In today's dance world, versatility is key. It's not enough to be a master of one style—even when they specialize in one area, dancers are frequently asked to fuse multiple genres, or step out of their comfort zone for specific projects. With their wide variety of summer programs, Joffrey Ballet School aims to prepare dancers for the demands of a professional career. We asked five faculty members to share how they do this:

Josie Walsh

Director, Joffrey West LA, San Francisco and NYC Ballet

Though the three programs Josie Walsh runs have different focuses, there's one thing they all have in common: daily ballet technique. "The core of Joffrey is to have a solid classical foundation, which sets dancers apart," Walsh says. "You really need to have that, there's no shortcut." From there, however, the programs go in different directions. West LA is a fusion program, offering contemporary, jazz, hip hop, musical theater, ballroom, Afro-Caribbean and Latin fusion classes, among others. San Francisco is more concert dance-focused, combining classical ballet and pointe with contemporary, modern and improv techniques. NYC has a more classical focus, but still includes contemporary or modern training every day. Walsh, who danced with the Joffrey Ballet and in Europe and choreographs for her own company, is well aware of the importance of staying current. She knows that classical dancers need to be able to tackle contemporary choreography, and commercial dancers need classical training. She brings in working artists as her faculty members, and even in the more classical NYC program, students have new work created on them. It's all part of "not losing sight of where things are going, and being at the forefront," she says.

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Maximilien Baud

Co-director, Musical Theater NYC, London Musical Theater, Las Vegas Jazz & Contemporary, Vegas Cirque Arts

"Long gone are the days of being a one-trick pony," says Maximilien Baud. "Directors of ballet companies with a vast repertoire need versatile dancers who can dance multiple types of roles during a grueling season. Broadway choreographers need dancers who can do ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, and more." Baud himself trained at the School of American Ballet. But when he auditioned for the national tour of Billy Elliot, "I had no idea what an audition songbook was, or how to tap. These were just things that as a student at SAB we never imagined needing," he says. "At Joffrey, we open the door of curiosity for performers who might consider themselves strictly a one-style dancer and give them the tools to be more versatile." Much of this is exemplified in the new Cirque du Soleil program. "Cirque is always looking for cutting-edge dancers who are versatile and able to do more than just dance," says Baud. During the program, students work directly with Cirque performers, learn about a facet of the dance world they might not have considered and are connected with potential employers who are looking for dancers that have a range of skills.

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Angelica Stiskin

Director, NYC Jazz & Contemporary

Angelica Stiskin, who's done everything from assisting choreographer Mia Michaels to performing with Justin Bieber, started her career as a tap dancer. "My curiosity for musicality, rhythm and attention to detail all stemmed from this training," she says. "I quickly realized that I had formed a foundation that was easily applied to all of my other techniques and classes. My success was built on excelling through diversity." In the NYC Jazz & Contemporary program, Stiskin brings that sensibility, as well as a knowledge of what's expected of dancers today, into her programming. "A dancer needs to adapt to any room or movement vocabulary with absolute confidence and grace," she says. "My goal is to bridge the gap between commercial and concert dance. More options lead to more successful careers." Students take ballet and modern, along with contemporary, jazz, hip hop, street jazz, and improv. Extracurriculars expose them to New York City's dance culture, and the experience culminates in a professional-grade performance at Symphony Space.

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Matthew Prescott

Co-director, Musical Theater NYC, London Musical Theater, Las Vegas Jazz & Contemporary, Vegas Cirque Arts 

For Matthew Prescott, the key word is integration. Nowadays, he sees more connections between different parts of the dance world that used to be more distinct. "When I first started dancing professionally, you could just be a ballet dancer," he says, "because there were lots of options for you to have a career that was financially stable—you had 32, 34 weeks of work consistently. Those sort of companies don't exist so much anymore." Though programs in musical theater or circus arts might sound very specific, Prescott encourages dancers of all styles to try them and broaden their idea of what they can do with their training. "Ballet has been a huge part of musical theater history," he says. "People like Agnes de Mille and Jerome Robbins, and now Christopher Wheeldon and Justin Peck. There are opportunities as a tap dancer on Broadway, there are opportunities as a hip-hop dancer with shows like Hamilton." The locations of the Joffrey programs themselves are an education, too. For instance, the new Cirque program, which partners with Tiffany Baker, dance supervisor for the Michael Jackson One show in Las Vegas, will help dancers learn about the Vegas entertainment scene. "Let's explore where they fit, and how they can integrate into the dance community," says Prescott.

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Yusha Sorzano

Director, Joffrey Southwest Dallas, has also taught at Joffrey programs in New York, LA, and San Francisco

To Yusha Sorzano, who's danced with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Camille A. Brown and Dancers, among others, while a ballet base is essential for today's concert dancers, there's another foundational technique that sometimes gets neglected: modern. She plans to offer both ballet and modern every day as the new artistic director of Joffrey's Dallas-based fusion program (previously directed by Desmond Richardson). A Trinidad native, Sorzano also grew up dancing socially, and plans to introduce her students to a variety of styles outside of traditional concert dance. "Even before I was doing ballet, I knew how to groove and to dance in a social setting," she says. Elements of jazz, street styles, contemporary, improv, Latin jazz and Afro-based movement are included in her program's curriculum, along with information about the history of each style. The type of career she imagines her dancers entering is multifaceted, with opportunities in concert dance, commercial dance, Broadway and beyond. Training dancers for this kind of career includes preparing them for both the physical and mental demands of today's dance world. "We're training our bodies at a high level," she says. "I think it's really important to slow students down and teach them how to care for their bodies and themselves."

