“Education is freedom, and the more you know, the more free you can be.”

As a middle-schooler in Missouri, Karilyn Ashley Surratt found a flyer at her local dance studio advertising a summer ballet intensive in New York City. Though her family decided that she was too young at the time for a summer in the city, years later Karilyn rediscovered that same flyer for American Ballet Theatre, still in a box at her mother’s house. Recalling this childhood dream, Karilyn decided to pursue a career in dance education, with the help of ABT. Since then, Karilyn has completed ABT’s National Teaching Curriculum, the ABT/NYU Master’s Degree, and is now a faculty member at the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School.

SideBarre spoke with Karilyn about her journey to ABT, her philosophy around teaching and arts education, and her experiences as a Black and Native American woman in the performing arts. Dance has played a crucial role in Karilyn’s life, saying that dance gave her “a sense of embodiment, that helped me put myself together and understand my whole self, so that I was not afraid to speak.”

Currently, Karilyn is on faculty at the ABT JKO School Children’s Division, in addition to teaching college classes at Pace University in tap and dance history, and tap dance at the Academy at Steps on Broadway. She is also in the inaugural cohort of the Ailey Horton Teacher Training program. After a long career performing in renowned dance and musical theatre institutions such as the Rockettes and The Muny, Karilyn is now focusing her career on education. To Karilyn, dance education is “the ultimate practice of freedom,” believing that “it re-embodies your physical self, your spiritual, mental, and emotional selves.”

Karilyn feels that as an educator it is her role to create possibilities for her students. She thinks it is “really important as teachers that we never limit our students, because we limit ourselves when we limit our students.” Karilyn emphasizes the reciprocal nature of teaching; she says, “you have to recognize that your students are experts in their experience and so, at whatever age they are at, you can always be learning from them.”

As both a performer and teacher, Karilyn sees her cultural background as an inherently important component of her practice: “I’m a dancer who happens to be Native American and Black and that is a part of the artistry.” Her background informs her teaching style, as she comes from “a family of teachers,” and was raised in her family’s tradition of passing on ancestral knowledge.

Karilyn holds the honor of being the first Native American Rockette. When asked how she feels about this title, she says that it means more to her now than it did at the time, and, in fact, she did not even know that she was the first until her final year with the company. While she always included her Indigenous background in her press materials, it was often overlooked, and she feels that this was a missed opportunity, especially in her time on tour; Karilyn is passionate about community outreach and advocacy and laments the lost chance to connect with Native American groups throughout the country.

As a performer with mixed ancestry, she has felt tokenized by productions as “ethnically ambiguous,” and felt her offstage skills as a dance captain and assistant choreographer were underutilized for the sake of onstage diversity. While performing as a Rockette, Karilyn was at times provided with nude tights and costumes that did not match her skin tone. However, she feels that there have been some improvements over the years, especially with inclusive costuming, and continues to have hope that productions will fully appreciate the wide skill sets of their talent, regardless of skin color.

Ultimately, Karilyn feels that her role as an educator and a role model to younger performers, especially young women of color is both a great honor and a great responsibility. In teaching dance history to her college students, she is sure to always emphasize her own history of teachers, instilling a sense of legacy in her students. She says, “I want to be true to the legacy that has been instilled in me from my teachers, from their teachers, and from their teachers.”

Whether her classes are filled with young children in their first dance class or college students on the cusp of a professional career, Karilyn wants her students to know that the legacy they carry through dance is very valuable—“it’s valuable to them as an individual, it’s valuable to their families, and it’s valuable to society and culture at large.”

The writer, Lauren Trossman, is an ABT Press Intern for Fall 2025.

If someone told you they were going to ship a giant tree across the ocean and then tow it across the United States, you may not only think it was crazy – you might think it was impossible. But that’s exactly what American Ballet Theatre has done for the set of The Winter’s Tale, coming to The Metropolitan Opera House July 1 – 5 for ABT’s Summer season.

Based on the Shakespeare play of the same name, and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, The Winter’s Tale follows both the tragic and hopeful events that unfold when King Polixenes of Bohemia and his wife, Hermione, visit his jealousy-stricken friend, King Leontes of Sicilia. Alternating between the rulers’ two kingdoms, the ballet’s joyful second act in Bohemia takes place beneath a giant tree. With the roots exposed and its branches covered in ornaments, the tree is made to look like it also dances in its own way. It is a spectacular set piece that not only serves as King Polixenes’s hiding place in the story, but has become a symbol of the entire ballet.

