It's not hard to see why ballet dancers around the world have fallen in love with Yumiko's sleek leotards, which are not only stylish but also cut and constructed to flatter real dancers' bodies.
At the end of this month, some of Yumiko's hottest new styles will be available on the Russian Pointe website and in Russian Pointe boutiques. Look for the "Igone" (dark blue), "Jaione" (royal) and "Marieke" (espresso) models--as well as additional color options for the current line (including "Kiki," pictured)--in late January. Click here to see Russian Pointe's Yumiko collection.
Latest Posts
Mar 01, 2021
Pacific Northwest Ballet's Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan, photographed by Jayme Thornton for Pointe
The Radiant Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan: Why She's One to Watch at Pacific Northwest Ballet
Hollywood could make a movie about Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan's big break at Pacific Northwest Ballet.
It was November 2017, and the company was performing Crystal Pite's film-noir–inspired Plot Point, set to music by Bernard Hermann from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Ryan, then a first-year corps member, originally was understudying the role of another dancer. But when principal Noelani Pantastico was injured in a car accident, Ryan was tapped to take over her role.
<p>Ryan had danced featured roles before, including Maria in Jerome Robbins' <em>West Side Story Suite.</em> But she had just one day to learn Pite's choreography. It was a daunting task, but she was determined not to squander her shot. After a session in the studio with Pantastico, Ryan went home and rehearsed for hours in her living room. "I learned the hell out of that role," she laughs.</p><p>Her hard work paid off. When she hurtled onto the stage, draped in a gray trench coat, she stared at the body sprawled on the floor, turned to the audience, her dark eyes opened wide in shock, and let out a horrified scream. The audience was rapt.</p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcwMzA0MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3MTEyNDEwN30.JfZ4BhAAn1SUQTr09grlx23kAedEonxs3UX-VFjtLd8/img.jpg?width=980" id="ad4cb" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ed51712fa0e6221f0ab8f1e8dcd6d00b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan poses in sixth position on pointe. Her legs face profile while her upper body twists front and leans back and her arms raise high above her head with wrists together. Standing in front of a purple backdrop, she wears a pink leotard and long, brightly colored floral chiffon skirt that billows dramatically high behind her in the wind" data-width="1080" data-height="1080" />
Jayme Thornton for Pointe
<p>"The expectation was that we'd throw her onstage and she'd be tentative," says Pacific Northwest Ballet artistic director Peter Boal. "But she gave a really strong performance."</p><p>Ryan's success in <em>Plot Point</em> led to a string of featured roles at PNB, from the Sugarplum Fairy in George Balanchine's <em>The Nutcracker</em> to work by David Dawson and Donald Byrd. But Ryan is no overnight sensation; her success is the result of years of training, discipline and a passion for her art form. That passion also buoyed her during an on-going struggle with body-image issues, and her decision to establish her career a continent away from her close-knit Philadelphia family.</p>
Early Successes—and Struggles
<p>Ryan, now 23, has been dancing since she was 3 years old, when her parents enrolled her in tap, jazz and ballet classes at a local dance studio. At age 5, her teacher recommended she pursue more rigorous ballet training at Philadelphia's acclaimed Rock School for Dance Education.</p><p>Ryan flew up the levels there, and by the age of 12, she'd advanced to the top, the youngest student in her classes. Although she held her own with high-school–aged peers, Ryan knew she was different. "Everyone was older," she says. "You were expected to look a certain way, but I was still going through puberty!"</p><p>That didn't stop Pennsylvania Ballet, which then did not have an affiliated school, from casting Ryan in its annual <em>Nutcracker</em>. Ryan was 10 when she danced her first role, a toy soldier. Miami City Ballet School director Arantxa Ochoa was a principal dancer with Pennsylvania Ballet at the time, but she noticed the young dancer.</p><p>"I just remember her beautiful eyes and big smile," Ochoa recalls.</p><div style="padding: 20px 0 40px;">