Sure, we already know that L.A.'s Millennium Dance Complex is a magical place where the industry's best dancers and choreographers—especially women dancers and choreographers—make thrilling art. But isn't it fabulous that the tastemakers at Vogue are telling the rest of the world about it, in a story highlighting some of our fave female stars?

WHY YES. YES IT IS.

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Vogue's gorg multimedia megafeature traces the history of the studio, from its beginnings as an incubator for then–litlle-known hip-hop dance artists like Laurieann Gibson to its current status as one of the most famous dance training centers in the universe. For the entirety of its 18-year run, Millennium has been owned and managed by women, which has helped foster a culture that celebrates female talent. And the story includes quotes from/video of some the incredible ladies making waves at Millennium today, including Gibson, Charlize Glass, Stevie Doré, and Delaney Glazer.

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It's so good, guys. Read/watch/die for the whole thing here.

Boundless energy. A more "toned" feeling. Decreased inflammation. When Patricia Zhou (then dancing with the Staatsballett Berlin in Germany) heard a friend rave about the ketogenic diet's supposed effects over two years ago, she knew she had to give it a try. Zhou, who's now with L.A. Dance Project, stuck with the ultra-restrictive diet longer than most, but has since returned to eating normally. Why? And what can you learn from her experiences? DS spoke with Zhou and two nutritionists to find out.

Patricia Zhou (Da Dong, courtesy Zhou)

What's the Science Behind Keto?

The ketogenic diet, which is low-carb and high-fat, has been around since the 1920s, when it was developed to treat people with epilepsy who didn't respond to medication. "When the body is deprived of carbohydrates, it instead makes energy by turning the fat in foods you eat into acidic chemicals called ketones," explains Jennifer Medina, MS, RDN, CDN, CDE, who has counseled families about the ketogenic diet through the NYU Langone Epilepsy Center. This extreme state, in which your body burns ketones instead of glucose for energy, is called ketosis.

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What Do You Eat on a Typical Day?

When Zhou was on the ketogenic diet, she might have two eggs cooked in butter and a coffee with coconut oil for breakfast, with a snack of macadamia nuts after morning class. Lunch would be a salad with lots of feta cheese, along with half an avocado with olive oil and apple cider vinegar dressing. Dinner was fatty meat or salmon, plus cauliflower puréed with heavy cream, parmesan, and spices.

In a diet where 70 percent of calories come from fat, where are the healthy complex-carbohydrates that dancers need? Well, exactly. "Keto limits carbs to just 20 to 50 grams a day—and that's for an adult," Medina says. "The micronutrients we get from fruits, veggies, and grains just don't occur in keto-compatible food categories." Zhou had to take magnesium and potassium every day and drastically up her salt intake, because ketosis makes it hard to stay hydrated and retain essential electrolytes. Even with supplementation, "I always got muscle cramps and charley horses because I wasn't eating bananas," she says.

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How Does It Feel to Be in Ketosis?

"I'd wake up really early, and not get tired during the day," remembers Zhou. "But I was hungrier than I needed to be a lot of the time, because I couldn't find keto snacks on the go." And as your body switches to using ketones for fuel, you can look forward to at least two to three days of the dreaded "keto flu": "You just feel really unwell," Zhou recalls. "I remember being in rehearsals and feeling so terrible that I didn't know if I could dance."

Zhou in rehearsal (Sebastián Cvitanic, courtesy Zhou)

Are There Risks?

"Constipation due to lack of fiber, stunted growth, loss of menstrual periods, hormonal imbalances, depression, anxiety, elevated cholesterol that harms your arteries, and disordered eating behaviors have all been linked to the ketogenic diet," says Lisa Brown, MS, RDN, CDN, who specializes in eating disorders. "To do keto, I had to record every single thing I ate, take supplements, and cook every meal at home," Zhou adds. "It began to feel very restrictive and stressful in that I saw my friends way less because I 'couldn't' go out to dinner or have a slice of cake at a birthday party." Medina says that even severely epileptic patients on the ketogenic diet "have to be closely medically monitored because it's not the safest, especially for a young person."

So, What's the Bottom Line on Keto?

"Social-media influencers rave about keto, but ketogenic dieting is not sports nutrition," Brown says. Zhou did a lot of her own research before going keto: "Definitely consult a nutritionist, and even then I would proceed with caution—especially if you're still growing. If you're already a perfectionist, it can be very easy to spiral into craziness." Adds Medina, "We work with dancers from major companies here in NYC, and they all run out of steam if they don't eat carbs. To be your best self as an artist and as an athlete, keto is the antithesis of what you should be doing."

A version of this story appeared in the March 2019 issue of Dance Spirit with the title "Keto or No?"

The dancetastic YouTube series "Step Up: High Water" returns for its second season on March 20th (yes, we have a premiere date!). And this time around, the fabulous cast will be tackling choreography by the man, the myth, the "So You Think You Can Dance" legend, Travis Wall.

The "Step Up" team just released a video going behind the scenes on the number TWall created for the series, a hip-hop–inflected spectacular that pushed the contemporary phenom well outside of his comfort zone. Not that he wasn't true to himself: Looks like there's also plenty of the powerful dance storytelling that's become his signature.

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Check out the full "Step Up: High Water" season 2 trailer below, and subscribe to YouTube Premium (you can get a one-month trial for free) to stream every episode on the 20th. Keep your eyes peeled—apparently Travis himself has a cameo!

The Ballet Book is the essential guide for young ballet students, filled with detailed instruction on everything from positions, steps, and poses to finding the right teacher to exercises and nutrition. Enter below to win one of three copies of this newly updated second edition!

Win "The Ballet Book," from Canada's National Ballet School

It's the fall of 2018. As the Brigham Young University Cougarettes step onto the field at LaVell Edwards stadium in Provo, UT, a crowd of nearly 64 thousand erupts into cheers. The dancers take their places, and a feeling of anticipation hangs in the air: Their reputation precedes them.