Before ABT’s production of The Winter’s Tale opened at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California in April, the show was built in Vienna, Austria. Created by award-winning designer Bob Crowley, the set was shipped to the U.S. in seven sea containers for ABT’s production at Segerstrom. Now, the ballet is traveling to the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City for ABT’s Summer season, with the massive tree taking up the entirety of a 53-foot trailer.

Made of a steel skeleton covered in sculpted foam, the tree has to be broken into five large pieces and several smaller branches in order to make the trip. It then takes two hours to reassemble and about 14 people to push on stage.

The feat did not go unnoticed during ABT’s run of The Winter’s Tale in Costa Mesa.

“Bob Crowley’s set feels alive,” performing arts critic Michael M. Landman-Karny said in his review of the show. “…The tree doesn’t just decorate the space. It changes it, speaking to time, to growth, to the things we carry and let go. This isn’t merely storytelling through dance. It burrows deep, settling somewhere between your ribs.”

If seeing the incredible set piece isn’t enough of a reason to see The Winter’s Tale, then there’s plenty more for everyone. The choreography by two-time Tony Award®-winner Christopher Wheeldon, score by Joby Talbot, silk effects by Basil Twist, and costumes also designed by Crowley have all received astounding praise. All, of course, with ABT’s world-class dancers at center stage.

See ABT’s The Winter’s Tale for yourself at The Metropolitan Opera House July 1 – 5. Tickets are on sale now.

French for “a step for two,” the pas de deux has long been revered as one of the most intimate and expressive sequences of a ballet, where two dancers paint a visual dialogue through their interconnected movements. Traditionally, ballet partnering practices require the male dancer to take on a supportive role, providing the ballerina with a solid foundation to spotlight her impressive pointe work. But as ballet evolves, so too does the roles of the male dancer, transforming the dynamics of partnering in newer works. Soloist Patrick Frenette offers a fresh perspective on how his partnering roles vary across repertoires, as well as the deeper meaning behind these pairings.  

The Quiet Mastery of Male Partners in Classical Ballet 

In classical ballets like Swan Lake or Giselle, the adagio of the grand pas de deux, along with other duet choreography, is marked by a clear delineation of roles: the ballerina captivates the audience with her graceful, ethereal movements, while the male dancer delivers the strength and steadiness needed to execute each lift, turn, and landing with precision. The resulting illusion is that of the ballerina floating effortlessly, light as air.  

“A notable male partner in classical ballet should not detract from the ballerina’s lines and should strive to make every landing silent, every turn crisp and centered,” explains Frenette. He describes his role as a “pillar of stability and dependability” in classical partnering sequences, underscoring that the male dancer’s artistry lies in his ability to provide crucial support to elevate the ballerina’s performance, without overshadowing it. This delicate balance of strength and elegance between both dancers is what gives these passes their distinctive beauty.  

New Partnerships in Contemporary Ballet 

Contemporary works often require a more dynamic and fluid partnership. Modern choreography encourages both dancers to explore a wider range of expression, blurring the traditional boundaries of movement associated with male and female roles. 

Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works exemplifies this evolution, featuring duets of various pairings. Frenette embodies this shift in Act II, “Becomings,” where he engages in a whirlwind sequence with Principal Dancer Chloe Misseldine, supporting her through acrobatic lifts and turns, only to find himself flipped upside down and stretched into bold positions in another duet with corps dancer Andrew Robare moments later. 

In similar contexts, the male dancer gains greater freedom of movement, with the connection between partners taking priority over the constraints of individual character roles. “The personal relationships we have with one another tend to transfer much more visibly through abstract works, where characters are loosely defined,” says Frenette. “Many times, in contemporary repertoire, who we are outside the studio and theater is on display for the audience.” 

Dancing Dialogues 

Cultivating the trust necessary for these intricate partnerships, whether in classical or contemporary ballet, starts with receptivity fostered through both verbal and non-verbal open communication. Building a relationship rooted in a mutual understanding of each dancer’s unique approaches to the choreography is crucial, as this foundational connection translates into a compelling emotional and physical synergy onstage.  

“With partnering sequences, there is a conversation between two parties: an action and a reaction, a statement and a response,” says Frenette, highlighting how these interactions add a natural layer of human dialogue to ballet. In contrast, solos only convey a singular emotion or perspective. The interplay of duets and solos throughout a ballet thus crafts a richly nuanced narrative, capturing individual expression and revealing how that expression is then deepened through the dynamic of partnership.  

