bart Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Mme. Hermine 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"? Link to comment
kfw Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 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. Link to comment
Treefrog Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 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! Link to comment
LiLing Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 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. Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Upon retiring from Alberta Ballet Patrick Canny joined the Calgary Police Service. His wife and fellow dancer Amanda Walsh later became a florist. Link to comment
bart Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 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. Link to comment
Helene Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Ib Andersen was a painter/artist between his last ballet-related work and becoming Artistic Director of Ballet Arizona. Link to comment
Paquita Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 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. Link to comment
Helene Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 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. Link to comment
Kathleen O'Connell Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 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. Link to comment
Kathleen O'Connell Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 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. Link to comment
ViolinConcerto Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 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! Link to comment
sandik Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 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? Link to comment
Alexandra Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 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! Link to comment
Ray Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 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 Link to comment
Helene Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 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? Yes! Thank you Link to comment
zerbinetta Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 The food industry seems to be popular among retired dancers, Jock Soto and Christopher Stowell being examples. Must have something to do with all those years of starvation. And wasn't Rachel Moore, Executive Director of ABT, a former dancer? Link to comment
Marga Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Jennifer Gelfand, former principal with Boston Ballet, is also a real estate agent. Jennifer Gelfand -- Realtor Link to comment
JMcN Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Stephen Wicks and Mark Welford, ex-BRB, opened a very posh (and very attractive) florists in Covent Garden. I think they also do after-dinner talks combining dance and floristry experiences. Link to comment
Cygnet Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Rahm Emmanuel, White House Chief of Staff. Link to comment
Natalia Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Svetlana Zakharova has not retired but she has embarked on a new career in Russian politics, as a member of the Duma (United Russia party). Link to article in the Times of London's Sunday edition: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl...amp;attr=797093 I did not post another link -- to the UK tabloid, The Sun -- because of racy topless pics of some female athletes who also joined the Duma along with Zakharova. The photo of Zakharova is G-rated (a lovely Kitri) and accompanies the following quotable quotes from the ballerina: SVETLANA ZAKHAROVA The 28-year-old principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet said: “Everything about the Kremlin excites me. “There is some mighty energy concentrated there. “Even the air is different.” .... Finally, a link to a USA newspaper, The Christian Science Monitor, which does NOT contain racy photos. http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0805/p07s01-woeu.html Link to comment
Marga Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Ron Reagan -- former Joffrey dancer and son of President Ronald Reagan -- now works as a political correspondent for MSNBC and covers dog shows for Animal Planet. Ron Reagan Link to comment
canbelto Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Audrey Hepburn was originally a ballerina but quit due to her height (which was unusually tall at the time). But she carried the ballerina grace with her for the rest of her life. Link to comment
Alymer Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Vicky Powell a dancer with Sadler's Wells (now Birmingham) Royal Ballet studied law, qualified as a solicitor and is now prominent in London local politics. She was made DBE for services to the community and is now Dame Sally (her real name) Powell. And I seem to remember Arthur Mitchell saying that one of his dancers had become a surgeon, but I don't think he mentioned a name. Link to comment
sandik Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 The food industry seems to be popular among retired dancers, Jock Soto and Christopher Stowell being examples.Must have something to do with all those years of starvation. I don't know about the starving part, but I know lots of dancers who are very thoughtful cooks. Kari Brunson, from the Pacific Northwest Ballet, blogs for a local paper on food and cooking. anticiplate Link to comment
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