The music—Ciara's banger "Level Up"—begins, and unbelievable precision ensues. Eighteen dancers attack the highly technical choreography, which nods at viral social-dance sensations and continuously builds in energy. The school's mascot, Cosmo the Cougar, joins the team on the field, and the audience goes wild. As the piece ends, the sound in the stadium is deafening. The 16-time national-title-winning group has proved once again why they're the standard for college dance team success—they're just that good.

The social media frenzy that followed this performance was huge, but it wasn't the first time a Cougarettes routine had broken the internet. The team garnered national attention the year before, when Cosmo the Cougar joined them in a halftime performance set to Ayo and Teo's "Rolex." Outlets like The Washington Post and Bleacher Report shared footage of the spectacle, and the video now has over 4.2 million views—much to the shock of Emry Wride and Nicole Quesenberry, two of the team's dance captains, who choreographed the routine in a locker room. "It honestly stemmed from just messing around," Quesenberry says. "We were thinking of fun things that we could do, like flossing and rollies. We didn't choreograph it for Cosmo. We just added him in later. We never thought it would turn into something so huge!"

Photo by Samantha Little

The team's success has surprised even its coach, Jodi Maxfield. The Cougarettes were established as a pom and formations dance team in 1946, and Maxfield danced with the group herself from 1976–79 before eventually coming on as the head coach and artistic director in 1991. She says the team didn't become the competitive entity it is today until the late 1990s. "I never could have imagined what this team would eventually be," Maxfield says. "When I first took over, people didn't see my vision."

After a performance tour in China in 1995, BYU's administration told Maxfield the team could no longer travel. Feeling frustrated that she couldn't give her dancers touring opportunities, she decided to give them something else that would help them grow. "In 1996, I took them to the National Dance Alliance Nationals for the first time, and we've only missed it three times in the 23 years since," Maxfield says.

Since becoming a competition team, the group's skills have grown exponentially—so much so that, according to Maxfield, most former performers will tell you they wouldn't have made the cut for today's team. Criteria for dancers hoping to join the group in 2019 includes both right and left aerials, a kip-up, a headspring, and at least a quad pirouette, not to mention the ability to blend well with the team and perform with compelling expression. Their rigorous schedule includes 12 hours of rehearsal Monday through Friday, which increases to up to 20 hours a week before concerts or Nationals. They perform over 50 times a year at games, special appearances, concerts, and other events. What's more, the dancers must maintain a solid academic standing.

Photo by Samantha Little

BYU is a private religious institution owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the vast majority of its students are members of the LDS Church. If you ask Maxfield, religion doesn't just play into the ethos of the team—it is the ethos of the team. "It's the foundation of who we are," she says. The clothing the Cougarettes choose to wear at competition reflects their standards of modesty, and the music they perform to is void of offensive language. They choose competitions that are suitable for family viewing, and don't perform or rehearse on Sundays. According to Maxfield, as the team has gained national attention through competitions and viral YouTube videos, they have become, in part, the face of the school, and, by extension, a representation of the LDS Church. "Our church uses performing groups to shed light on us," she says. "We believe in the arts and in developing our talents."

Maxfield says the Cougarettes have never had to recruit. For Wride, a junior on the team who's majoring in dance with an emphasis in ballet, the decision to come to BYU to be a Cougarette was simple. "College at BYU allowed me to keep my values and continue to dance at a high level," she says. "Every performance is an opportunity to teach others about my beliefs, and I was so drawn to that."

Many people who've seen the team's viral videos are surprised to discover that these hard-hitting dancers are a group of devoutly religious girls from Utah. In fact, the Cougarettes routinely shock people with their hip-hop skills. The first time they competed in hip hop at NDA Nationals, Maxfield says the other dance teams totally underestimated them. Their number, choreographed by popular college dance team choreographer Shandon Perez, earned them a national title. In fact, four of their 16 national titles are in hip hop.

This month, the team will be competing yet again at NDA Nationals, and according to the team's president, Abbey Bench, they're playing to win. "We didn't win a national title last year and that was disappointing," she says. "This year, we're going for two!"

The Team Leaders

ABBEY BENCH, president

Age: 22

Year in school: Senior

Major: Exercise and wellness

What's next: Corporate wellness

Hometown studios: The Dance Club (Orem, UT); Alta High School dance team (Sandy, UT)

Proudest Coug moment: "Making Cougarettes was a goal of mine since I was a little girl. I grew up watching their concerts and always knew it's what I wanted to do. Somehow, every day with the team just gets better and better. I love being surrounded by greatness, doing what I love with so many people I love."

NICOLE QUESENBERRY, dance captain

Age: 22

Year in school: Senior

Major: Psychology

What's next: Social work

Hometown studio: The Dance Club (Orem, UT); Studio One (Orem, UT); Pleasant Grove High School drill team (Pleasant Grove, UT)

Proudest Coug moment: "Anytime we go out there and we perform to the best of our ability. I have never experienced moments like that anywhere else in my life. Oh, and at the end of our 'Level Up' performance with Cosmo, we hit a Y formation, and it was absolutely perfect!"

CAROLINE TARBET, dance captain

Age: 19

Year in school: Sophomore

Major: Communication disorders

What's next: "I'd really love to work with children with special needs."

Hometown studios: Various studios across the Salt Lake Valley; Hillcrest High School drill team (Midvale, UT)

Proudest Coug moment: "Every night at Nationals we had a motivational moment. On one of the nights we talked about the book You Are Special—you know, the one with the stickers and gold stars and the puppets? At the end of the competition, when we didn't get the placement we wanted, we were in a huddle and one of the dancers looked at all of us and said, 'They're just stickers.' That was impactful for me. We dance to make people feel something. The rest is just stickers."