For Frenette, it is sometimes those moments of stillness or pause that can often convey profound meaning between partners, enhancing the emotional connection visible to the audience. He describes a gesture from the pas de trois in Swan Lake, where, on the final musical note, he’ll gaze at his partner and gently tilt his head toward her after supporting her through a triple pirouette. “It’s a very touching gesture of affection I like to share with all the ballerinas I dance with,” he explains, “a way to say, ‘I’ve got you. We did that. Now, onto our variations!’” 

The writer, Jackeline Fernandes, was an ABT Press Intern for Summer 2024.

Often trending on TikTok over the past year or two has been pointe shoe preparation, or “pointe shoe ASMR.” Videos of dancers sewing, cutting, ripping, darning, burning, smacking, and stomping on their pointe shoes have garnered equal parts interest and confusion, a process wholly unknown to those who have never danced or are unfamiliar with pointe shoes.

The comment sections of pointe shoe prep videos are filled with comments along the lines of “Why don’t pointe shoes come broken in already?” or “Why do you need to tear them apart to dance?”

For a pointe shoe to be danced in, it first must undergo a rigorous cycle of abuse and sewing to last for… not very long at all. Generally, for professional dancers, one pair lasts little more than one full-length performance because the materials of a pointe shoe break down very quickly. “Why is this?” many ask.

The short answer to the “Why?” of pointe shoe prep is that every dancer has specific preferences for their shoes; this is based on years of experience in modifying pointe shoes to fit their feet and unique dancing styles. Pointe shoes cannot be bought or made already broken in, because those shoes would not fit most dancers’ preferences.

The composition of pointe shoes gives insight into why they need to be broken in so rigorously. When dancers leap gracefully through the air or seam to float across the stage en pointe, they are essentially dancing on layers of hard, compact cardboard with minimal cushioning, and so their shoes must be modified for maximum comfort and ease.

Pointe shoes may look dainty and delicate, but they are rock-hard to support a dancer’s entire body weight and require years of extensive training to become comfortable in. There is little padding in the shoes at all, and dancers must manually sew on elastic ankle bands and ribbons so that the shoes stay on their feet.

Some dancers choose to wear toe pads or other layers of comfort, and some do not. Some dancers break in pointe shoes faster than others, but it also depends on the performance. Each dancer is different, so each pointe shoe must be different as well.

For all, however, it takes years of trial and error to perfect their pointe shoe customization.

Léa Fleytoux, a Soloist with American Ballet Theatre, has been dancing since she was four years old and began pointe at the age of nine. Her dance teacher brought her and her dance class to a store and helped them select pointe shoes before demonstrating how to lightly break in the shoes by bending them in half.

“When you’re so young, you don’t have enough force in your feet to actually break the shoe,” said Fleytoux. “But of course, after that, everybody kind of finds whatever is best for them.”

According to Fleytoux, finding and modifying pointe shoes is a process that changes for the entirety of a dancer’s career.

“I’m wearing Bloch [shoes] at the moment, custom Alphas,” said Fleytoux. “I’m still trialing, because our feet also change as we work in different ways. We all change and change the way that we dance, so those are the ones I have for now.”

To break in her pointe shoes, Fleytoux likes to modify the shank first. From about midway in the pointe shoe to the very back, Fleytoux removes the inside shank because she likes her feet to sit more on top of her toes and upper arch.

The shank of the pointe shoe, which runs along the bottom of a dancer’s foot to support their arch, is made primarily of cardboard or a similar material.

She then breaks in the wings, which support the sides of the dancers’ feet, and the toe box (which happens in a crunch-like fashion) of her shoes, and as far as modifications to the structural integrity of the shoe, that’s as far as she goes.

The toe box, or the hard cup of a pointe shoe that encases the dancer’s toes, is primarily made of layers of cardboard, paper, and fabric that are packed and hardened with a glue-like fluid.

“I don’t really break [my shoes] in that much because I like to be supported,” said Fleytoux. “I like harder shoes.”

The exterior of a pointe shoe is typically satin, with an elastic drawstring binding that the dancer can tighten the shoe with. In terms of external modifications, the vamp, or the distance from the tip of the shoe to the drawstring that covers the tops of the toes and foot, is too low for Fleytoux as she has naturally longer toes. As a result, Fleytoux sews a piece of elastic perpendicular to the vamp to give herself extra support.

She also darns her pointe shoes to prevent the tip of the shoe from getting too soft too quickly when she dances. Darning pointe shoes consists of sewing, with a thick needle, along the perimeter of the platform of shoe’s toe box to provide extra support; Fleytoux said that darning also helps her to balance better. To darn her pointe shoes, Fleytoux traces the tips of her shoes with a pencil, darns with a thick needle on the line, and finally uses Jet Glue to make them last even longer.

