BROWSE PRODUCTS BY:

PACKAGES FJ Ballet Technique DVDsFJ Ballet Technique CDsFJ Ballet Technique DVDs & CDsFJ Book, DVDs, & CDsFJ Book Companion DVDsFJ Book Companion CDsPointe DVDsPointe DVDs & CDsArt of Teaching DVDsArt of Teaching DVDs & CDsClassic Classes DVDsClassic Classes DVDs & CDsBasic Ballet DVDsBasic Ballet DVDs & CDsPiano CDsScott Killian Orchestrated CDsTap CDs

DVDs: Level All Levels BalletAbsolute Beginner BalletBeginner BalletAdvanced Beginner BalletIntermediate BalletIntermediate/Advanced Ballet

DVDs: Subject ArabesqueBalanceBarreworkBarre & CenterCenterworkChoreographyCoreworkExtensionFloorworkJumpsLinking StepsMale TechniquePartneringPlacementPointePort de brasPostureStrengtheningStretchTurn-outTurns

MUSIC: Genre Piano Ballet ClassPiano Tap ClassOrchestrated Ballet ClassOrchestrated Children’s Class

WENDY WHELAN

Meet Wendy Whelan, the glamorous Principal Dancer of The New York City Ballet, who dances with silken elegance and pin-point precision. Her performances are riveting, stunning, luminous. She never fails to deliver.

Wendy has a repertory of more than 50 ballets, choreographed by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, Twyla Tharp, William Forsythe, Christopher Wheeldon, and others. She began dancing with Virginia Wooton at the age of three in Louisville Kentucky, received her first intense training at the Louisville Ballet Academy, and in 1981 received a scholarship to the summer course at the School of American Ballet. After spending a year as a full-time student, in 1984 Wendy danced as an apprentice with NYCB. In January 1986 she joined the corps de ballet, was promoted to Soloist in 1989, and to Principal Dancer in 1991.

Finis: Wendy, we haven't seen you on stage this season, what's the story?

Wendy: I injured myself back in November, while dancing at The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow with a group of American dancers, but I'm OK now, and I'm preparing to start work for the Spring Season at The State Theater. I'm really looking forward to it, because there are so many great ballets, including some of my favorites, Liebeslieder Walzer, Mozartiana, and La Sonnambula.

Finis: On average, each year, how many weeks are you dancing?

Wendy: Usually in the fall, it's six weeks of rehearsal, and then a fourteen or fifteen week season. The Winter Season is always really tough, because of the schedule, and the cold weather. We usually have a week of two off in the beginning of March, and then back to another six week rehearsal period, followed by a nine week Spring Season, a week off, and then three weeks at The Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

Finis: That's almost 40 weeks! Wow, that's a lot of pressure . . . to stay in performing condition for more than 40 weeks a year. Professional athletes don't have to do that. I'm not surprised you were injured - your muscles need to rest. I remember you told me you've recently been sleeping 12 hours a night. Your body is telling you it needed to rest for a while. I think City Ballet dancers must have the heaviest performing schedule of any ballet company in the world. On average, how many ballets do you dance during a performance week?

Wendy: It always varies, because of the schedule. Perhaps four of five ballets a week.

Finis: Of course, now you're a Principal, so you don't have to dance all eight performances each week!

Wendy: (Laughter) When I was younger and in the corps, learning the new ballets kept me in the State Theater for endless hours, beginning with class at 10:30 and then sometimes up to six hours of rehearsal before the performance begins. I did the six hours of rehearsals and then the evening performance, dancing two or three ballets. And this was six days a week.

 

Next Page 1 2 3 4 5

---

©Paul Kolnik

©Paul Kolnik

©Paul Kolnik

©Paul Kolnik