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| Q. |
What do you do to mentally prepare before a performance? |
| A. |
I focus in and concentrate on the main impression or message I want the audience to get from the ballet, or my role in it. Also, I try to feel confident-even when I'm not. |
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| Q. |
Do you have any rituals you perform, or superstitions you indulge, before going on stage? |
| A. |
I just do what I think a lot of us do: obsessively check my ribbons! |
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| Q. |
If you could have a moment with any dancer in history, who would you choose and what would you ask him/her? |
| A. |
It would have to be Nijinska. I would love to ask her what it was like to be such a gifted creator and innovator at a time when women's roles in society were often so restrictive. I'd also ask her what it was like to be part of the Diaghilev Company during that time, and where her choreographic inspiration came from. |
| Q. |
Is it easier or harder to become a professional dancer today, or when you started? |
| A. |
It's probably about the same, in that it's always a challenge to get a job that is often dependant on factors beyond one's control. But, it's still nothing that determination can't overcome. |
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| Q. |
How do you unwind after a big performance? |
| A. |
I'm still working on that one, but hot baths help me a lot. |
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| Q. |
What are your thoughts on the future of ballet in America? |
| A. |
I know this sounds like fantasy, but I would love to see the day when ballet is as respected and understood in America as it is in Europe. It takes a lot of determination and vision from all levels and facets of the dance world just in making our art form accessible, appealing, and successful in a country where the Arts are not often given attention. It's comforting, though, to see young dancers represent themselves with intelligence and relevance to the world around them, and remain open to new ideas as our art continues to evolve. |
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| Q. |
In your opinion, who is the greatest dancer in your lifetime? |
| A. |
Baryshnikov is incredible. He has really done it all. He's been an innovator in the areas of classical ballet, contemporary dance, and directing. However, some of the most amazing dancers I've seen are those who have spent long, dedicated, positively-motivated careers in the corps de ballet, who are often not recognized for their steady and patient work. |
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