[35/50] "The Dewdrop is different from the flowers. For one, the flowers don’t leave the stage. They are constantly swirling around,...

“Cyd Charisse is a terrific dancer, a wonderful partner. She has precision plus—beautiful dynamite, I call it.” —Fred Astaire in Steps in...

[36/60] "In the beginning, there was Tchaikovsky; maybe there still is. 'I always have an idea he is so happy because we do it right,'...

[34/50] Just like all the students at the Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg, Alexandra Danilova and George Balanchine performed in...

[33/50] A year ago today I was lucky enough to meet my favorite ballerina. I mean, I have a lot of favorites, but Allegra is at the top....

It’s been a whole year since I started curating dance history photos and stories to share with an Instagram audience. What began with my...

[32/50] Gelsey on the role of Dewdrop: “When I returned to Balanchine’s stage [following a foot injury], I had the facility to absorb...

[31/50] Richard Rapp as Candy Cane. Photo by Martha Swope.

[28/50] This is Part 1 of a 3-part post for our 3-show day. These posts share Maria Tallchief's experience with the Grand Pas de Deux...

[27/50] A story from Merrill Ashley's book Dancing for Balanchine (affiliate link) "At the first rehearsal, taught by Una Kai, a ballet...

[26/50] A journal entry from Jacques d'Amboise, December 11, 1954: "Karinska told me a friend asked her what she had put in the costumes...

[24/50] On Marie’s dream [Act II] Balanchine said, “Actually, it’s not a dream—It’s the reality that Mother didn’t believe. The story...

[25/50] "Miss Adams is one of the loveliest of artists, and a shining jewel in the City Ballet’s crown. [...] There is a glowing quality...

[23/50] Jumping into week 4 of Nutcracker like... Patricia Neary as Dewdrop. Martha Swope, 1966. New York Public Library

[22/50] “Kay Mazzo uses space in a surprisingly large and generous way for such a delicate girl” — The Village Voice, 1969 Kay Mazzo in...

[21/50] [1/2] Maria Tallchief remembering Tanny's opening night performance as Dew Drop: "...I watched Tanny lead the ‘Waltz of the...

[20/50] Robert Maiorano, a former NYCB soloist was the first boy to play a soldier in Balanchine's Nutcracker in 1955 (before that it had...

[19/50] "Balanchine’s pas de deux is one of the greatest of all time, so elegant, so fluid. Dance on this level is intellect without...

[18/50] Maria Tallchief recalls watching Act 1 from the wings as she prepared to dance the Sugar Plum Fairy in Act 2: "Even from that...

[17/50] Suzanne Farrell on the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy: “She has all the authority. She is an elegant lady, beautiful and kind; and...