She sews ribbons and elastics together across the shoes so that she can tie her foot into the shoe, as is necessary for all dancers.

For comfort, she also modifies what goes into her pointe shoes, other than her feet. Fleytoux uses PerfectFit pointe shoe inserts, which she says are “everything for me.” She discovered PerfectFit when she first moved to the United States.

PerfectFit inserts go into the toe box of a pointe shoe and are filled with a play-doh like filling that dancers put their foot in to mold. Once the inside filling is set and hardened, the insert is perfectly molded to their feet and can slip right into any pointe shoe.

“You do have to remake them, I would say, every couple of months because they get a little bit worn out,” said Fleytoux. “But that’s probably the best invention.”

In total, prepping her pointe shoes from start to finish takes Fleytoux about an hour and a half per pair. Because it takes so long, she tends to do it on an as needed basis rather than bulk prepping shoes.

Another popular question from curious TikTokers is how long pointe shoes last, given the amount of preparation time required. For Fleytoux, it depends on a variety of factors.

“I think depends on the weather, as well. If it’s humid, the shoes don’t dry well, so it’s really difficult to keep them harder,” said Fleytoux. “[My shoes] can usually last, if I alternate them, for a couple of weeks.”

She also alternates her shoes depending on her schedule for the day.

“I usually wear harder shoes for class and softer shoes for rehearsal. In the morning, I wear the harder shoes and then I switch to softer ones, which I think helps in keeping them a little longer,” said Fleytoux.

While “pointe shoe ASMR” TikTok offers captivating visuals for those interested in or fascinated by ballet, it is more than just a series of satisfying sounds and visuals; pointe shoe routines reflect the discipline and dedication required for ballet, as well as the many years of training that go into defining a dancer’s artistry.

The writer, Paige Shea, was an ABT Press Intern for Summer 2024.

For many dancers, their first memories of ballet are sugarplum fairies and dancing mice. The Nutcracker has a unique tradition of incorporating students and pre-professional dancers into the production, allowing budding ballet dancers to take the stage among starring Principals.  

This holiday season, several dancers from ABT Studio Company will be joining the main Company at Segerstrom Center of the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, for ABT’s The Nutcracker. Read below to learn more about ABT Studio Company dancers Lilia Greyeyes, Brady Farrar, Vince Pelegrin, and Max Barker and their unique perspective on this Nutcracker season.  

For many productions, there is such limited time for stage rehearsals that we have to split the rehearsal up amongst several casts to give enough time to those debuting in a role. In an ideal situation, every artist would have a chance to feel what it will be like to get out onstage in a role, regardless of how many times they have performed it. At ABT, however, we cannot always make that happen.

Due to this lack of time, the Directors of Repertoire and dancers try to get in as much rehearsal time in the studio as possible. This way, the ballet is so ingrained in the dancers’ bodies and minds that when the lights, stage, and live audience hit, they are not completely disoriented or thrown off.

Most of the time, in a dress rehearsal, the audience is witnessing that exact moment of the unknown for the artist, as well as the adjustments that need to be made to dance in a new space. Very often, the dress rehearsal is the first time the dancers hear the music with live orchestra, and that changes things too. Needing a moment to get used to the stage is often why dancers make mistakes, fall off technical details, or are not absolutely in sync during the stage rehearsal.

The good news is that since the dancers know ahead of time that things will be hectic, they come to the dress rehearsal psychologically prepared for imperfections, and they know that it’s a moment for them to acclimate and make adjustments. The Artistic Director, choreographers, and Directors of Repertoire also need to discern what is being revealed and give feedback accordingly. Skill and experience are needed from both dancers and staff.

Sometimes in a dress rehearsal, the production crew is testing lights or fine-tuning set changes, adding more variables for the dancers to take into account as they acclimate to the stage. Again, the physical preparation in the studio is vital, and the psychological preparation can make all the difference.

When the actual performance happens, the dancers are revved up with their adrenaline flowing and their desire to dance their best. This excitement, along with their talent, cooperation, and support of one another, is what makes the ABT miracle happen, despite the obstacles experienced prior to showtime.

Many a time over my almost 18 years as Director of Repertoire with ABT, I have witnessed an imperfect dress rehearsal in the afternoon and an absolutely brilliant performance danced that evening. It is continuously rewarding and a fascinating process to witness.