it’s usual that the images can only be for the purposes of auditioning.

Within a ballet company, a photographer who attends press calls, dress rehearsals etc will usually have signed an agreement with the company limiting the use of the photographs.  Usually they’ll be quite a few press photographers invited and they work under the terms of their contract – some will sell image rights to newspapers and other media; one will usually be the ‘house’ photographer who is under contract to provide (in some cases, exclusive) images to the company. In these circumstances it is hard for you to exert any control over your image or the use of it – but you are free to visit the marketing department and see what images they hold of you and how they are used. Are you happy with them ? Are there things you can learn from them, and do differently next time ?

At dress rehearsals and stage calls where photographers are present, even if you have the option, don’t turn up in half a costume and no make-up.  This is your chance to look polished and professional and the images aren’t going to be deleted. An image that looks as close to a performance as possible is going to have the greatest value in terms of promoting you (and probably the greatest commercial value to the photographer). Backstage and studio rehearsal shots are very interesting for the public but they won’t be the images you see on posters and brochures, promoting performances.

I have been working in this specialised field of ballet for years and I have worked with & observed many different photographers. You might be surprised to learn that there is no formal ’professional’ qualification for photographers.  Ballet is a very particular, very technical art form. It’s taken you years to get where you are now and to know a thing or two about it.  Even assuming some form of training in photography, that doesn’t qualify a photographer to be accomplished in ballet photography.  A long-standing knowledge of ballet is necessary; the closed language of the studio is understood by those who have had experience of it – why do you think so many ballet dancers take up photography ? I’ve seen ‘dance’ photographers, who cover contemporary dance and other genres, photograph ballet from the wrong angles.  For example, contemporary dance is very much into the floor; ballet is the opposite.

Picture editors don’t always have much interest/knowledge of ballet and rely on a selection of photos submitted by a photographer – don’t rely on editors, who have the final say, to spot the best image of you that reflects the technicalities of ballet 100%. That’s where your choice of photographer will have been crucial.

Watch this short video featuring photographer Angela Sterling.  Sterling explains how she got into photography and I’m highlighting it because she is not the first ex-dancer I’ve come across who has bemoaned the lack of quality images taken during her lengthy dancing career. You should not assume that your employers will have picked the best photographers – you’d hope so but here is evidence that it’s not always the case. I’m drawing on real life situations here – last year a ballet dancer got more exposure than she bargained for in the mainstream press when both the photographer (who submitted the images) and the editors (who process them for the publication) missed a crucial detail that shouldn’t have been visible.

What can you do ?  Take the initiative !  When negotiating your contract, if there are particular photographers that you’d prefer to work with on photo shoots or promotional material for the company, ask to have their name written into the contract. Break new ground! Some photographers are great at audition portfolios; some excel with portraits or backstage reportage and others know how to overcome the often meagre onstage lighting in dress rehearsals to really show you off at your best in motion.

There’s more you can do too.  I can think of only one professional ballet dancer who truly broke out of the ballet bubble and made a name for herself in the mainstream media.  Indeed, she was so often the only dancer people had heard of that they always asked to see her performances when buying tickets.  She is of course, Darcey Bussell, ex Principal dancer at The Royal Ballet.  Think of all the campaigns/modelling/promotion she has done in the media.

Who remembers Darcey Bussell’s shoot for Caroline Baker at The Sunday Times with leading photographer Anthony Crickmay, or the leather, Avengers-style catsuit she wore in support of the Everyman charity, or the Valentino haute couture black organza ruffle edge cocktail dress from 1971 once owned by Audrey Hepburn which she modelled in 2009 ?

Don’t you want to have that kind of sales draw and public profile ?

On the other hand, people are drawn to take up photography from all walks of life – and those from the creative fields may have a keener eye for ballet photography.  Paul Smith had Designs on Dance when he collaborated with Principal dancers from The Royal Ballet.  The commission came about because Principal dancer Steven McRae is a big fan of Paul Smith’s menswear and approached him directly.  The photographs themselves received a generally lukewarm response though; it seems common sense but do check the portfolio of the photographer you are working with to achieve your goals.

Think about opportunities that may come your way (or that you can create) that will show you off at your best and reach new audiences. New ideas! Do you want to be thought of and seen more in a particular role ? Something that is coming up in the rep that you haven’t been cast for, or hope to be cast in ? Get some professional photographs of yourself in full costume and make-up if you can get access to an authentic costume and get that image in the press and in front of people with influence to make it happen. Contact me if you need help with this. This goes for filming as much as photography.

