City Ballet The Podcast New York City Ballet

As the Company concludes a Diamond Anniversary season absolutely bursting with repertory favorites, new restorations, world premieres, and successful tour stops around the world, Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan talk about what went into planning and presenting the year's many achievements. From triumphant debuts to the return of dancers featured in NYCB's original opening night 75 years ago, and a number of significant firsts on the Company's stage—including the first new work from Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky, the first Black Dewdrops in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®, and the first non-binary pas de deux in Justin Peck's The Times Are Racing—they had much to celebrate, all while looking toward NYCB's, and the artform's, ever-expanding future. (40:43)
Edited by Emilie Silvestri
Music:
Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra (1929) by Igor Stravinsky
Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 (1875) by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky

One of our favorite episodes of The Rosin Box has arrived: this season's Ask the Dancer! Hosts Claire and Aarón are joined by Corps de Ballet Member India Bradley to answer your questions and dish about everything dance life, from what's in her dance bag to the ballet that "woke her up" to the possibilities of ballet, which are her favorite costumes and how she likes to prepare for a performance, and beyond. (46:11)
Edited by Emilie Silvestri
Music:
"Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini
Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records

This week, hosts Claire and Aarón are joined at The Rosin Box by Soloist Megan LeCrone who gets real about what happens when things do not go as planned onstage. As they all agree, a certain degree of unpredictability is unavoidable in a live performance art like ballet; knowing how to pivot and when to let go after the fact is essential for any dancer. Megan shares her own experiences with a malfunctioning backdrop in one case and a missed count in another, and what it's like to face the challenges—and thrive—in a "rite of passage" show. (53:30)
Edited by Emilie Silvestri
Music:
"Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini
Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records

This week, The Rosin Box makes its star-studded season debut with an episode all about NYCB galas. Listen in on live coverage from the most recent red carpet with hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz, and a post-fête conversation with Corps de Ballet Member and style maven Olivia Boisson. They'll discuss all the glitz and glamour and give helpful tips for thriving at these thrilling, twice-a-year events—including making the transition from pointe shoes to sky-high heels. (39:31)
Edited by Emilie Silvestri
Music:
"Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini
Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records

This week, Associate Music Director Andrews Sill invites us to See the Music of Igor Stravinsky's Scènes de Ballet, the eponymous score for Christopher Wheeldon's 1999 work. Sill relates that the piece was composed in 1944 for Broadway impresario Billy Rose, and drew inspiration from both world events and a variety of creative sources—including the ballet Giselle—as with so many of Stravinsky's singular compositions. (12:49)
Edited by Emilie Silvestri
Music:
Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky
Scènes de Ballet (1944) by Igor Stravinsky, Performed by Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Who Cares?: The Man I Love (1924) by George Gershwin, Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Scènes de Ballet (1944) by Igor Stravinsky, Performed by BBC Symphony Orchestra

New Combinations host and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan is joined by Principal Dancers Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia, the performers of the latest world premiere work created on the Company: Resident Choreographer Justin Peck's Dig the Say. Roman shares the way in which the ballet was tailor made for the two dancers, in the mode of a "modern day Tarantella," in Tiler's words, that capitalizes on their history of partnering in some of the most challenging works in the repertory. Imbued with a sense of competition yet always playful and fun, they both relish Peck's invitation to contribute to the ballet's shape, invigorated by the live jazz score. (45:18) 
Edited by Emilie Silvestri
Music:
"Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird
Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co