In 2019, after nine years as a student at the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, three ABT Summer Intensives, and a starring role as young Clara in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker, Emilie Trauchessec decided to swap her pointe shoes for a textbook and enrolled at McGill University.  

Today, Emilie is a psychotherapist, specializing in providing mental health services for dancers and athletes, building on her professional ballet background to pave a career that supports other dancers. As we approach the 10th anniversary of The Nutcracker at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in California, SideBarre checked in with Emilie about this career transition, her relationship to dance today, and her time starring in The Nutcracker as a teenager. 

At age nine, Emilie joined the ABT JKO School Children’s Division, working her way through the School until her high school graduation. Emilie performed in The Nutcracker three times, as a Party Girl, Soldier, and, eventually, Clara. She looks back on those days fondly, particularly how much she loved getting to connect with the main Company members. Emilie shares that she remembers attending her first company rehearsal and being “so anxious,” but was immediately comforted as the dancers were “so nice and welcoming and all just wanted to help out.”  

Through her time at the ABT JKO School, Emilie found a family among her fellow dancers, relying on each other for support as they navigated the challenges that come with being a young dancer. This experience of communal support inspired Emilie’s decision to study psychology and sociology and go on to earn a Master of Social Work at Columbia University. “I saw a lot of people I was growing up with and dancing with struggling with their mental health,” Emilie shares, motivating her to pursue a career “making mental health care more accessible for the dance community.” 

Through her career as a therapist, Emilie has found new ways to integrate ballet into her life. This transition was not an easy one; she says, “I thought ‘who am I without dance?’ And so, when I took that step, at first, it was super scary. But then being able to continue to integrate dance into my life in different ways has been so eye opening and such a positive experience.” While dance is no longer her primary focus, she continues to take classes, see performances, and work with dancers as a therapist.  

As a Licensed Master Social Worker, Emilie works in a private practice, providing psychotherapy to a range of clients, with an emphasis on dancers and athletes. She sees the benefit of shared experience, having a personal understanding of high-pressure environments, performance anxiety, and injuries. Emilie is passionate about prioritizing mental health for professional dancers, telling us that mental health has traditionally been seen as taboo, but “now there’s a lot more discussion around it, a lot more resources at dance schools.” Emilie says that she thinks it’s important that these conversations are happening with young dancers, teaching kids from a young age to “be able to cope with the tough, competitive world they’re growing up in.” 

As her career progresses, Emilie’s dream is to open her own private practice focusing on dancers and athletes. She says, “because they have such unique experiences, I think a lot of dancers struggle to find therapists that they can connect with, because they feel like they need to explain a lot.”  

While her relationship with ballet has shifted over the years, Emilie has found the change to be positive. Working with dancers in a new way has helped her rediscover her love of ballet and help other dancers navigate the stresses of the industry. She says, “a lot of people think that once you’re no longer a dancer, that part of you is gone. But the way I see it, it’s still part of me. I think of it not as letting something go but finding a new way to integrate it into your life.” 

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

“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.

Performing in mesmerizing unison, the corps de ballet embody dedicated hours of training. From the studio until the curtain drops, corps members work together to showcase beautiful productions for the season. With a passionate love of dance are exemplary corps members who inspire and lead their team.

Each year, American Ballet Theatre recognizes an outstanding senior female corps dancer with the title of Jennifer Alexander Dancer. This dancer displays professionalism, dedication, and perseverance as the late Jennifer Alexander exemplified. Jennifer passed away in December 2007, and the title and Jennifer Alexander Memorial Fund are in memory of this beloved corps de ballet member.

This year ABT honors Leah Baylin as the 2025 Jennifer Alexander Dancer.

Leah began dancing ballet at four years old and from her first performance fell in love with the art form. “I lived for the moments I got to go to class and be onstage,” said Leah. Since then, Leah continued to pursue her love of ballet professionally.

