 Dancers whose second careers are surprising |
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 Feb 8 2009, 08:39 PM
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Diamonds Circle  Group: Moderators Posts: 5,142 Joined: 18-January 04 From: south Florida Member No.: 4,271  |
pmeja has posted the following in today's Links forum:
QUOTE A Scottish ballet dancer gives it all up to be a pig farmer: http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/scottish-...78057-21105692/ QUOTE BALLET dancer Bonnie Blair-Imrie has swapped her pumps for porkers - after starting a new life as a pig farmer. Bonnie, 24, had the world at her feet after graduating at the renowned Laban School of Dance in London. But she has given it all up to rear freerange pig breeds in a muddy field. The "lure of the land" and the desire to "celebrate pork" apparently led Ms. Blair-Imrie to give up dancing and switch careers. Any other ballet dancers you know of who left dancing -- either early, as in Blair-Imrie's case or upon retirement -- in order to take up a line of work that was surprising different from what usually we think of as "the dancer's life"? |
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Feb 8 2009, 08:49 PM
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Platinum Circle Group: Moderators Posts: 1,263 Joined: 18-November 98 Member No.: 38 |
QUOTE (bart @ Feb 8 2009, 08:39 PM)  Any other ballet dancers you know of who left dancing -- either early, as in Ms. Blair-Imrie's case or upon retirement -- and took up a line of work that was surprising different from whatg we think of as "a dancer's life"? I guess the obvious well known example would be Toni Bentley, who left a physically demanding job centered on the body for an intellectually demanding, cerebral career, or career on the side (as a writer), at least. Of course after she left the ballet world she tried her hand at another kind of dancing, but, er, still, the contrast stands. Of course Bentley also began writing and was a published author before she ever left NYCB. And now that I think about it, a Ballet Talk member who is a former dancer mentioned awhile back that he was working on a writing project. If he sees this thread, I hope he'll chime in and perhaps make some connections between his former work and his current project. |
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Feb 8 2009, 10:03 PM
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Silver Circle Group: Senior Member Posts: 629 Joined: 6-January 02 From: Chicago Member No.: 1,118 |
I know it's been done before, but I cannot resist: perhaps she will meld her two careers and produce Swine Lake?
Bart, you always come up the most wonderful topics! |
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Feb 8 2009, 11:01 PM
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Member Group: Member Posts: 81 Joined: 8-October 05 Member No.: 5,922 |
Steven Caras, formerly NYCB, photographer,
Linda Hamilton, PhD, psychologist, formerly NYCB Rosalie O'Connor, photographer, formerly ABT Then there is the sad case of Rahm Emanuel, who apparently was a serious and talented ballet student, but alas, his dream didn't come true. He is now Obama's chief of staff. |
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Feb 9 2009, 01:22 AM
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Silver Circle Group: Senior Member Posts: 741 Joined: 4-September 06 Member No.: 6,921 |
Upon retiring from Alberta Ballet Patrick Canny joined the Calgary Police Service. His wife and fellow dancer Amanda Walsh later became a florist.
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Feb 9 2009, 08:10 AM
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Diamonds Circle Group: Moderators Posts: 5,142 Joined: 18-January 04 From: south Florida Member No.: 4,271 |
QUOTE (LiLing @ Feb 8 2009, 11:01 PM) Steven Caras, formerly NYCB, photographer, As well as a lecturer on figures like Balanchine and Robbins, with whom he worked, and as a former Director of Development for Miami City Ballet and now for Palm Beach Dramaworks.
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Feb 9 2009, 10:05 AM
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Administrator Group: Administrators Posts: 6,169 Joined: 22-July 03 From: Vancouver Member No.: 3,390 |
Ib Andersen was a painter/artist between his last ballet-related work and becoming Artistic Director of Ballet Arizona.
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Feb 9 2009, 10:12 AM
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Bronze Circle Group: Senior Member Posts: 423 Joined: 30-March 99 Member No.: 44 |
Australian Ballet & NBoC dancer Geon van der Wyst is now a real estate agent.