One of the best things you can do to help yourself is to always have a bunch of up to date professionally taken photographs of yourself, dancing and in portrait (don’t underestimate the value of a great head shot).

Ballet photographers who are really excellent at what they do are like hens teeth - massively rare.

If you need advice about who to work with, please do get in touch. I wouldn’t recommend photographers I haven’t personally worked with, because it’s as much about their method of working as it is about the finished result.

Have a look through Ballet News and see the range of photographic styles available – just like ballet dancers, each photographer has a particular signature if you look for it.

Most of all, value your image.  Create opportunities for yourself. Take up offers from those who can help to promote you.

Self promotion is not a dirty word. You aren’t going to be blacklisted because you dared to value yourself. People may even admire your tenacity and go-getting spirit!  Are you worried about what your colleagues will think of you ? Think of it this way : what if the project is a major success, makes you look fantastic, more people get to see your work and everyone benefits ? Isn’t the whole point of working in a visual art form to be seen ?

Look your best at all times.  Pick the best photographers and have lasting images to be proud of. Don’t assume that anyone else will do that for you.

Earlier in this article I said I’d give you my top tip that you could be working on right now.  Instagram.  Instagram is all about pictures. The name comes from the old Polaroid cameras which produced ‘instant’ photos mixed with ‘snapshots’ that you send over the wire to others, called ‘telegrams’. Do you have an iPhone ? Anyone with an iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 3.1.2 and above can use Instagram. Download the Instagram App and create an account for yourself. There are currently 11 different custom filters to transform the colours, mood, border, and tonality of your photos, and you can use photos from your camera roll too. Why did Instagram create filters ? Because mobile photos often look so-so and they wanted to transform your snaps and make them professional-looking while making the most of smartphone technology – your iPhone probably has one of the best point-and-shoot cameras available. You literally snap a photo with your iPhone, then choose a filter to transform the look and feel of the shot into a memory to keep around forever. The team behind Instagram say “we’re building the platform to allow you to experience moments in your friends’ lives through pictures as they happen. We imagine a world more connected through images of what happens around them – whether through friends or people across the world.”

So, which professional dancers are using Instagram at the moment ? There’s a long list including the dancers I mentioned earlier : (Bouder/Kochetkova/Simkin), and to give you an idea : Carling Talcott (Royal Danish Ballet), Dylan Gutierrez (Joffrey Ballet), James Whiteside (Boston Ballet), Madison Keesler (San Francisco Ballet) & Venus Villa (English National Ballet).

Instagram is a great place to share photographs in a way that’s fast, beautiful, quirky and really popular.  It’s also quite addictive, I warn you !

Have fun with it and be media-savvy!

Ballet News World Exclusive illustraion by Noemi Manalang

UK PREMIERE OF DAVID BINTLEY’S ALADDIN

SEASON CELEBRATES THE BRITISH BALLET TRADITION OF STORYTELLING

FOUR 6.30pm FRIDAY PERFORMANCES TO APPEAL TO FAMILY AUDIENCE

Book on-line at the Birmingham Hippodrome website

Call Ticket Sales: 0844 338 5000

(Public booking dates – on-line, by telephone or in person from 12 April 2012)

Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) announces its 2012 – 13 season at the Company’s home theatre, Birmingham Hippodrome.

Following performances of Swan Lake at The Lowry from 19 – 22 September 2012, the Birmingham Hippodrome season starts on 26 September with a mixed bill called Opposites Attract.  The mixed bill consists of three ballets and includes David Bintley’s Take Five, Hans van Manen’s Grosse Fuge and Jessica Lang’s Lyric Pieces.

The British ballet tradition of storytelling is one of the most celebrated qualities of the art form.  The ballets on offer during 2012 – 13 have some fantastic stories to tell, from Peter Wright’s Swan Lake in the autumn through to a revival of the Company’s hugely successful Cinderella by award-winning Director David Bintley for Christmas 2012.  Aladdin, created for the National Ballet of Japan, joins the Company’s repertory in February 2013.  This new adaptation by David Bintley returns to the original story, with its background in the Arabian Tales of 1001 Nights and links to ancient Chinese stories.  The season ends with Peter Wright’s Coppélia and Galina Samsova’s and David Bintley’s Giselle in the summer of 2013.

Following the popularity of 6.30pm The Nutcracker performances in 2011 to better accommodate BRB’s family audience, there will be 6.30pm Friday evening performances in Birmingham of Cinderella (30 Nov 2012), Aladdin (22 Feb 2013), Coppélia  (7 June 2013) and Giselle (21 June 2013).