Joining the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in September 2017 was the start of Leah’s ABT journey. In January the following year, Leah joined ABT Studio Company. She became an apprentice with the main Company in December 2019, then joined the corps de ballet in September 2021.

Nearing her fourth year as a corps de ballet member, dancing in the iconic swans corps at the end of Swan Lake is one of Leah’s favorite ABT moments. “The sun rises and we’re all onstage moving and breathing together one last time,” said Leah. Since joining ABT, Leah has danced every Swan Lake performance and each time gives her chills saying, “the beauty of breathing as one, the accomplishment of finishing the ballet, and the music transcend anything I’ve felt before.” She highlights the “camaraderie of the Company, especially the corps women,” as the best part of ABT.

Both on and off the stage, Leah uplifts and engages with the ABT community. An alumni of the ABT JKO School, Leah joined their fall semester Meet the Artist session in 2024 to answer the questions of excited young dancers and shared her own experiences. “To have a small hand in the output and an influence on younger dancers feels like I have given back to the art form in some way,” said Leah.

During the Summer of 2021, Leah contributed to “Dancer Diaries” for SideBarre, when the Company toured to her home state of Colorado. She shared fond moments during ABT “ballet bubbles” and the fulfilling but extensive rehearsal process. Her thoughtful stories created connectivity between ABT members in a period of separation.

As her work as a dancer never ends, Leah’s motto “practice like you’re the worst, perform like you’re the best,” summarizes her committed mindset. Leah said, “I’ve always enjoyed savoring the work I’ve put in and then being able to let go when I perform.” Her diligence and love for dance shine from practice to the stage.

Leah’s advice to young dancers is, “to not shy away from your qualities. Knowing your weaknesses is always a way to improve, but knowing and honing your strengths is a way to become an artist true to yourself and cultivate genuine confidence.”

The Jennifer Alexander Dancer honors Leah as part of the amazing women who continue to inspire and cultivate unity beyond the stage. Leah said, “Receiving this award makes me feel proud to be among the generations of amazing women, including Jennifer Alexander.”

When the curtain closes, dancers are no longer recognized by the character they play but by the kind of person they are off stage. In the rehearsal rooms they are leaders who strive to uplift and support their fellow dancers. Outside the studio, they are individuals who want to make the world a better place by being role models for future dancers.  

Every year, American Ballet Theatre recognizes a senior female corps de ballet member in memory of former dancer Jennifer Alexander, who embodied what it meant to be a leader on and off stage. Anabel Katsnelson continues Alexander’s legacy by being named this year’s Jennifer Alexander Dancer for her dedication and perseverance to her art form, the Company, and her community.  

The Jennifer Alexander Dancer embodies the professionalism, perseverance, and generosity that Jennifer Alexander showed as a corps of ballet member until a devastating car accident claimed her life in December 2007. The Memorial Fund was established in 2008 to honor Alexander’s memory and dedication to the Company.  

Similar to many women who have held the title of Jennifer Alexander Dancer, Anabel knew she was destined to be on stage at a young age. As her passion for ballet grew, Anabel began to follow the career of a number of professional ballet dancers, including former American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer Alessandra Ferri. 

Anabel describes her admiration for Alessandra, saying, “I love how effortless she is onstage, and how she can carry a story so beautifully through her body language and movement quality.” Being able to look up to Alessandra guided Anabel to the Company. After attending the American Ballet Summer Intensive, Anabel joined ABT Studio Company in 2016 and became a corps of ballet member in the summer of 2017. 

Being a dancer at ABT is like being a part of a family. All the dancers support each other, and within the corps there is this sense of unity and camaraderie that is unlike any other company I’ve seen.”

As a member of the corps de ballet, Anabel recalls her favorite moment as performing Twyla Tharp’s “Bomb Squad” from In the Upper Room. Anabel speaks fondly on the performance by saying, “Something about the Phillip Glass music, the smoke onstage, and the bombastic movement made the experience of performing so exhilarating. We were so well rehearsed that it truly felt like an out-of-body experience… I could totally ‘let go’ onstage!”  