James Kudelka went from dancer to choreographer to... artisan bread maker! In addition to those listed above, another dancer turned photographer is NBoC/Royal Ballet's Johan Persson. |
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Feb 9 2009, 10:50 AM
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#9
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Administrator Group: Administrators Posts: 6,169 Joined: 22-July 03 From: Vancouver Member No.: 3,390 |
I have forgotten the name of the former PNB corps member who has become a real estate agent, and I suspect there is more than one. It's so frustrating because I can visualize her.
NYCB corps dancer Kyle Froman is planning to be a full-time photographer when he retires at the end of the year. Angela Stirling at PNB and Rosalie O'Connor (everywhere!) are former dancers turned photographers. In addition to dance-related and dance-related health careers that are relatively predictable, NYCB corps member Delia Peters became a lawyer, as did PNB's Charles Newton, and Houston Ballet/Australian Ballet's Li Cunxin famously became a stock broker. |
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Feb 9 2009, 11:46 AM
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Bronze Circle Group: Senior Member Posts: 270 Joined: 10-May 00 Member No.: 233 |
QUOTE (LiLing @ Feb 8 2009, 11:01 PM) Then there is the sad case of Rahm Emanuel, who apparently was a serious and talented ballet student, but alas, his dream didn't come true. He is now Obama's chief of staff. It must really hurt to have to settle for something like that. (IMG:http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/style_emoticons/default/wink1.gif) |
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Feb 9 2009, 11:54 AM
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#11
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Bronze Circle Group: Senior Member Posts: 270 Joined: 10-May 00 Member No.: 233 |
QUOTE (Helene @ Feb 9 2009, 10:50 AM) NYCB corps dancer Kyle Froman is planning to be a full-time photographer when he retires at the end of the year. Oh no! So soon as that? I'll miss seeing him dance, but I look forward to seeing more of his photography. Froman's elegant and committed dancing has saved more than one performance for me by giving something to watch when the leads were carrying on as if they'd had their hearts set on being shift managers at a midtown Kinkos, but had to settle for being principals at a world-class ballet company instead. |
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Feb 9 2009, 01:34 PM
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#12
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Silver Circle Group: Senior Member Posts: 569 Joined: 11-October 05 From: Upstate NY Member No.: 5,930 |
QUOTE (Helene @ Feb 9 2009, 10:50 AM) NYCB corps dancer Kyle Froman is planning to be a full-time photographer when he retires at the end of the year. Angela Stirling at PNB and Rosalie O'Connor (everywhere!) are former dancers turned photographers. In addition to dance-related and dance-related health careers that are relatively predictable, NYCB corps member Delia Peters became a lawyer, as did PNB's Charles Newton, and Houston Ballet/Australian Ballet's Li Cunxin famously became a stock broker. Former NYCB soloist Michael Byars is also a lawyer, and former (and Jenifer Ringer's husband) Principal James Fayette works for the dancer's labor union, I forgot the initials. Deanna McBrearty tried her hand at photography for a while, even while dancing (the temptation must be there for all of them....) and recently made an exercise video, but that is not such a far stretch. Loudes Lopez is the executive director of Morphoses! |
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Feb 9 2009, 02:48 PM
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#13
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Platinum Circle Group: Senior Member Posts: 1,507 Joined: 3-December 01 From: Seattle, WA Member No.: 1,000 |
QUOTE (Helene @ Feb 9 2009, 03:50 PM) I have forgotten the name of the former PNB corps member who has become a real estate agent, and I suspect there is more than one. It's so frustrating because I can visualize her. Wasn't that Erin Joseph? |
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Feb 9 2009, 03:21 PM
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Administrator Group: Administrators Posts: 8,956 Joined: 5-October 98 From: Washington, D.C. Member No.: 31 |
A principal with the California Ballet in San Diego had a side job teaching body builders how to pose. I've always thought that was a very clever use of ballet training!
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Feb 9 2009, 03:22 PM
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Silver Circle Group: Senior Member Posts: 683 Joined: 26-June 02 Member No.: 1,786 |
I had heard that Daniel Levans (of Turning Point fame) became a police officer.
Some of my ex-ballet-dancer friends have become: *A financial planner (not a fun career now) *An administrator for the Office of Management and Budget in New York City *A wholesale accessories salesperson for a name-brand company *A freelance interior designer *An agent for jazz musicians *A professor (now tenured) of environmental science *An Amway salesperson |
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