EMRY WRIDE, dance captain

Age: 20

Year in school: Junior

Major: Dance (emphasis in ballet)

What's next: "I'd like to get my master's degree in ballet at a university one day."

Hometown studios: Showcase USA (American Fork, UT); Barlow Arts Conservatory (Lehi, UT); Aspire Dance Academy (Lindon, UT); Pleasant Grove High School drill team (Pleasant Grove, UT)

Proudest Coug moment: "We worked so hard on the Cosmo timeout to 'Rollie', so when we hit everything perfectly that day, it was like magic. We'd been struggling with it earlier that day, so it was awesome to see us choose to come together as one. "

6 Fun Facts About Cosmo the Cougar

1. In 1925, BYU actually had two live cougars as mascots, Cleo and Tarbo. They'd roam the sidelines of games. In 1929, they broke out of their cage on the south side of campus, killed two dogs, and began stalking livestock on nearby farms. Unsurprisingly, the school hasn't owned live cougars since.
2. In 1953, the Cosmo we know and love today was born. His costume cost $73.
3. Cosmo has 133 thousand followers on Instagram, and the "Rolex" halftime video of him performing with the Cougarettes has over 4 million views.
4. The Cosmo who performed "Rollie" had no previous dance training, but the Cosmo who performed "Level Up" from 2018 is a trained dancer.
5. Cosmo is the current world record holder for most back handsprings performed in one minute (42); most windmills performed in one minute (50); longest flagpole hold (23 seconds); and most stairs walked down in a handstand (79).
6. Performing as Cosmo can cause a loss of up to five pounds of water weight each quarter during a football game, depending on the weather.

A version of this story appeared in the April 2019 issue of Dance Spirit with the title "The Unstoppable Cougarettes."

Pretty much every dancer—even the bendiest!—wants to be more flexible. We'll be trying to get that perfect tilt 'til the day we die. Looking for a little inspiration as you work out your splits? Here are 7 dancers whose flexibility is the definition of #goals.

Tate McRae

Tate McRae's legs are longer than our lifespans, and tbh, we're okay with that.

Audrey Freeman

Every single time Audrey posts a picture on Instagram, our jaws drop. Alexa, play "Successful" by Ariana Grande.

Ryan Steele

It feels like this Broadway favorite can do literally anything. That's how flawless his flexibility is.

Cameron Voorhees

So young! So flexible! So fabulous! 🙌🙌🙌

Hayden Hopkins

Hayden's not just crazy flexible—she also has KILLER technique. Simply stunning.

Derek Piquette 

During his run on "So You Think You Can Dance," Derek Piquette made a name for himself with his insane flexibility—and now you can once again drool over those extensions from the comfort of your couch, since he's competing on the current season of "World of Dance."

Misty Copeland

Of COURSE we had to include the divine Misty on this list. That's a no-brainer.

Alright, y'all, this is it. THE LAST WEEK OF QUALIFIERS. In our humble opinions, every single act that walks onto the "World of Dance" stage is supremely overqualified to win all of the prize money, but this is a TV dance competition, so cuts will be made. Tears will be shed and wiped away gently, so as not to disturb eye makeup. J.Lo will wear another blindingly sparkly outfit, while dishing out the most quotable feedback this side of The Hot Tamale Train. But enough about all that—let's get to last night's unsurprisingly glorious dancing, shall we?!

Denise & Josh (91.0)

As the judges could not stop gushing, this routine was a textbook example of the magic that can happen when you add juuuuuuust the right amount of negative space into choreography. These two moved perfectly in sync, showing off clean contemporary lines and a crazy-strong emotional connection. We couldn't look away, and neither could the judges—which enthusiastically sent this Toronto duo on to the Duels.

Derek Piquette (91.3)

Watching Derek Piquette's no-holds-barred performance from last night, it's super hard to believe that "WOD" marks Piquette's last dance comp before he undergoes a double hip replacement. 😢 His every move is just that effortless. The panel agreed, praising Piquette's undeniable facility and challenging him to bring his creativity up to that particularly high bar. For our part, we cannot wait to see more of Piquette's boundless extensions and v. springy leaps in the Duels round.

DD Flection (92.0)

These two gave us so many "OMGGGGGGG" moments that it feels impossible to pick just one to shout out. The fish dive like no fish dive you've ever seen before? The jump backwards off of her partner's shoulders, straight into a somersault? Or the moment when they casually announced they're the reigning champs of the Thai version of "World of Dance"? No pressure whatsoever, other contestants. DD Flection just has the whole package and OH YEAH, they already won the show, in a sense. Nbd.

Unity LA (95.3)

The night's top scorer was a classic "World of Dance" top contender: a contemporary/hip-hop team that ruled their routine with insane precision, technically intricate Tessandra Chavez choreo, and full-on stage presence. Derek Hough declared immediately afterwards that "I have goosies on my thighs," and SAME. We can't wait to see this powerhouse team—along with all the other Qualified acts—bring things up to the next level with the Duels, starting next week!

Nigel Campbell wants to let you in on a secret: College is finishing school. "You're meeting the people you'll know for the rest of your artistic life," explains the co-director of the Gibney Dance Company. "You never know if the person next to you at the barre will be the next director of a big company." Translation? Now's the time to build meaningful relationships with classmates. As Campbell and Chanel DaSilva—longtime friends and founders/artistic directors of MOVE(NYC)—know firsthand, the peer mentoring relationships built during your undergraduate years can make or break your postcollege dance career.

