Watch Lauren Lovette Open Up About Being a Choreographer

There are many reasons we love New York City Ballet principal Lauren Lovette: She exudes joy, her dancing is pristine and she constantly pursues new adventures and ideas, whether that means dancing in her colleague Troy Schumacher’s BalletCollective, or working on her own art projects.

Recently, Lovette premiered her first choreographic work for the main company during NYCB’s 2016 fall gala. She was in good company, sharing the bill with fellow dancer Peter Walker, international choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and NYCB resident choreographer Justin Peck. And though Walker’s work was also untested, Lovette received extra attention (and extra scrutiny) due to the fact that NYCB rarely commissions women choreographers.

Responses to her ballet, For Clara, were mixed, but in this video profile by CNN it’s clear that Lovette has prepared herself for any outcome. The profile was filmed during her creation process and she talks about the vulnerabilities that come with leadership and the risks associated with transitioning from dancer to choreographer (though Lovette is by no means hanging up her pointe shoes permanently!). Despite the pressure, Lovette’s positivity continues to shine through, as we see her repeatedly running over to hug her dancers. Watch it here.