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Jayme Thornton for Pointe
<p>Five years later, when Ryan enrolled in Pennsylvania Ballet's newly revived school, Ochoa was her teacher. "She was that ideal student," says Ochoa. "Hard worker. Very smart, very talented. To me, she had that thing, that 'It' factor."</p><p>Ochoa wasn't the only one to notice her potential. Ryan continued to win roles in Pennsylvania Ballet productions, including Balanchine's "Diamonds," videotaped for PBS. At 16, she was offered a contract with Pennsylvania Ballet's second company. From the outside, it looked like the culmination of Ryan's dream.</p><p>The reality was less idyllic. Ryan had struggled with body-image issues since her early years at the Rock School; she was particularly self-conscious about the size and shape of her thighs. She remembers one Rock School teacher asking if her Mexican-born mother made good flan. When Ryan replied in the affirmative, he told her she looked like she was enjoying too much of it. Another teacher at the school suggested she go on a liquid diet to drop some weight.</p><p>Ryan recalls other "advice," such as being told not to go out into the sun, so that her skin wouldn't get too dark. Although she took that particular comment in stride, it compounded her self-consciousness about her appearance. It also strengthened her resolve to work harder in the studio.</p><p>At PBII, Ryan was determined to show she had what it takes to succeed as a professional ballerina. But while artistic director Angel Corella told the young dancer that he liked her dancing, she says he advised her to slim down or risk fewer onstage opportunities. She valued his feedback, and her long relationship with Pennsylvania Ballet, but Ryan knew it was time to look for opportunities outside her hometown. She focused her attention on Seattle.</p>
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Ryan with company dancers in Jerome Robbins' West Side Story Suite
Lindsay Thomas, Courtesy PNB
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A New Home
<p>Ryan had attended Pacific Northwest Ballet's summer intensive the summer after joining PBII. She was among 30 young women enrolled in Peter Boal's class that summer—all excellent dancers, he says—but Ryan stood out.</p><p>"She had this kind of go-for-broke presence," Boal says. "A gutsiness." He made a mental note. A year later, when Ryan contacted him about an audition, Boal invited her to attend class when the company toured to New York City. At the end of that class, Boal offered Ryan a contract; she joined PNB as an apprentice in the fall of 2016.</p><p>"I loved PNB's rep, I loved the idea of working for Peter," Ryan says. Although she was scared about moving across the country, she calls it "good scared."</p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcwMjcwNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNjk1MjYxM30.x_BY9CkmMCJOsGUPG840LFL8UH70i6XoM-BWayy20cQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="aeb60" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="42f5d59af4e8522434111d7eacb5c8cd" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan does a piqu\u00e9 retir\u00e9 on her left foot and holds her arms in fourth position en evant, leaning her upper body over to look towards her right leg. She wears an ornate blue tutu with off-the-shoulder sleeves, a blue feathered headress and pink tights and pointe shoes." data-width="2593" data-height="3300" />
Ryan in Ronald Hynd's The Sleeping Beauty
Angela Sterling, Courtesy PNB