Anabel continues her leadership off stage as she offers advice to the next generation of aspiring dancers. She wants to remind dancers of the importance of having role models but trusting their own journey. Anabel states,  

“It sounds cliché but my advice would be to stop comparing yourself to other dancers. Everyone is on their own path! I like to think that when I’m watching someone dance it should be informative or inspiring, but never negative or self-deprecating. While it’s something I am still working on, I’ve learned that negative self-talk only stifles the growing process.”

Anabel Katsnelson’s leadership on and off stage and her dedication to being a role model is a wonderful reminder of Jennifer Alexander’s spirit and love that she had for American Ballet Theatre. She carries this title with the respect and grace that it deserves.    

The writer, Camron Wright, was the Press Intern for Spring 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.  

Tell us a bit about your history as a musician.

I’m a “Juilliard pianist” and piano competition winner, but I’ve also had a lot of my own compositions performed, symphonies, an opera, chamber music, and solo piano. I’ve also been a very dedicated teacher, now for a select few since ABT occupies my time.

In your own words, describe the solo piece you are playing this season, “Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No. 2 in G for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 44” in George Balanchine’s Ballet Imperial.

… grand, brilliant, virtuosic, beautiful, and a lot of fun!

What is challenging or taxing about playing this piece? 

It’s physically very demanding, with lots of technical challenges and intricate work, and requires the stamina to sustain that for 40 minutes.

Are you doing anything special or different to work on this piece? What do rehearsals look like, compared to your own independent practice?

On my own I do a lot of slow work to smooth out connections and to memorize. And I daydream about musical ideas…

It’s fun to work in collaboration with dancers on building interesting nuance and phrasing, and work towards a common artistic vision.

What is exciting and rewarding about this piece?

It’s one of those pieces that makes you fall in love with Tchaikovsky all over again!

What does this season mean to you?

I’m thrilled Susan Jaffe has programmed this brilliant piece this season. It’s such a highlight!

Evangelos Spanos, Greek American and New York City based, is one of the brightest and most promising pianists of the current generation of international performers in the US. 

He is currently holding a full-time position as a Company Pianist at American Ballet Theatre and accompanies for classes at School of American Ballet and Steps on Broadway. In addition to his work with regional Equity theatres, Evangelos has served/serves as music staff at the Kansas City Ballet, University of Missouri in Kansas City, and Lyric Opera and has performed for many opera productions at the University of Kansas, as well as accompanying master classes for Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Mark Morris Dance Company to name a few.   

In your own words, describe the solo pieces you are playing this Fall season, “Piano Concerto in A Major KV 488 (Adagio),” and “Piano Concerto in C Major KV 467 (Andante)” in Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort.

A condensed version of the beauty and sorrows of the humankind.

What is challenging or taxing about playing this piece? 

It requires absolute control and a delicate and elegant sound.

Are you doing anything special or different to work on this piece?

I mainly listen to performances of my favorite pianists as well the performance that was originally used when the choreography was realized.

What is exciting and rewarding about this piece?

The synergy between movement, music and acting. One of the times where dance becomes music and music is dance.

What does this season mean to you?

A season of exceptional music where all the pianists showcase their individual talents.

Tell us a bit about your history as a musician.

I come from a family with rich musical traditions, but my musical journey began in earnest at the age of seven, when a new piano “magically” appeared in our apartment in Warsaw, Poland. I was fascinated by it and learned a few pieces by ear within the span of a month or so, listening and emulating what my dad would play for fun. A few weeks later I performed them in front of a few hundred children and parents at my preschool end of the year “graduation” event.

