by Camila Rodrigues | Oct 18, 2023 | Audition Advice, Career, Pointe+
As performance seasons begin, we often hear about the new dancers joining companies and others who got big promotions. But nobody talks about those dancers who find themselves without a contract—without a place to be, to train, to dance, and to perform. During my...
by Rachael Parini as told to Linnea Swarting | Oct 11, 2023 | Career, Profiles
In the summer of 2022, BalletMet dancer Rachael Parini began to experience symptoms of bipolar disorder, a mental health condition characterized by episodes of mania or hypomania and depression. Parini was diagnosed with bipolar 1, which is determined following a...
by Sophie Bress | Nov 14, 2022 | Health & Body, Wellness
Despite what it looks like onstage, anyone who’s ever taken a ballet class can tell you the art form is far from effortless. Not only is it physically taxing, it’s full of emotional and mental difficulties, too. According to Clare Guss-West, MA, a researcher...
by Claudia Bauer | Nov 24, 2021 | Career, Wellness
Between teachers, artistic directors, choreographers and the audience, ballet dancers have a lot of people to please. Advancement in a school or company is usually dependent on meeting—or exceeding—their expectations. The immense pressure to please other people can...
by Gavin Larsen | Nov 15, 2021 | Wellness
Asked to recall a time when her emotional state affected her ability to do her job, Lauren Fadeley Veyette laughs. “Which one do you want? There were so many!” While the connection between a dancer’s mental health and their performance is obvious, the topic has...
by Kathleen McGuire | Oct 12, 2021 | Career
As Jenna Rae Herrera neared the end of her second season with Ballet West II, she knew she would either get a company contract or move on to a new, more uncertain future. “I had fallen in love with this company, and it felt like such a good fit,” she remembers. But a...
by Cory Stieg For Dance Magazine | Oct 8, 2021 | The Latest, Wellness
Survivors of sexual assault and harassment are pulling back the curtain on a pernicious problem in the dance world. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, several have come forward in the past few years to share their stories. Now, there are two major cases in the...
by Amy Brandt | Jun 7, 2021 | Ask Amy
I’ve always wanted to be a ballerina. Nothing makes me happier than when I’m performing on a stage. I want to pursue this career, but so much goes along with it. How do I mentally and physically prepare myself for when I’m old enough to get into a...