Nigel Campbell (Scott Shaw, courtesy Campbell)

Lean on Me

What makes peer mentoring different from professor-student mentoring? "You're able to meet each other where you are," Campbell says. "It's important to talk with teachers because they have more information than you do, but it can feel like they don't understand because they've already 'made it.' " Your fellow dance majors know exactly how you feel—and are therefore well-equipped to help you get through whatever's stressing you out.

Support from a trusted peer can even redirect your career path. Before she danced with the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company and Trey McIntyre Project, DaSilva was a self-described underdog. "Nigel and I were not the dancers that everyone expected to rise to the top, but together we became Presidential Scholars in the Arts and graduated from LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts at the top of our class," she says. "Our genuine partnership helped us push each other to be winners."

Chanel DaSilva (Jubal Battista, courtesy DaSilva)

From Friendship to Mentorship

Building a peer-mentoring relationship is simpler—and less intimidating—than you might think. "When you're an underclassman looking up to the juniors and seniors, you feel like they're untouchable beings," DaSilva recalls. A compliment is an easy way to break the ice with a student whose talent or drive you admire. "That senior has their own insecurities, and probably thought they looked awful doing the combination," she says.

Let's say you're the upperclassman who notices that a particular freshman or sophomore is struggling. "I have always felt the responsibility to go up and ask how everything's going," Campbell says. "Invite them for lunch or coffee, get to know them as people, and create a safe space for exchange. Then you can begin the artistic work."

Keep It Real

Once you and your peer mentors trust each other as friends, you can begin to help one another grow as artists and technicians by providing honest feedback. And we do mean honest: "When I was younger and peers would ask me to watch their piece or solo, I'd sometimes hold back some very critical feedback because I didn't want them to not like me," DaSilva says. "Seeing the work later, I realized I should've said something."

There are ways to give your classmate helpful information without hurting feelings. "Instead of saying, 'This part doesn't make sense,' " DaSilva suggests, "ask, 'What was your intention for the first part? Talk to me about that.' " With patience, you and your fellow dancers can guide each other to your best possible work—and a bright postcollege future in dance.

A version of this story appeared in the March 2019 issue of Dance Spirit with the title "(Mentor)Ship It."

Danica Paulos, who's now in her fifth season with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, moves with captivating grace and power onstage. And when she's not wowing in-person audiences, the multitalented artist is mesmerizing Ailey's online followers: A gifted photographer, she regularly posts beautiful images of her coworkers to the @alvinailey Instagram page, which she's run for the past two years. We caught up with Paulos to talk about her diverse interests—and find out how she's helped shape AAADT's digital presence.

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Paulos fell in love with dancing at 5 years old, after seeing The Nutcracker in her hometown of Huntington Beach, CA. "I loved it immediately," she says. "I begged my grandma to put me in classes, and I started taking ballet, tap, and jazz. I always knew it was meant to be." At 16, she began studying at The Ailey School. She spent just one year in Ailey II before being earning a spot in the main company.

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Throughout her dance training, Paulos harbored a passion for photography. "I took my very first photography course in high school, where I learned a lot of the basics," she says. "I only had a small digital camera at the time, and then for Christmas, my grandparents bought me my very first professional camera. I was hooked immediately and started taking pictures of everything."

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Paulos has run AAADT's Instagram account for two years, and takes most of the photos and videos she posts. "I work with these dancers every day, and they're so open and generous," she says. "How could I not be inspired by their brilliance?" Her keen eye and unique perspective result in images that show the company in a way audiences normally don't normally see it. She specializes in intimate, behind-the-scenes moments that remind viewers of the work it takes to dance at this level—as well as the fun times that keep the dancers laughing and energized.

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When asked how she manages an Instagram that has 180K followers—no pressure!—she always circles back to the power of the lens and its ability to capture spontaneous moments. "I don't plan a lot of my posts," she says. " I do my best to be aware and keep my camera with me so I can capture what happens naturally. I used to post on the page every single day, but now I try to take a more relaxed feel and let the moment speak for itself. My camera has always been my best teacher."

One of the most beautiful examples of this practice happened last summer, while the company was on tour in Athens, Greece. Paulos took a breathtaking photo of AAADT's women dressed and posed like Greek goddesses. "Having the beautiful women of this company agree to give their time to work with me was nothing short of magical," she says. "I just asked everyone to get on the steps, said '5,6,7,8,' and the magic created itself!"

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As Paulos continues to grow as a dancer, she finds even more joy in capturing the moments around her. She's still learning about video and photography, and plans to take an online course in the future. "I hope that 50 years from now, when a new dancer looks at my photos, that they will resonate with them," she says. "I want others to to see their art portrayed beautifully, and to see themselves as the beautiful spirits they are ."

To see more of Paulos's work, be sure to follow her personal page, @lens_of_the_heart.

Dear Katie,

I just went through a big growth spurt, and now I feel like I have no center and no sense of balance. Help!

Maddie

Dear Maddie,

You're not alone! Growth spurts can be so frustrating as a dancer. I recommend starting Pilates. Pilates is the perfect exercise for dancers because it focuses on the core and stability. You'll be able to rediscover your center and figure out where your new center of balance is. In class, make sure you're nice and lifted through your core. Be careful of sitting back in your heels and having your shoulders behind your hips. Because you have more length now, you might need to be even further forward than you think. I would also recommend talking to your teacher. If you make them aware of your growth spurt, they can really keep an eye on your balance for you. You don't have to figure this out alone.

For more of Katie's helpful tips and advice, click here.

Just a few weeks ago, we were musing about which major pop stars might get a jukebox musical. As our team batted ideas back and forth, I hastily shared this thought over email:

Will there someday be a (gasp) Britney Spears musical?

A Britney show seemed so inevitable that we didn't even mention it in our story. And it seems the Broadway gods had the very same thought: Once Upon a One More Time, a brand-new musical featuring hits by Spears, is officially happening.

