Five years after taking her last curtsy with new york city ballet, wendy whelan has relinquished the most rigorous aspects of a star dancers life. City center adds to season with wendy whelan, ballet and. The dancer triumphantly returns to new york city balletoffstage but with more influence than ever. Whelan has also been an influential guest artist with morphosesthe wheeldon company. Principal dancer at the new york city ballet, wendy whelan continues to be inspired as an artist and human being by marie cecile gibson, her ballet teacher as a youth. One of them was her vulnerability in talking about leaving new york city ballet after 30 years. Other stories, which had its premiere in july at covent gardens. Inside wendy whelans triumphant return to the new york city ballet.
Wendy whelan has danced with the company since 1984. Inside wendy whelans triumphant return to the new york city ballet read full article the dancer triumphantly returns to new york city balletoffstage but with more influence than ever. Wendy whelan describes sublime human experience as a principal dancer for the new york city ballet wendy whelans routine included 12 hours a day of. Balanchine and jerome robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. In 1981, her teachers, cecile gibson and robert dicello, encouraged wendy to audition for suzanne farrell, who was scouting students for the school of american ballet, the training ground for new york city ballet and top ballet companies around the world, cofounded in 1933 by george balanchine and lincoln kirstein. By getting rid of her uniform of more than 30 years, she hoped her muscle memory would let go of old movement patterns. Wendy whelan nycb new york city ballet official site. The nutcracker complete ballet score licensed to youtube by kontor new media music, kobalt awal digital limited on behalf of rpo records. From april 21 through may 29, new york city ballet presents digital streams of two ballets a week, along full slate of other online programming, including new podcast episodes and livestreamed classes, to coincide with the dates of our nowcancelled spring 2020 performances at lincoln center. Wendy whelan gave away all her leotards in december. Stafford on nutcracker casting and will do the same for city ballets. Wendy whelan has reinvented herselfand doesnt care what.
Learn more about whelans life and career, including her notable performances. Jonathan stafford and wendy whelan new york city ballet. The documentary restless creature chronicles her recovery and. In between rehearsals for the nutcracker, playing through jan. When ballet is your life, what does life after ballet look. How ballerina wendy whelan overcame the shame and stigma. The former new york city ballet principal dancer joined the company at. Inside wendy whelans triumphant return to the new york. The new york times reported this morning that jonathan stafford and wendy whelan will. As new york city ballets spring season enters its homestretch, program notes indicate all too often that the cast has changed due to illness or injury. In 1981, her teachers, cecile gibson and robert dicello, encouraged wendy to audition for suzanne farrell, who was scouting students for the school of american ballet, the training ground for new york city ballet and top ballet companies around the world, co. From injury to recovery, a ballet dancer fought to retire. One of the most acclaimed dancers of her generation, she followed a storied 30year career at nycb with a variety of multidisciplinary projects with cultural organizations around the world.
Her instantly recognizable figure slender and sharp is what one notices first. In this episode of talks at gs, new york city ballet leaders jonathan stafford and wendy whelan discuss the experience of taking over the. Wendy whelan says farewell to city ballet the new york times. Dancer wendy whelan leaves ballet, becomes a freelance.
The dancer triumphantly returns to new york city ballet offstage but with more influence than ever. A magic prince, a dreamy young girl, a mysterious old man and a christmas tree that grows sky high. The company was founded in 1948 by george balanchine and lincoln kirstein, and it quickly became worldrenowned for its athletic and contemporary style. The dancer and associate artistic director of new york city ballet shares the. City ballet shies away from taking chances on its young. Wendy whelans farewell performance at nycb featured. But the occasion was much more than just a farewell. For one, there was no sorrow, and no tears at least none seen. How ballerina wendy whelan overcame the shame and stigma of.
Enter the world of george balanchines the nutcracker, featuring the new york city ballet, and let this allnew movie version of a timeless yuletide fantasy, narrated ny academy awardr winner kevin kline, draw you under its spell. One of the foremost dance companies in the world, with a roster of 100 extraordinary dancers and an unparalleled repertory, nycb is committed to. Nycb wendy whelan new york city ballet about official site. Wendy whelan feared she would never dance again after undergoing hip surgery.
