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Hannah Bettes: The Former Competition Star Is Flying High At Boston Ballet

Hannah Bettes. Photo by Jayme Thornton for Pointe.

This is Pointe's October/November 2018 Cover Story. You can subscribe to the magazine here, or click here to purchase this issue.

Hannah Bettes has had a very big year. The Boston Ballet second soloist was nominated for a Princess Grace Award, and she made her debut in three major classical roles—Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Effie in La Sylphide and Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, her most challenging classical role to date. "You're carrying a full-length ballet, and you have to have the stamina and stay composed and in character, even if you're dying!" Bettes says.

When Bettes, 22, made her professional debut with Boston Ballet four years ago, she was already a highly recognized teen in the competition world, bringing with her a raft of prizes. But she also brought stylistic versatility and a palpable hunger to learn. While she possesses the quintessentially elegant classical line—high extensions, dazzling turns and slender feet that curve into perfect crescent moons—Bettes can easily skew off-center to sidle into the slinky undulations or sharp slices of Boston Ballet's contemporary repertoire.

The wide-ranging rep is one of the aspects of the company she likes best. "Having to keep switching your approach keeps things interesting. Technically, I've been able to progress faster."

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News

American Ballet Theatre Is Bringing Some of Your Favorite Costumes to NYC's Biggest Shops

This Theme and Variations tutu, seen here on principal Sarah Lane, will be on display at Alice + Olivia. Photo by Marty Sohl, Courtesy ABT.

American Ballet Theatre is turning the glamorous stores on New York City's Madison Avenue into its own costume shop. From now through September 27, luxury stores along the famous shopping avenue like Emilio Pucci, Alice + Olivia and Jimmy Choo will be displaying some of the company's most well known costumes (with proceeds from your shopping trip at any of the participating stores benefitting ABT's Costume Fund). And really, what's more magical than seeing the dress Misty Copeland wears as Juliet in the famous balcony scene among a display of Jimmy Choo shoes?

Misty Copeland and Alexandre Hammoudi in "Romeo and Juliet." Photo by Gene Schiavone, Courtesy ABT.

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News

NYCB Ushers in New Voices for Fall Fashion Gala

Members of NYCB in Gianna Reisen's Composer's Holiday at the 2017 Fall Fashion Gala. Photo by Paul Kolnik, Courtesy NYCB.

Last year, New York City Ballet wowed fans by hiring its youngest choreographer ever, the then-18-year-old Gianna Reisen, to make a ballet for its Fall Fashion Gala. For this year's gala, held September 27 at Lincoln Center's Koch Theater, Reisen will be back alongside NYCB first-timers Kyle Abraham and Matthew Neenan. All three will present world premieres. Reisen, a former student at the School of American Ballet, is now an apprentice at Dresden Semperoper Ballett. "Living, dancing and choreographing in Europe has given me a set of tools that I could never throw away," she says. Reisen will work with a cast of 18 dancers to a score by John Adams, and will incorporate set pieces onstage. "I plan to tell more of a story this time around," she says.

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Editors' List: The Goods

Pumpkin Spice Is Invading Dancewear and We Love It

Dance Theatre of Harlem's Alison Stroming in a Capezio leotard (via capezio.com)

There's a change in the air these past few weeks—is it fall? Not quite yet. More importantly, it's PUMPKIN SPICE SEASON. And now, the quintessentially autumnal flavor isn't just for lattes anymore. Dancewear companies are picking up on the trend, offering more and more pieces in rich, sweet orange shades. Behold, eight of our favorite pumpkin spice-inspired pieces for your dancing enjoyment.

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Ballet Training

After the Storm: One Year After Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rican Dancers Are Finding Ways to Forge Ahead

Alanah Gelabert's ballet school, damaged by the hurricane, still floods each time it rains. Photo by Tahimy Santana, Courtesy Santana,

On September 20 of last year, a violent hurricane, almost a Category 5, hit Puerto Rico head-on. The mega-storm laid waste to the American territory, knocking out power, flooding roads and houses, flattening buildings, and killing 2,975 people as it barreled northward. Large swathes of the island remained without electricity or running water for weeks—in fact thousands of homes were still without power nine months later. It was the worst storm to hit the island in at least eight decades.

The hurricane and its aftereffects touched everyone in Puerto Rico—including its ballet community. Flooded schools were unable to give classes, performances were canceled, and ballet companies were forced to go on hiatus. Students were already dealing with storm-related difficulties at home, so, for a while, training was on the back burner. But dancers are famously determined, and soon they were doing what they could to stay in shape—a fact underscored by a video that appeared on Twitter, of students rehearsing in the dark, illuminated only by car headlamps.

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Ballet Stars

#TBT: Nina Ananiashvili, Darci Kistler, Rose Gad and Tatiana Terekhova in “Pas de Quatre” (1993)

Kistler, Ananiashvili, Gad and Terekhova in "Pas de Quatre," via YouTube

When Jules Perrot's Pas de Quatre premiered in London in 1845, it was an unprecedented event in the ballet world. Created for four of the greatest ballerinas of the day—Marie Taglioni, Carlotta Grisi, Lucile Grahn and Fanny Cerrito—the ballet was essentially the original "international gala of the stars."

Nearly 150 years later, in a gala starring Georgian ballerina Nina Ananiashvili in 1993, Ananiashvili, Darci Kistler, Rose Gad and Tatiana Terekhova (principals at the Bolshoi Ballet, New York City Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, and Mariinsky Ballet, respectively) came together, much in the spirit of the original cast, to perform Sir Anton Dolin's reconstructed version of Pas de Quatre. While the ballerinas all have different backgrounds, and each has her own unique style, they share the stage equally, not as a corps, but as four distinct soloists moving in harmony.

