Isabella Boylston is Curating Her Own Ballet Festival
Isabella Boylston
is having quite the year. When she’s not dazzling audiences at American Ballet Theatre, she’s been preparing to take over the silver screen as Jennifer Lawrence’s dance double in Red Sparrow. Now, it looks like her summer plans will keep her just as busy.
According to The New York Times, Boylston will curate a show of her own this August, in her hometown of Sun Valley, Idaho. The three-day event, called Ballet Sun Valley, will feature performances, and free dance classes for children. Boylston told the Times that it’s something she’s always wanted to do, and she hopes to make it an annual event.
No word yet on which dancers are participating, but it sounds like we can expect some major star power: they’ll come from companies like ABT, New York City Ballet, The Royal Ballet and the Mariinsky Ballet.
The program itself sounds promising too, with works by George Balanchine, Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon and Justin Peck. Plus, Boylston commissioned a world premiere by ABT corps dancer Gemma Bond (who’s become a choreographer-to-watch in recent years), inspired by the solar eclipse that will happen in the area during the festival.
Boylston’s ambitions also reflect a larger trend. Lately, more and more pros are taking on leadership roles and developing their own projects during the off-season—like Daniel Ulbricht’s Dance Against Cancer benefits, or John Welker’s Wabi Sabi program for Atlanta Ballet dancers. They’re pursuing work that excites them, fighting for causes they believe in and taking their careers into their own hands—and that’s inspiring for all of us.