Opposites Attract                                         26 – 29 September 2012

(Lyric Pieces / Take Five / Grosse Fuge)

A mixed bill brings flair, energy and innovation from three original modern ballets…

Creating Lyric Pieces, her first piece for a major European company, award-winning American choreographer, Jessica Lang crosses the Atlantic to choreograph this ballet, jointly commissioned by International Dance Festival Birmingham 2012 and BRB. Set to romantic musical miniatures by Norwegian master Edvard Grieg and with a hand-picked design team, Lyric Pieces promises to be one of the Company’s highlights of 2012. Designs are by Elena Comendador and lighting by Nicole Pearce.

Company Director David Bintleyinvites you to share his love of Jazz and, in particular, the music of Dave Brubeck. In homage to one of his heroes, he created this sexy and energetic series of vignettes to some of Brubeck’s most famous tracks including, Take Five and Unsquare Dance. Designs are by former BRB dancer-turned-designer Jean-Marc Puissant and lighting is by Peter Mumford.

One of Dutch choreographer Hans van Manen’s most famous works, Grosse Fuge is an invigorating and uplifting experience that has lost none of its power over the last 40 years. Music is by Ludwig van Beethoven, sets by Jean-Paul Vroom, costumes by Hans van Manen and lighting by Jan Hofstra.

Swan Lake                                                           2 – 6 October 2012

The production, by BRB Director Laureate Peter Wright and Galina Samsova, tells the timeless story of good, evil and the all conquering power of love. Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake is without doubt the most famous of all classical ballets. Choreography is by Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov and Marius Petipa.

In mourning for his father, Prince Siegfried takes solace hunting in the forest. He comes across a moonlit lake and is astonished to see one of the swans transform into a beautiful Princess. She is Odette, who, under the evil Von Rothbart’s spell, spends her days as a swan, returning to human form as night falls. Only the love of one who has never loved before can save her from this fate, but when the Prince is tricked into declaring himself to Von Rothbart’s daughter Odile, magically disguised as Odette, all hope seems lost. With its exquisite ensemble dances, lyrical pas de deux and bravura solos, all set to one of the world’s most beautiful scores. It is essential seats are secured early!

This production of this much-loved classic was first performed by BRB in 1991 and has since successfully toured throughout theUnited Kingdomand overseas, includingGermany,Japanand theUSAin 2010. Sumptuous designs by Philip Prowse and lighting by Peter Teigen.

Cinderella                                                     21 Nov – 9 Dec 2012

David Bintley’s Cinderella premiered at Birmingham Hippodrome in November 2010 and was televised by the BBC on Christmas Day in the same year. In January 2012, Bintley won a Critic’s Circle National Dance Award for Best Classical Choreography for Cinderella.

Created for the City of Birminghamto celebrate the Company’s 20th anniversary in 2010, Cinderella is one of David Bintley’s most successful creations to date. With breath-taking designs by John Macfarlane, designer of the Company’s famous production of The Nutcracker, and music by Sergei Prokofiev, who wrote the beautiful score to Romeo and Juliet, this is one family Christmas treat not to miss! Lighting is by David A. Finn.

Neglected and abused by her cruel stepmother and step-sisters, Cinderella’s life is one of drudgery and hardship. Then, on the evening of an extravagant ballet the palace her Fairy Godmother appears and casts a spell that will change her life forever. Arriving at the ball in a beautiful gown, all eyes are on Cinderella, including those of the handsome Prince. He sweeps her off her feet and they dance the night away, until the clock chimes midnight and the party comes to an abrupt end. Thrust back into her miserable existence, Cinderella can only dream of what might have been, until an unexpected royal visitor comes to her home, searching the land for the mysterious owner of a jewelled slipper…

Aladdin (The UK premiere)                                  15 – 23 February 2013

15^th February 2013 sees the UK premiere of David Bintley’s magical tale of love, trickery and triumph at Birmingham Hippodrome. The production was created for the National Ballet of Japan in 2008. Aladdin boasts music by Carl Davis, composer of the Company’s Cyrano and numerous well-known television scores including Pride and Prejudice, Cranford, The World at War and Up Pompeii. Sets are by Dick Bird and costumes by Sue Blane with lighting by Mark Jonathan

A run-in with Palace guards leads young tear away Aladdin into a whirlwind of adventure and romance, involving unbelievable riches, love at first sight, treachery, and of course a magic lamp, and all that it contains…

Duped into helping an evil Maghrib, Aladdin ends up trapped in a cave for three days and nights, with no light and nothing to eat. But it is only when he attempts to light the old lamp he’s found, that his real adventure begins! When he finally returns home, Aladdin’s mother thinks he is telling

stories, but she soon finds out the real value of the battered old lamp he has brought with him. When Aladdin falls in love and lands himself in more hot water through his pursuit of the Emperor’s beautiful daughter, his mother secures his freedom and Aladdin wins the Princess’s hand in marriage. But Aladdin hasn’t realised that the Emperor’s chief advisor is the evil Maghrib, and his adventures haven’t ended yet…

Coppélia                                                      4 – 8 June 2013

Magic, mayhem and the original living doll!

