City Ballet The Podcast · New York City Ballet

The Rosin Box: Partnering

·56 min·5 clips

NYCB dancers Claire and Aronne reveal how partnering training starts in your teens and why it's a skill you can't practice alone.

This episode explores the art of partnering in ballet, specifically within the context of a pas de deux. Hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Aarón Sanz, both New York City Ballet dancers, guide the conversation. They are joined by company colleagues Emily Kikta and Peter Walker to share their professional experiences. The discussion begins by explaining how partnering is introduced as an extra class for dancers in their early teens. It details the distinct initial focuses for young men and women, with men learning a new physical skill set and women learning the associated sensations and mental approach. The hosts emphasize that effective partnering is a collaborative skill that cannot be practiced alone. Emily Kikta and Peter Walker contribute insights drawn from their extensive time performing with NYCB. The conversation promises to delve into the many nuanced aspects of this foundational ballet discipline. A key insight is that a successful partnership requires both dancers to be fully engaged and responsive to each other. The episode reveals that trust and clear communication are more critical than sheer physical strength. Dancers must learn to anticipate their partner's movements and maintain a constant, subtle dialogue through touch and balance. A memorable point is that the ballerina actively contributes to the lift's success, rather than being a passive weight. The hosts and guests illustrate how small adjustments in hand placement or core engagement can dramatically improve stability and artistry. The tone is candid, conversational, and educational, coming directly from working professionals. The style is anecdotal, with dancers sharing personal experiences from the studio and stage. This episode is ideal for ballet students, aspiring dancers, and anyone curious about the technical and interpersonal mechanics behind ballet duets. Listeners seeking a highly produced narrative or topics unrelated to dance technique might find it less engaging.

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