If there were any lingering doubts about the transparent strength and athleticism of dancers, they have surely been quashed thanks to the recent rash of bad-ass ballerinas on screen. And as with any ...

In professional ballet, the female dancer often appears light and airy and seems to float lightly into the air without effort performing en pointe (on the tips of the toes). By contrast, the male ...

When you’re a dancer, you have to baby your feet, especially if you’re a man dancing in pointe shoes. Most male ballet dancers don’t dance on their toes, but Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo has ...

In theater, “break a leg” is a phrase used to wish a performer luck. But for ballet dancers, it isn’t simply an expression but an occupational reality. The intense physical demands of ballet put ...

As Ballet Tucson gears up for its final production of the 2007-08 season, company dancer Meredith Dulaney is just trying to keep shoes on her feet. By late last month, the 22-year-old had gone through ...

An assembly of excited audience members shift anxiously in their seats. The buzz of light-hearted banter matches the racing heart beats of those behind the curtain. Show time. The lights dim, and a ...

At this dance school, young girls dream of wearing uncomfortable shoes that may only hold up for a few months — and their parents are fully supportive. This isn’t a new fashion trend. It’s the reality ...

Before joining the board of directors of A.V.A. Ballet Theatre, the resident ballet company of the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, my knowledge of ballet would fit in a thimble. Three quarters ...