Wendy whelan, american ballet dancer who performed for three decades 19842014 with new york city ballet nycb and was celebrated for her technical precision, modern sensibility, and defined musculature. Wendy whelans farewell to nycb a ballerinas career in. Last night was wendy whelans farewell performance with new york city ballet, after thirty years. For the first time in decades i didnt go to a city ballet nutcracker. Sadly, i was not able to attend, but i heard from friends and balletomanes that it was an awesome night, the kind that brought a community of uber devoted ballet fans, longtime lovers of the nycb, whelan aficionados, critics and some lucky.
Wendy whelan returns to the new york city ballet departures. Wendy whelan is a former principal dancer with the new york city ballet and performed with the company for 30 years. But no matter how heavy the schedule or how many other dancers are out, city ballets senior ballerina wendy whelan seems to forge ahead. There were many wonderful things about the new documentary wendy whelan. An exclusive look at wendy whelans forthcoming documentary, restless creature, and a conversation with the ballet legend. On october 18, 2014, the ballerina wendy whelan took her final bow as a principal dancer with the new york city ballet, the company to which she. Every year, the nutcracker new york city ballet production is the gold standard against which all other nutcracker productions are measured and every year, it continues to enchant both longtime balletomanes and newcomers alike. When wendy whelan took me on a minitour of her office at new york city ballet, it was a bit like a tour of her career, too. There was a huge poster printed with cyrillic letters from the time she danced rubies from george balanchines jewels at the kirov ballet. She is a guest artist with the royal ballet and the kirov ballet and has performed all over the u.
Wendy whelan wendy whelan, former principal dancer with new york city ballet and international dance icon, leads a balanchinebased master class with a focus on energy, correct and healthy body alignment, musicality, economy of movement, and speed. Restless creature, now available on netflix, chronicles wendy whelans recovery from hip surgery and her final performance with the new york city ballet. One of the foremost dance companies in the world, with a roster of nearly 100 extraordinary dancers and an unparalleled repertory. Wendy whelan is inspired by stravinsky and chanel no. When she joined the troupe, in 1984, she was superbly. Wendy whelan, the former new york city ballet dancer whose retirement has been anything but quiet, will perform at city center as part of three programs that have been added to round out the theaters spring season she will be joined the royal ballet principal dancer edward watson as they reprise whelanwatson. Tears, flowers and an outpouring of love accompanied wendy whelans farewell performance at the new york city ballet on saturday, october 18. The new season began with two allbalanchine programsalways a good idea.
Wendy whelan, principal dancer of nycb share your story. A look back at some of wendys recent appearances on the nycb stage in some of her most iconic roles. New york city ballet nycb is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer george balanchine and lincoln kirstein. For a generation of ballerinas, wendy whelan was a walking goddess.
But what one remembers of this new york city ballet principal is. Wendy whelan, a principal dancer with new york city ballet, will give her farewell performance on oct. New york city ballet wendy whelan as dewdrop in george. Wendy whelan is the associate artistic director of new york city ballet. New york city ballet new york city ballet is one of the foremost dance companies in the world, with a roster of spectacular dancers and an unparalleled repertory. That sentence alone should be sufficient to recognize and memorialize the evening and its significance. The company is committed to adding at least four new ballets each year in order to maintain the vitality and distinction of its repertory. Former new york city ballet principal dancer, wendy whelan, talks beauty, aging, and life after dance in honor the documentary, restless creature. In a ballet studio overlooking grand avenue downtown, longlimbed, bonethin wendy whelan melts into the arms of her partner, jared angle, before sinking into a.
On october 18, 2014, the ballerina wendy whelan took her final bow as a principal dancer with the new york city ballet, the company to which she belonged for three decades. Wendy whelan gave her final performances with new york city ballet after a 30year career that created roles for some of the most notable ballets of the 21st century. Public domain compositions, and 2 music rights societies. After 30 years, new york city ballet principal dancer wendy whelan will bid farewell to the company with a special performance on saturday 18 october. New york city ballet principal dancer wendy whelan interview. The nutcracker new york city ballet tickets 2020 season. Former ballerina wendy whelan has returned to the new york city ballet. After almost a yearandahalf of turmoil, the city ballet has picked its new leaders. Oct 19, 2014 after 30 years, new york city ballet principal dancer wendy whelan will bid farewell to the company with a special performance on saturday 18 october. Wendy whelan may not be quite fairytale royalty to the scepter born, but she danced the sugarplum fairy with cool grace, admirably partnered. It was a christmas surprise for her ballet academy east studentsand an experiment. One of the most acclaimed dancers of her generation, she followed a storied 30year.