Peter Wright’s Coppélia is guaranteed to lift the hearts of all the family. The enchanting production of this joyous and witty ballet is an ever-popular celebration of love, with a sparkling score by Delibes with designs by Peter Farmer and lighting by Peter Teigen.

What’s at the heart of a woman? Eccentric toymaker Dr Coppélius wants to know, and he’s planning to bring his mechanical doll, Coppélia, to life – he just needs the right spell.

When Dr Coppélius leaves Coppélia on his workshop balcony she’s soon causing quite a stir in the village. Particularly in the heart of red blooded young lover Franz and the jealous mind of his real-life fiancée, Swanilda – who’s mistaken the mannequin for a crying, talking, sleeping, walking rival. With a wild mix of abracadabra, and some mischievous maidens, comic chaos is riotously unleashed when humans and automatons collide in Dr Coppélius’s spooky toyshop.

Giselle                                                          19 – 22 June 2013

David Bintley and Galina Samsova’s stunning production, clad in gorgeous designs by Hayden Griffin, stays true to the spirit and the steps of the original.

Giselle stands alongside Coppélia and Swan Lake as one of the great classical ballets.

In a village deep in the mountains, two young people, Giselle and Loys, are deeply in love. But Loys has not been truthful with his beloved. He is actually Count Albrecht, son of the local lord, and is already betrothed to Bathilde, a lady, and his social equal. When jealous Hilarion, a rival for Giselle’s hand, proves who Loys really is, and Bathilde arrives to claim her fiancé, the heartbreak is too much to bear. Driven mad by despair, Giselle takes her own life. After her funeral, a sorrowful Albrecht visits her grave, but it is night and he is in terrible danger. The bitter ghosts of jilted brides rise and condemn him to dance himself to death. Only Giselle’s love, powerful enough to reach from beyond the grave, can save him; she must keep him safe until dawn breaks and he can escape, but dawn is many hours away…

Choreography is by Marius Petipa after Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot with additional choreography by David Bintley. Music is by one of the 19th-century’s great ballet composers, Adolphe Adam.  Lighting is by Mark Jonathan.

Other 2012/13 tour dates confirmed and on sale:

Swan Lake

The Lowry

Wed 19 – Sat 22 September 2012

Ticket Office: 0843 208 6000

Please note: More autumn 2012 /spring/summer 2013 tour dates to follow once all details confirmed and on sale

The Mulberry Del Rey

Lana Del Rey and her namesake Mulberry handbag in white Ostrich

So, what’s all the fuss about ?  Last weekend at London Fashion Week, Mulberry showcased thier latest handbag – the Del Rey, named after the American singer Lana Del Rey.

The catwalk was aflame !

Each Mulberry launch is exciting and results in a long waiting list – so here’s your heads up so that you can be first (or nearly) in line.

Just one look at this gorgeous creation tells me that the Del Rey is perfect for all the ballet essentials – roomy, Old Hollywood glamour, British, impeccably made, colourful and fun.

It’s edgy but with the classic English heritage that Emma Hill at Mulberry is known for.

Basically, you can’t go wrong with this bag.

The Del Rey launches in May as part of Autumn/Winter 2012.

A couple of weeks ago I posted this photograph to the Ballet News facebook page.

Now, at the time I didn’t think it was more or less of an interesting image than any of the hundreds of other photographs that I’ve published on the Ballet News facebook page.  Oh, how I was wrong !

This photograph, apparently showing numerous dancers in the process of changing a single lightbulb, has notched up :

5479 likes

1696 shares

804 comments (of which 400 were deleted as they were not in English and no translation was provided – the Ballet News facebook page is in English)

As the photograph went viral, I struggled to keep up with the notifications thundering through from facebook every hour of the day. I’m still not sure what is so exceptional about this particular photograph – if you look at the Ballet News facebook page you’ll see hundreds of fabulous, interesting, varied photographs.  But this one has topped them all and seems to have been compelling viewing, capturing reader’s imagination all over the world.

As not everyone is on facebook, what do you make of this photo ? 

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