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You joined NYC Ballet in 2005 and quickly rose to principal dancer by 2009. What has that experience been like for you? To be honest, when I was younger, ballet was my least favorite—which of course is what my mother taught. It takes the most discipline and when you're younger, it seems more fun to dance to a pop song. Ballet is classical and takes a lot of concentration. So as a kid, I never thought I would be in a ballet company. It wasn't until I did "e Music Man" on Broadway when I was 11, which brought me to New York where I started studying at the School of American Ballet (the school that feeds into New York City Ballet). ere was something about that school—the technique, the style—it really appealed to me. We do ballet to Gershwin music, and he was more jazzy. So I do feel like NYC Ballet is a perfect fit for me because I get to do all different styles in a ballet company. I was determined to not look like a jazz dancer performing ballet—but to become a ballerina. At 15, I was accepted into the company so my career was chosen for me in a way. I'm so glad that it happened that way because I love the company; I love being a ballerina. I love everything about it. It came so quickly. Today, you can't even get into the company until you're 18—at 18 I was almost a principal. Because of my background coming from the jazz world, performing always felt very natural to me. In recent years with NYC Ballet, you've starred as the Sugar Plum Fairy (among other roles) in George Balanchine's "e Nutcracker." What separates this performance from the others? Sugar Plum is the reason why I wanted to do ballet. My parents took me when I was a teenager to see "e Nutcracker." I told my father that I wanted to be on that stage some day. To be the Sugar Plum Fairy is what made me want to be in the NYC Ballet in particular. For me to be in this role is very rewarding as it hopefully inspires the next generation of ballerinas who get to see it for the first time with me in it. Some people dislike "e Nutcracker" because it's every year. I look forward to it and I love sprinkling some Christmas magic. I don't think New York City is the same without it. It's such a family show. To be on stage with the entire company and have kids from the school dancing with you, it's a really special feeling that you don't get in other ballets. "Some people dislike "The Nutcracker" because it's every year. I look forward to it and I love sprinkling some Christmas magic. I don't think New York City is the same without it ." V U E N J . C O M 107

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