American Ballet Theatre news stories on Newser

Black Swan Drama: How Much Did Natalie Really Dance?

Mary Papenfuss — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 04:25:23 CDT

Uh-oh. The black swan is emerging in the ballet dancer who doubled for actress Natalie Portman. Sarah Lane, a performer with the American Ballet Theatre, now says she performed some 95% of the "full body shot" dances in Black Swan . "I would say 5% are Natalie," says Lane. "From a...

First Lady Praises Arts on NYC Visit

Rob Quinn — Tue, 19 May 2009 05:49:16 CDT

Michelle Obama emphasized the administration's support for the arts on a visit to New York City yesterday, the New York Times reports. Speaking at the ribbon-cutting for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's partially reopened American wing and at the star-studded opening night of the American Ballet Theater, the first lady...

YouTube Lets Ballerinas DIY

Nick McMaster — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:44:38 CDT

Formal ballet is one of the most rigid education systems in art—dancers spend years doing exercises before they are even allowed to purchase pointe shoes. But some students are abandoning the hierarchy and turning to a less-stringent, modern master—YouTube. The Wall Street Journal takes a look at aspiring...

ABT Ballerina Killed in Jersey Crash

Katherine Thompson — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 05:57:06 CST

A dancer for the American Ballet Theater is dead and her dancer husband seriously injured after a fender-bender on an icy New Jersey highway turned fatal. Jennifer Alexander and her husband were returning from a Pennsylvania performance of The Nutcracker when they exited their vehicle after a nine-car pileup, and...

Ballerinas Dance Into History

M. Morris — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 15:16:56 CDT

Two of the dance world's biggest names took their leave this weekend as Alessandra Ferri and Kyra Nichols sashayed into retirement in touchingly similar fashion—onstage with their young children in a hail of cheers and flowers. Nichols, 48, bowed out after 33 years with New York City Ballet; Ferri,...