Skylar Brandt
Animation by Brittain Peck
American Ballet Theatre’s prima ballerina, Skylar Brandt, is known for her impeccable movement and fierce drive. We needed to know more about this iron lady:
What’s your morning drink?
Water! I don't drink coffee or tea. I know, I’m an anomaly. But I don't want to feel dependent on something in order to wake up or get me through my day. Growing up around people that complained of headaches when they didn’t get their daily dose of caffeine had a real impact on me.
Please describe the feelings you have when you are on stage dancing.
I feel most alive when I am on stage! Going into any given performance, there is almost a sense that it could be my last day on earth, and that I must give every fiber of my being to whatever piece I am dancing. Though it is a ballerina's job to disguise her exhausting and highly technical work with graceful and effortless movement, I find myself pushed to my mental, emotional and physical limits when performing. But this fills me with a feeling of absolute and total satisfaction. There's nothing quite like it.
What one thing would you credit for your success?
Hands down, my support system. My family. My coaches. My community of peers and audience members. I will be forever indebted to my family for believing and trusting in me, not only with dancing, but with tackling everything in life that comes my way. I feel particularly lucky to have met my teachers Irina Dvorovenko and Maxim Beloserkovsky, both ex-Principals with ABT. Irina and Max are two of the most skilled instructors with whom I’ve ever had the pleasure of working, not to mention they were my idols growing up. We have built the most special kind of relationship in the last several years. I place great trust in them. I would not be in the position I am today without them. Also, I have the good fortune to work in an environment that fosters the cultivation of close friendships. Rather than an atmosphere that breeds antagonism and animosity, the dynamic at ABT is akin to a tightly knit family. This makes it a pleasure to go to work everyday. It’s easy to approach colleagues for help, be it with clarification of steps and musicality, or extra corrections and tips. Lastly, I must say that the energy from a supportive audience can lift me up and carry me through an entire three or four act ballet. I don’t take this for granted. The lovely and thoughtful feedback I receive from fans near and far has the power to motivate, push and inspire me to be better everyday. Instagram friends and ballet-goers do more for me than they even realize.
Early 20th century Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, famously said, “If I cannot dance, then I’d rather be dead.” How does that resonate with you?
I completely understand her sentiments. For those individuals who find that dance is their calling, there is an unwavering feeling of passion and joy that comes with that calling. It can feel nearly impossible to live without going through the daily practice of their life-source. Time after time I have seen older ballerinas have trouble retiring because when their careers go, so do their identities. As Martha Graham famously said, "A dancer dies twice." I think that helps to explain it most succinctly.
What is love?
Love is such a universal theme. Every human being has experienced it in some form or another. It is something to which everyone can relate and I believe a feeling that people search for directly or indirectly on a daily basis. When love is portrayed in art, it can be incredibly moving, and that is what I aim to do when I perform Giselle. I hope that the audience will feel love, heartbreak, and everything in between.
Sponsored by Duke Arts