<p>Ryan credits Boal with helping to free her from her self-image issues, but that didn't happen overnight. During her apprentice year, Ryan attended class in "trash bag pants," concerned that if Boal saw her thighs he'd decide not to cast her. She braced herself for the all-too familiar weight talk.</p><p>It never came.</p><p>But Boal noticed Ryan's tension, how she seemed intent on proving herself every time he was teaching class or watching rehearsal. He took her aside and explained that he'd hired her for a reason—he liked her dancing—and advised Ryan simply to dance for her own love of it. By the end of her apprentice year, new contract in hand, Ryan felt she'd found a true ballet home.</p><p>Ryan also credits her new-found comfort to the camaraderie she feels at PNB. She gravitated to a small group of Latinx dancers, who reminded her of her close-knit Philadelphia family. Ryan's mother is Mexican; her father grew up in Belize. The family identifies as Latin American, speaks Spanish at home and celebrates especially their Mexican heritage. Ryan was particularly touched when one colleague, a Seattle-area native, brought her samples of Mexican dishes her own mother had prepared. Small gestures like this helped ease the young dancer's homesickness.</p><p>Ryan had another reason to embrace her new city: Not long after she joined PNB, she caught the eye of a fellow dancer, principal Kyle Davis. They've been partners onstage and off for the past three years. "She's fantastic to work with," Davis says. "She's intelligent, open to discussing how steps work and how we can better work together. I personally think that's a phenomenal quality in a partner."</p>
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Finding Her Voice
<p>During this long pandemic year, Davis and Ryan have had ample opportunity to explore their partnership. They share a Seattle apartment with two miniature Australian shepherds, Hawk and Magpie, who make frequent cameos during the online classes the couple both take and teach.</p><p>PNB's 2020-21 season is all-digital, and when the dancers returned to the studio last August, only those who co-habitated could partner one another. In the company's opening program, Ryan and Davis reprised the pas de deux from Balanchine's "Rubies." While dancing for cameras instead of live audiences hasn't been ideal, Ryan says she's learned how to use her face to convey emotions in a more intimate way, instead of playing to the second balcony.</p><p>Beyond the pandemic, the past year also ushered in frank national conversations about race and racism, which freed Ryan to speak more openly about her Latin heritage. "It gave me a voice I didn't always have before," Ryan says. "I always knew I was different, especially in ballet, but didn't often talk about it."</p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcwMzM3My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjgzNDE3N30.HGL1FFIRIjaLqqdnDeKEiigTOe_MA0RwtnuLZKkP6zQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="c1edf" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="276932390dfa9bc7606ff0a86cfbba7a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Standing in front of a bright purple backdrop, Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan wears a pink cap-sleeved leotard and long chiffon skirt with a bright floral pattern. She faces profile to her left, props her right foot up onto her pointe shoe and looks back toward the camera with a close-lipped, confident smile." data-width="1080" data-height="1080" />
Jayme Thornton for Pointe
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<p>Last fall she encouraged PNB to acknowledge Hispanic Heritage Month. But she also wants to see ballet open its ranks to more dancers of color, and to see them advance to the upper echelons of companies like PNB.</p><p>Perhaps she'll be one of those dancers; at 23, she still has a long career ahead of her. Although she dreams of dancing the iconic classical roles—Giselle, Juliet and Kitri—Ryan also looks forward to the contemporary ballets that are a PNB mainstay.</p><p>Boal believes she can do whatever she sets her mind to. "Some dancers, there is no ceiling to their capability," Boal says. "Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan is one of them."</p>
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Mar 03, 2021
Yonah Acosta in Sin La Habana, Courtesy Miami Film Festival
The Miami Film Festival Is Streaming 2 Films Spotlighting Cuban Ballet Dancers, Including Yonah Acosta
Many ballet companies are sharing digital productions these days, but if you want to get your ballet fix on the silver screen, the Miami Film Festival has something for you—and you don't have to fly to Miami to see it! Two ballet-centric films, the drama Sin La Habana (Without Havana) and documentary Cuban Dancer, will be featured in theaters and virtually at the 38th annual Miami Film Festival, running March 5 to 14.