The production starts its pre-Broadway run Nov. 13 in Chicago. It replaces a high-profile, previously announced show: The Michael Jackson–themed Don't Stop Till You Get Enough canceled its Chicago run in mid-February. (The team says it is now aiming for a summer 2020 opening on Broadway.)

The artist's estate cited "scheduling difficulties" related to a labor dispute. However, the cancelation was announced shortly before the release of HBO's new documentary Leaving Neverland, which centers on abuse allegations against Jackson. In it, choreographer Wade Robson is one of two men who give detailed accounts that Jackson sexually abused them as a child. Although many MJ fans and colleagues—including former choreographer Vince Paterson—have flocked to the King of Pop's defense, the current public outcry against Jackson makes any major projects unlikely.

All of this leaves an opening at Chicago's James M. Nederlander Theatre for Spears' show. According to Broadway in Chicago, Once Upon a One More Time will center around a group of fairy tale princesses engaged in a book club that only reads Grimm's Fairy Tales. That is, until one day when Cinderella wishes for fresh reading material. That's when "a rogue fairy godmother drops The Feminine Mystique in her corseted lap." In this journey from pretty princess to something more, expect to hear signature Britney hits like "Stronger," "Lucky," "Toxic," and, of course, "Oops!... I Did It Again."

Here's another reason to get pumped: Keone and Mari Madrid are on board to choreograph. The charming duo, not to mention super-cute married couple, have had major success with their playful blend of contemporary and hip hop. After raking in 1.4 billion views for starring in Justin Bieber's "Love Yourself" video, we're sure they can make magic onstage with Britney Spears' music.

One thing we're less sure of: how poor Cinderella will turn out. Ah, to be not a girl, not yet a woman...

Hey, clear the way in the ol' bazaar: The official trailer for the much-anticipated live-action Aladdin movie has arrived! And of its many revelations—Aladdin does parkour! Will Smith's Genie isn't always blue!—our favorite is the fact that this film is going to be just as spectacularly dancy as we'd hoped. (Not that that's a HUGE surprise, given the spectacular danciness of the Broadway version. But still!)

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Based on the trailer, it looks like "Friend Like Me" and "Prince Ali" have been turned into massively over-the-top song-and-dance numbers, which, 🙌🙌🙌. We also see a bit of the aforementioned parkour-esque action choreo, plus the magic carpet shaking maracas, which...OK! And there's a delightful where's-Waldo–style cameo from the film's choreographer, Jamal Sims ("Y'all see my palace?!").

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In the immortal words of the Genie himself: You ain't never had a [live-action film] never had [live-action film], you ain't never had a [live-action film] never had a [live-action film], you ain't never...had a...[live-action film]...liiiike...[this]! Catch Aladdin in theaters May 24.

Is it October 2020 yet?

Playbill just announced that next year, a revival of Meredith Willson's The Music Man will hit the Great White Way, starring everyone's favorite Hollywood/Broadway song-and-dance man Hugh Jackman as the show's titular charming con man Harold Hill. Given Jackman's star turn as razzle-dazzle impresario P.T. Barnum in last year's The Greatest Showman (aka all we could talk about here at DS for basically all of last winter), this is such an obvious casting choice that we're low-key embarrassed we didn't think of it ourselves.

I mean, check out the super-smooth moves on Wolverine.

This revival (the first on Broadway since the 2000 production that Susan Stroman directed and choreographed) will reunite the major players that made the recent Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! such a delightful slice of turn-of-the-twentieth-century Americana: Jerry Zaks will direct, and Warren Carlyle (currently putting the moves on Kiss, Me Kate) will choreograph.

No other casting has yet been announced, so that means we can do plenty of speculating about who we think should fill the uber-dancy roles available in River City, IA. Being cast in this production carries serious a-star-is-born potential: Travis Wall, Clyde Alves, Tiler Peck, and Cameron Adams all appeared in the last revival as teens, and have obviously since gone on to #major careers.

Our picks as of now for the choreo-heavy roles of teenage sweethearts Tommy Djilas and Zaneeta Shinn? We'd love to see the ballet-to-Broadway trend continue with New York City Ballet corps de ballet standout Andres Zuniga as Tommy...

...and American Ballet Theatre corps de ballet star Zimmi Coker as Zaneeta!

The production will start previews September 9, 2020 at a to-be-announced Shubert theatre on Broadway, with opening night set for October 22.

Tired of tangled or flyaway tresses? Try these three easy, flattering, class-ready styles to keep your natural curls and coils out of your face.

Consultant: Angela Huff for Mark Edward Inc.

Half-Up(side Down)

1. Take a spray bottle filled with water and generously spritz your hair.
2. Comb through your hair with your fingers and a wide-tooth comb, but keep the ends curly.
3. Using the tops of your ears as your guide, make a part horizontally across the back of your head and separate your hair into two sections.
4. Fasten the lower section with a clip or elastic to keep it out of the way.
5. Brush through the top section with your fingers to catch any stray strands and smooth it out.
6. Position the top section at the crown of your head. Take an elastic (or two) and securely fasten the hair. Tighten and tease to your liking.
7. Remove the clip or elastic from the lower section. Spritz it with a little more water.
8. Comb through the back section with your fingers once more, leaving it full and curly.

