Dancers whose second careers are surprising Options

[bart]

pmeja has posted the following in today's Links forum:

A Scottish ballet dancer gives it all up to be a pig farmer:

http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/scottish-...78057-21105692/

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"?

[kfw]

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.

[Treefrog]

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!

[LiLing]

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.

[volcanohunter]

Upon retiring from Alberta Ballet Patrick Canny joined the Calgary Police Service. His wife and fellow dancer Amanda Walsh later became a florist.

[bart]

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.

[Helene]

Ib Andersen was a painter/artist between his last ballet-related work and becoming Artistic Director of Ballet Arizona.

[Paquita]

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.

[Helene]

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.

[Kathleen O'C...]

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)

[Kathleen O'C...]

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.

[ViolinConcerto]

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!

[sandik]

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?

[Alexandra]

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!

[Ray]

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