<p>The premiere of <a href="https://miamifilmfestival.eventive.org/schedule/6018908ce2c1da005cdc340a" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Sin La Habana</em></a><em>,</em> directed by Kaveh Nabatian, stars Bayerisches Staatsballett principal <a href="https://www.staatsoper.de/en/biographies/detail-page/acosta-yonah.html" target="_blank">Yonah Acosta</a>. Acosta plays Leonardo, a classical dancer, who is in love with Sara, a lawyer. They have big dreams together, all of which are thwarted by Cuba's closed borders. They realize their ticket to a brighter future could be with Nasim, a Canadian tourist who is struggling with her own demons, and a love triangle ensues. (Note: This film may not be appropriate for younger viewers.) The film is available with English subtitles and features Acosta's impressive ballet technique in several dance scenes. <em>Sin La Habana</em> will play in Miami on Sunday, March 7, at 2:30 pm ET and virtually on Monday, March 8, at 12 pm ET. </p>
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<p><a href="https://miamifilmfestival.eventive.org/schedule/60188a32d42a4d008d7686ac" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Cuban Dancer</em></a> is a documentary which chronicles the journey of a young student from the National Ballet School of Cuba, Alexis Valdes, as he moves from his comfortable life in Cuba to a radically new world in Florida. Directed by Roberto Salinas, <em>Cuban Dancer</em> showcases how Valdes, now an <a href="https://www.sfballet.org/artist/alexis-valdes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">apprentice</a> with the San Francisco Ballet, navigates the world of American ballet while trying to stay faithful to his roots. The film runs on Thursday, March 11, at 7 pm ET in Miami, and Friday, March 12, at 12 pm ET virtually. </p>
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<p>Also of note for Miami locals: <em><a href="https://miamifilmfestival.eventive.org/films/5fff796a4fceae0096ef6acb" target="_blank">Aburo</a></em>, a 17-minute short film that follows the tensions between an aspiring Cuban ballet dancer and his thieving twin brother, and the French drama <em><a href="https://miamifilmfestival.eventive.org/films/60104edf08dd6b004cbc4379" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Simple Passion</a></em>, starring Ukrainian-born dancer Sergei Polunin as a Russian diplomat (it does not feature any ballet). Both films are only being shown in theaters.</p><p>Tickets for the virtual screenings of <em>Sin La Habana</em> and <em>Cuban Dancer</em> are only available to viewers in the U.S. and can be purchased for $13. (The films can be viewed for 48 hours after release.)</p><p><em>Sin La Habana</em> highlights the best of Cuban dancing with Acosta, himself a graduate of the National Ballet of Cuba and nephew of ballet star Carlos Acosta. And with <em>Cuban Dancer</em>, ballet fans can witness how the future of Cuban ballet will continue to shine brightly. </p>
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Feb 26, 2021
Maria Kochetkova. Darian Volkova, Courtesy Kochetkova
Maria Kochetkova on How COVID-19 Affected Her Freelance Career, and Her New Home at Finnish National Ballet
When international star Maria Kochetkova embarked on a freelance career three years ago, she never envisioned how a global pandemic would affect it. In 2018, the Russian-born ballerina left the security of San Francisco Ballet, a company she called home for more than a decade, for the globe-trotting life of a guest star. Before the pandemic, Kochetkova managed her own performing schedule and was busier than ever, enjoying artistic freedom and expanding her creative horizons. This all changed in March 2020, when she saw her booming career—and her jet-setting lifestyle—change almost overnight.
After months of uncertainty, Kochetkova landed at Finnish National Ballet, where she is a principal dancer for the 2020–21 season. Pointe spoke with her about her time during the quarantine and what helped her to get through it, her new life in Helsinki, and what keeps her busy and motivated these days.
<p><strong>What was it like when COVID-19 put an abrupt stop to your freelance career?</strong></p><p>When the pandemic hit, all my scheduled performances were canceled: Every week I would get a new email with a cancellation. It was heartbreaking. I knew that there were certain risks of being a freelance artist and I was prepared for those risks, but I could not have imagined that something like this could happen in the world.</p><p>The hardest part was not knowing when I would be able to get back onstage and not having any income. I had never been in a situation like this before and I didn't know what to expect. I felt helpless. Had I known back in March that I would have the job with the Finnish National Ballet I think I would have been more relaxed.</p><p><strong>Where did you stay during the quarantine and how did you spend your time?</strong></p><p>I stayed in Copenhagen. Sebastien [Kloborg] and I changed our living room into a studio space and bought a special floor and a ballet barre. I am a very disciplined dancer and, as hard as it was, I just kept working. I took Zoom ballet classes taught by Natalia Ledovskaya, who was one of my teachers in Moscow. I kept in touch with my close friends, mentors and teachers. I knew that I was not the only one who was struggling.</p>