Shortly after, I auditioned for the music school in Warsaw and the rest is history. After years of working on the craft of piano playing (which never really stops), performances and competitions, I ended up at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York. This was also where I got my first real exposure to modern dance by participating in numerous school projects while I was there. That relationship between dance and music was such a powerful experience for me at the time, which I think led me to where I am today!

In your own words, describe the solo piece you are playing this Fall season, “Shostakovich Concerto No. 1 for Piano, Trumpet and Strings [Op. 35]” in Alexei Ratmansky’s Piano Concerto No. 1.

Extreme, explosive, daring, sardonic, berserk! 

What is challenging or taxing about playing this piece? 

Capturing the ever-changing moods and character, often juxtaposed to the extreme from one phrase to another! Then of course the sheer speed and technical demands are very high as well! 

Are you doing anything special or different to work on this piece?

It’s hard to say. Every piece has overlapping yet different challenges and considerations to be aware of. The goal is to create an interpretation that stays true to the intentions of the composer and at the highest pianistic level possible. Just as importantly, that interpretation has to meet the needs of the choreography and inspire the dancers. It’s a very nuanced balance at times, which requires a lot of sensitivity, flexibility and openness to different possibilities. 

What do rehearsals look like, compared to your own independent practice?

In many ways they’re completely different.

Since it’s a piano concerto and not a solo piece, I’m required to incorporate the orchestra part in addition to the piano part into the rehearsal flow, so that the dancers can discern and recognize the most prominent themes as they would unfold in a full performance setting, where all instruments are present. That is a big challenge sometimes, since I only have ten fingers at my disposal!

My own independent practice starts and ends at home however. That is the foundation and it involves so many elements, which would be impossible to list here, I’m afraid.

What is exciting and rewarding about this piece?

On a personal level, seeing progress, challenging yourself, exceeding what you thought were your limitations.

On a collaborative level, performing a show where the movement and music became one! When it happens, it’s pure magic!

What does this season mean to you?

It’s a celebration of life really and appreciation for all that it is. I feel a sense of gratitude for having this opportunity to perform with so many incredible dancers of ABT.

On a final note, this Fall season marks ten years since my husband Calvin Royal III and I met in Studio 5 after Theme and Variations rehearsal!

Tell us a bit about your history as a musician.

Having grown up in the European conservatory system and later completing my advanced musical education in London and New York, I am very glad to be working with such important and expressive interdisciplinary artists now in my career. Music and the arts have taken me around the world in performance, academic, and collaborative settings. I love playing all varieties of works at the piano— from the elegance of Mozart to the intensity of Prokofiev or living composers— and always have the best time being on stage and in rehearsals with friends.

In your own words, describe the featured piece you are playing this Fall season, Carnival of the Animals for the ABT Fall Gala Pièce d’Occasion.

Iconic, youthful, imaginative.

What is challenging or taxing about playing this piece? 

The most challenging part is performing with a second pianist at the same keyboard, and an orchestra behind us.

Are you doing anything special or different to work on this piece? What do rehearsals look like, compared to your own independent practice?  

I have to adapt my seating position, for instance, as this is a four-hand piece and I have to share the keyboard. So, I try to practice from the lower end of the keyboard, which is always fun.

What is exciting and rewarding about this piece?

The excitement of performing with an orchestra, surrounded by great musicians!

What does this season mean to you?

I find this season to be full of great variety, mixing more famous works with some less frequently performed pieces that create contrast in style and scale. I’m really looking forward to it!

Music is considered by many dancers and choreographers to be the driving force of movement, imbuing steps with emotion and expression. With a live musician accompanying the dancers, this is taken one step further—the dancer can now feel the music motivate their movements, adding a depth of sound that is lost with a recorded version.  

Central to the diverse repertoire presented at the David H. Koch Theater in the 2023 Fall season, American Ballet Theatre’s musicians played classical scores of technical rigor and complexity. In many of these arrangements, the pianists held prominent roles in propelling both the score and the dancers. Learn more about the ABT’s pianists and their experiences this past Fall season!