Ponytail—With a Twist

1. Spritz your entire head with water, focusing on the ends to make sure they don't get tangled.
2. Using your fingers, comb through your dampened hair, but avoid the ends so they stay curly.
3. Part your hair where you normally would, and section it off into two parts. Secure one section with an elastic and leave it until the last step.
4. Grab two small locks of hair from where you'd like the roll to be positioned.
5. Slowly twist each piece of hair around the other. With each twist, keep grabbing and adding a little bit of hair, like you would for a French braid. The twisted portion of hair should resemble a rolled rope braid, and it'll get bigger—depending on your hair's curl pattern, the hair will puff up. Make sure to keep the twists tight by holding the hair with more tension.
6. Continue rolling until you reach where you'd like your ponytail to begin. Secure everything (the roll and the remaining hair for the ponytail) with a pin or a strong clip. Repeat the same process on the other side.
7. Once the other side is completed, gather both sections and combine them into either a high or low ponytail, depending on your preference. Secure with an elastic.

Fauxhawk

1. Have three elastics around your wrist, ready to go.
2. Spritz your hair with water and section it into three parts with a wide-tooth comb—one near the top of your head (exactly like the first hairstyle), one in the middle, and one near the nape of your neck. Because this style is tight, where you part your hair is key. Make sure your parts are even, since they'll be showing.
3. Clip the top section so it stays out of the way, making sure to define the part that separates it from the middle section. Do the same for the middle section, defining the part that separates it from the lowest section. Clip each remaining section.
4. Using a boar-bristle brush, start styling the top section. (Don't use a plastic brush—it can rip your hair.) Spritz the hair around the hairline and smooth it over with the brush, making sure there are no tangles. Brush all the hair so that you're holding it tightly, and secure it with an elastic.
5. Repeat this for the middle and lower sections, making sure to leave the ends curly. Once each section is secured with an elastic, tease out the ends so that they form a Mohawk.

A version of this story appeared in the March 2019 issue of Dance Spirit with the title "Naturally Chic."

We knew we adored Ben Platt when we saw him sing his heart out through sobs in Dear Evan Hansen back in 2016, but now that he's put out a music video with some fantastic dancers as the titular characters, we are positively in love with him!

Check out the emotional new music video to, "Grow as We Go" with Rudy Abreu and Effie Tutko. The L.A. superstars are positively stunning in it! Let us know if you agree over on our Facebook page.

Ben Platt - Grow As We Go [Official Video] www.youtube.com

Miami City Ballet principal Jeanette Delgado's dynamic, show-stopping presence and powerful, crisp technique have been wowing audiences for well over a decade. A Miami, FL, native, Delgado began training with Vivian Tobio, Liana Navarro, and Maria Victoria Gutierrez. At age 9, she received a scholarship to Miami City Ballet School and, in 2003, she earned the Princess Grace Award. That same year, Delgado became an apprentice with Miami City Ballet. In 2004 she was promoted to the corps, and in 2006 to soloist. She became a principal dancer in 2008. Catch her this month performing in the company's spring program. —Courtney Bowers

Dear Jeanette,

Take a deep breath. Exhale and let your fears slide away. Life isn't going to be easy. And those things you're worried about? Well, some of them will happen. But you'll get through it—and along the way you'll become a more compassionate and grateful dancer.

First of all, be kinder to yourself. I know sometimes you look around comparing yourself to others, and it's easy to see everyone else's incredible qualities versus your own imperfections. Let go of focusing on what they have compared to what you lack. Continue working with enthusiasm on the aspects of yourself you want to improve and appreciate the qualities in others, so they may inspire you.

At age 17 (courtesy Delgado)

You're young and many beautiful opportunities are coming your way! Accept these moments, as scary and challenging as they may seem, with grace and humility. Spend less time questioning why you were chosen and more time immersed in the work you've been chosen for. Cherish every opportunity—ballets are gifts meant to be explored. There's no sense in trying to be perfect. What you do with your imperfections will be much more interesting to learn from and to share.

In the moments of doubt and pain, open yourself up to learning all the lessons there are to learn. It'll be difficult when you're injured, but you'll return stronger and smarter by working on hundreds of exercises. In these moments, also recognize the importance of a balanced life. It's a time to reflect, rest, and meditate. These tools will allow you to feel happiness from within, whether or not you're able to perform.

Most importantly, take time to connect to what it is about dance that moves you. Watch from the audience whenever you can and soak up the magic. It'll take you back to the feeling you had when you first fell in love with this beautiful art form.

You got this!

Love always,

Jeanette

A version of this story appeared in the March 2019 issue of Dance Spirit with the title "Letter to My Teenage Self: Jeanette Delgado."

The extraordinary Paloma Garcia-Lee, who's danced in no fewer than five Broadway shows, can adapt to any choreographer's style. And before heading back to Broadway this spring in Moulin Rouge! (choreographed by Sonya Tayeh), she's tackling the work of one of the most iconic choreographers of all time: Bob Fosse.

Garcia-Lee plays Adrienne in the new FX limited series "Fosse/Verdon," premiering April 9, which follows the romantic and creative relationship of Fosse (Sam Rockwell) and his muse Gwen Verdon (Michelle Williams). Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, Steve Levenson, and Andy Blankenbuehler serve as executive producers, with Kail directing and Blankenbuehler choreographing.

With the exception of performing on The Tony Awards, "Fosse/Verdon" marks Garcia-Lee's TV debut. "I'm really setting my sights on more on-camera work," she says. "Getting the chance to flex my muscles as an actress in this different medium, but still have the dance part, is all really exciting." (She's got real acting chops, too: While a student at the North Carolina School of the Arts, she actually quit dance briefly to study acting instead.)

Dance Spirit spoke to Garcia-Lee about "Fosse/Verdon"'s epic final callback, how she got cast, and the transition from stage to screen.

How did you get involved in the show?