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<p><strong>You and Sebastian starred in a dance film, where you reimagined <em>Closer</em>, a duet choreographed by Benjamin Millepied in 2006. Tell us about this project.</strong></p><p>When quarantine happened, I still wanted to work and be creative. Benjamin's <em>Closer</em> was the first piece that came to mind, because even before the pandemic we wanted to make a film out of it. The video was filmed by Tom McKenzie in April in a freezing Copenhagen. We planned which location to shoot to achieve the right lighting effect and followed all the pandemic regulations as set by the Danish government. This project brought into my life very talented and inspiring people outside of dance, from whom I learned a lot.</p><p><strong>How did the offer to join Finnish National Ballet come about?</strong></p><p>I realized that I cannot continue as a freelance artist any longer. So, when Madeleine Onne's offer came through a mutual contact, I gladly accepted it.</p><p><strong>What does it feel to join a new company and be back in the studio?</strong></p><p>I was very lucky to get a job during the pandemic and to have access to the theater and the ballet studio. Before that, I was really locked in the apartment for five months. It's so nice to have job security and to be able to interact with people and be part of a team. Everyone here has been so welcoming and friendly; I felt very excited to be able to dance again.</p>
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<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY5MzcyMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzAxMzY0M30.mLdWuKg5Sj9Uvfm5-F1D7Z2cnLat7y7KPJGhqCx5yEw/img.jpg?width=980" id="ceced" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5bd734aacd56382379d5f0242d07d386" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Wearing an ornate blue tutu and midriff-baring top, Maria Kochetkova balances in attitude derriere crois\u00e9 on her right leg whicle her parnter, who wears a pirate costume, stands in tendu and holds onto her waist. To their right, a shirtless dancer in blue sparkly pants kneels on the ground, bowing subserviently with his hands drawn to his chest." data-width="3543" data-height="2780" />
Kochetkova, Michal Krčmář and Alfio Drago in "Le Corsaire" at Finnish National Ballet
Roosa Oksaharju, Courtesy Finnish National Ballet
<p><strong>Your first performance with FNB was in September, in <em>Le Corsaire</em>. Was it hard to get back onstage after such a long hiatus?</strong></p><p>I was grateful that it was a classical work which I danced many times before. I think the best way to get back in shape is to rehearse a classical ballet. During the quarantine I worked hard, doing challenging ballet classes, and managed to stay in good enough form.</p><p>The theater had limited occupancy because of the restrictions, but it didn't feel half empty. The audience was very appreciative, and it helped. It was very special to be onstage again after such a long break, but I also appreciated it in a new kind of way. I wasn't taking it for granted.</p><p><strong>What are your favorite things to do in Helsinki? What do you like best about this city?</strong></p><p>I love Helsinki. It's a fascinating and interesting city. It reminds me a little bit of Russia, a little bit of Germany, a little bit of Scandinavia—Helsinki has a fun mix of all these countries. The city has great food and a lot of interesting museums, exhibitions and architecture. The city is perfect for walking and I love to walk. And I really like the trams. We used to have them back in Moscow, and they really bring back my childhood memories. So far, it's been the longest winter I can remember, and I'm looking forward to a bit of sunshine.</p>
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<p><strong>Finnish National Ballet is preparing a new production of <em>Swan Lake</em></strong><strong>, by David McAllister, which has now been rescheduled for next season. Tell us about the rehearsals.</strong></p><p>For me, the highlight is to be able to rehearse here with my coach Tatiana Rastorgueva, who used to dance with the Bolshoi Theatre. I have performed <em>Swan Lake</em> many times and in many different versions, working with Irina Kolpakova and Natalia Makarova, among others. With Tatiana, we are trying to find some new colors and new accents in the Odette/Odile role. In my previous performances, there was always something that I was not happy with. And now, for the first time in my life, I have the luxury of having enough time to prepare for the role. Even if it's a very familiar part for me, we need the time to be able to dig deep into it and to make changes. I enjoy the flavor of the Bolshoi coaching, since Tatiana is a former student of Marina Semyonova. It was the school where I was trained, and we speak the same language in terms of movement. I may not get to perform in this ballet because I will not be staying with the company next season. But the amount of knowledge and inspiration I get from my coach every day makes up for it.</p>
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