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News

Ballet Trailblazer Arthur Mitchell Has Died

Arthur Mitchell and Diana Adams in George Balanchine's Agon. Photo courtesy DM Archives

Former New York City Ballet principal dancer and Dance Theatre of Harlem founder Arthur Mitchell passed away today in a Manhattan hospital. He was 84 years old.

Mitchell originated the role of Puck in Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Photo by Oleaga Photography, Courtesy DM Archives

As a leading dancer with NYCB in the 1950s and '60s, Mitchell became indelibly associated with two roles created on him by George Balanchine: the central pas de deux in Agon (1957) and Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1962). Mitchell's performance of the athletic, entwining Agon pas de deux with Diana Adams—a white woman—caused a major stir during a moment in which America was rife with racial tension.

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Viral Videos

The Pointe Shop Goes on the Road: Josephine Lee Explores Colorado Ballet (Plus, Pointe Shoe Hacks From Principal Dana Benton)

Dana Benton and Josephine Lee discuss pointe shoes. Still via YouTube

Earlier this summer, we followed master pointe shoe fitter Josephine Lee of the California-based The Pointe Shop as she made her on a pointe shoe fitting tour around the West Coast and California. Now she's back, this time on a 45-day tour from California to Chicago, educating students on all things pointe shoes and helping them to find their perfect fit. Lee's making stops at top ballet companies and academies across the country, interviewing school directors and chatting with professional ballerinas to find out how they customize and break in their pointe shoes. Below, check out Lee's stop at Colorado Ballet. She touches base with principal dancer Dana Benton and academy director Erica Fischbach. Stay tuned for more!

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popular

World Ballet Day Is Two Weeks Away!

Australian Ballet in rehearsal during World Ball Day. Photo by Kate Longely, Courtesy Australian Ballet.

For the last few years, World Ballet Day has transfixed millions of ballet lovers with its hours and hours of live-streamed classes, rehearsals and behind-the-scenes extras from major companies around the globe. (We here at Pointe certainly don't get any work done!) The 2018 edition is right around the corner—but things will be a bit different this time, especially for ballet fans in the Western Hemisphere.

For one thing, WBD is only 12 hours this year, and you'll need to prepare for losing a full night's sleep—or perhaps plan a fun slumber party—to enjoy live coverage. Hosted by Australian Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet and The Royal Ballet, streaming begins on WBD's Facebook page in Melbourne on October 2 and ends at 5 pm London time. However, for folks in North America, that means 9pm EST/6pm PST on Monday, October 1 through 12pm EST/9am PST on October 2. In past years, the National Ballet of Canada and San Francisco Ballet helped host the event, but they are not participating this time (which may explain the shorter schedule).

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Ballet Training

Where Do You Hold Your Tension? 6 Top Trouble Areas and How to Ease the Strain

Anna Greenberg of ABT's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, photographed by Jayme Thornton for Pointe.

All dancers have their go-to tension area: shoulders that creep up towards the ears, a hand that becomes a claw, or feet and ankles that grip. Yet "Just relax" can be the hardest correction to apply. We spoke with four teachers for their tips on releasing tension throughout the body—and how it's all connected.

The Face

A dancer's face is a frequent tension trouble spot, as eyebrows lift or furrow, jaws clench and tongues peek out. Hilary Cartwright, international guest teacher and creator of Yoga Narada, notices that, for many students, "all the tension goes into the face in their effort to achieve and please their teacher." Similarly, Seattle-based ballet instructor Stephanie Saland observes that dancers "demonstrate" their focus with their face instead of actually being attentive. "Does 'focus' mean bug your eyes and shove your chin forward to show interest, enthusiasm, volition?" she asks. "Or can you just be present and take the information in?"

Cartwright recommends taking a moment to "turn it around" and find your inner smile. "When you're feeling tense, think of something—a smiley face, your dog or cat—that brings back reality a little bit. Remember the good things in the rest of your life." If your inner smile turns into an outward one, even better. Smiling is a simple way to alleviate tension in your face and convey your joy of dancing.

Saland suggests visualizing a mask that's painted onto your face dripping off "almost in puddles down the front of your body." This relaxes facial tension and sends your focus inward. Remember that in class, sometimes, you can just make the effort without feeling that you have to project out.
News

Onstage This Week: NYCB Opens Fall Season With "Jewels," The Australian Ballet's Debut of "Spartacus," Firebirds, Swans and More!

Ballet Austin's Aara Krumpe in The Firebird. After 20 years, this is Krumpe's final season with the company. Photo by Tony Spielberg, Courtesy Ballet Austin.

Wonder what's going on in ballet this week? We've pulled together some highlights.

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Trending

Pointe Readers: We Want to Hear from You

Photo by Quinn Wharton for Pointe.

Over the past year, the #MeToo movement has helped spotlight sexual harassment, as well as verbal and emotional abuse, in the ballet industry. Most recently, a lawsuit filed by Alexandra Waterbury against New York City Ballet and principal dancer Chase Finlay, who has since resigned, revealed particularly chilling behavior. Earlier this week, we posted an article that struck a nerve with our audience. We've received some heated responses about the story's prompt and tone. We hear you, and we want to take this opportunity to give you a voice to address concerns and ask questions about recent claims of abuse in the ballet world.

Dancers, students and dance parents: how have these revelations shaped your view of the dance industry, and what worries you most? What changes do you want to see from leadership to address them? Professional dancers, what advice or insight would you give students and those in their early career about what to expect in the professional world?

We want to hear from you. Please feel free to comment or to send your thoughts to abrandt@dancemedia.com.

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