Andy Blankenbuehler and I have been, like, circling each other for years! Whenever he has wanted me to do something, I've been doing something else, and it's just been this back and forth for the longest time. After we finished our out-of-town run of Moulin Rouge! in Boston this summer, he mentioned he had a TV project coming up. So I went in to audition for it and ended up getting cast. I then had to choose between working on "Fosse/Verdon" and doing "Rent Live!" in L.A., which was really, really hard for me. I just like woke up one morning, and my gut was like, I need to stay in New York and see what this show is going to be.

What was the audition like?

All of us in the room for the final "Fosse/Verdon" callback will remember it for the rest of our lives—we joke that it'll be a story we tell our grandkids. Thanks to the magnitude of the show, people were clamoring to get an audition. I've never been in a room of that caliber. It was the best of New York. Everyone knew something really special was going to happen with the project. Many of us were in tears—how often does that happen?

Tel us about your role in the show.

The fourth episode is where you meet my character, Adrienne. She's probably based on someone real, and who worked with Bob a lot. (A lot of names were changed throughout the process.) She's one of his core dancers.

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How did you get into character?

I've always been a fan of Fosse's work—I loved the Broadway show Fosse when I was younger. But surprisingly, other than a few workshops, I've actually never done Fosse material in my life. So that was kind of a whole new world for me.

I took the opportunity to do as much research as I could. The first thing I did was pick up the book the show is based on, by Sam Wasson. It's like Harry Potter thick! And I did endless YouTubing, endless going to the library to look for tapes, endless listening to the original soundtracks from Fosse's shows. In rehearsals, we were able to sit down with people who worked with him, and we just picked their brains. What was it like coming into rehearsal? What was the gossip? What was the energy like? It was so fun to create our own characters, pulling from all these different experiences that we're heard about. Of course, we're also doing some of the most iconic dance numbers of all time, which is a lot of pressure.

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How is dancing for the camera different from dancing onstage?

The acting needs to be at a different level when there's a camera two feet from your face while you're dancing. You can be doing the most intricate dance step, but the camera is on your eyes, your energy—it's a completely different way to dance.

When you're in a show, you just learn the whole sequence. But filming doesn't work that way. You might film in reverse. Rarely did we have the opportunity to even do the whole number. So I had to get used to presenting dance in a different way.

What should audiences expect from the show?

The show obviously has tons of dancing, but we're also focusing on Gwen's influence on Bob's work. It's an interesting look at their relationship. So it's not just like a dance show made for TV; it's really a cinematic world. A lot of times, you see this famous choreography in the background of a scene. I did numbers from Sweet Charity, Pippin and Chicago on the show. They really dive into his whole existence and the complex relationships he had with his dancers.

We updated your favorite story-ballet tutus with modern details that'll please any 21st-century prima ballerina. Who needs a cavalier, anyway?

Modeled by Cheyenne Fitzsimons and Martina Sandionigi, dancers with New York Dance Project (a professional company and training program in NYC).

Photography by Nathan Sayers. Hair and makeup by Angela Huff for Mark Edward Inc.

Kitri

Cheyenne wears a LeaMarie leotard and Capezio tutu.

Lilac Fairy

Martina wears a Bloch Inc. top and Chacott tutu.

Odette/Odile

Cheyenne wears an Art Stone/The Competitor unitard and Costume Gallery tutu.

Giselle

Martina wears a Bloch Inc leotard and tutu.

Aurora

Cheyenne wears a Jo+Jax jacket with a Capezio leotard and skirt.

A version of this story appeared in the March 2019 issue of Dance Spirit with the title "Contemporary Classics."

For professional ballet dancers, the search for the perfect pointe shoe is a lifelong quest. Even the smallest adjustment in manufacturing can make the difference between a shoe that allows a ballerina to soar and a shoe that detracts from her dancing. So what goes into creating the perfect fit? A lot of hard work, patience, and masterful attention to detail. We got the inside scoop on how a Bloch pointe shoe is made from beginning to end, and went inside one of American Ballet Theatre principal Devon Teuscher's touch-up fittings with Bloch owner David Fox in NYC.

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Once a dancer has ascended the ranks in the professional world, she can start to explore customizing her pointe shoes. "I started wearing the Bloch Alpha when I was 15 years old living in Vermont," says Teuscher. "But I didn't begin making adjustments to them until around the time I became a soloist with ABT."

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According to Fox, the number of variable adjustments a dancer could make is infinite: "There isn't just one factor involved in solving issues," he says. "If a dancer is too far over on her box, it could be a combination of problems with the angle of the platform, the height of the support, the length of the vamp, and the strength of the shank." Most dancers who wear Bloch meet with shoemakers or fitters two to four times per year to discuss customization.

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Once the fitter has taken lots of notes on any changes required, the information and measurements are sent to Bloch's factory in Thailand, where the process of making a pointe shoe physically begins. A shoemaker begins work on a pointe shoe by cutting out a pattern using an X-Acto knife. It takes anywhere from six weeks to two months for a trial shoe to be made.

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Shoemakers create the sole of the shoe with a giant sole-puncher. Then, they form the toe box from a thick paste. With the sole as a base, the shoemaker begins adding layers of fabric, wrapping the shoe tightly to make each layer secure. Bloch uses the "turn-shoe" method for most of their pointe shoes, which means they're sewn together inside out and then flipped the right way to force the seams inside.

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Once the satin fabric that forms the shoe is trimmed and stitched together, the final touch is adding a drawstring. The pointe shoes are now ready to be shipped to ballerinas all over the world. In this case, they'll head back to ABT in NYC for Teuscher.

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Most dancers will go through multiple versions of their shoes over the course of their careers. Teuscher is on her sixth version of the Alpha—something Fox says is atypical. "Some dancers will be on the 23rd version of their shoe before they get what they want," he says. "Devon knows what works for her, so she doesn't have to."

A version of this story appeared in the March 2019 issue of Dance Spirit with the title "The Life of a Pointe Shoe."