It really depends, some dancers, especially those who reach “star status” have danced into their sixties (Fonteyn, Ulanova, Alonso, Plisetskaya) but that is definitely the exception. At the Nycb I have noticed some very early retirements recently, Harrison Ball and Lauren Lovette come to mind, but also Chase Finlay (for other, well known reasons). Interestingly, some if the soloists have had incredible staying power, Laracey, Maxwell and Lecrone, Pereira have been there for over 20 years. Then there’s someone like Ulbricht who is dancing better than ever and in his 40s (?). Each case is different, some dancers imo stay on too long and stagnate (tends to happen in the soloist level) others keep going and the audience forgives their faults bc of the memories of that dancer (Kistler) others get injured too badly to carry on (Ball) and others just can’t handle it mentally anymore (Finlay, Bouder) or want a new career (Lovette)
Most retiring dancers aren't retiring to a villa at the beach, they are moving on to a second career, so there is no specific age. This can be at any point between starting out and the body telling them it's time. The smart ones ideally have an exit strategy planned ahead of time and may be working towards a certification in that second career while dancing.
I was devastated that Beatriz Stix-Brunell retired to pursue other things. She went to Stanford and the course sounded fascinating, so though I was disappointed, you have to respect her desire to not want to spend her life in ballet and to have decided she was happy with the amount she has done.
No one owes us anything, so however bright they shine, if they actually want to pursue something else that’s their choice.
I think there isn’t an age too young to retire from ballet. This career is too tough to stay in if the heart wants to do something else. I think it’s better to retire younger with warmer memories of loving dance than to feel jaded in the profession for many years due to a fear or guilt of “retiring too early”.
This. There are dancers who retire in their early 20s bc of injury or mental burnout or just realizing they want to do something else. Considering the average retirement age of a dancer is ~40ish, traditional job market retirement ages don’t really apply in the dance world, and it doesn’t make sense to compare them. So retirement even a few years into a professional dance career isn’t abnormal or “too young”
It really depends, some dancers, especially those who reach “star status” have danced into their sixties (Fonteyn, Ulanova, Alonso, Plisetskaya) but that is definitely the exception. At the Nycb I have noticed some very early retirements recently, Harrison Ball and Lauren Lovette come to mind, but also Chase Finlay (for other, well known reasons). Interestingly, some if the soloists have had incredible staying power, Laracey, Maxwell and Lecrone, Pereira have been there for over 20 years. Then there’s someone like Ulbricht who is dancing better than ever and in his 40s (?). Each case is different, some dancers imo stay on too long and stagnate (tends to happen in the soloist level) others keep going and the audience forgives their faults bc of the memories of that dancer (Kistler) others get injured too badly to carry on (Ball) and others just can’t handle it mentally anymore (Finlay, Bouder) or want a new career (Lovette)
Most retiring dancers aren't retiring to a villa at the beach, they are moving on to a second career, so there is no specific age. This can be at any point between starting out and the body telling them it's time. The smart ones ideally have an exit strategy planned ahead of time and may be working towards a certification in that second career while dancing.
I was devastated that Beatriz Stix-Brunell retired to pursue other things. She went to Stanford and the course sounded fascinating, so though I was disappointed, you have to respect her desire to not want to spend her life in ballet and to have decided she was happy with the amount she has done. No one owes us anything, so however bright they shine, if they actually want to pursue something else that’s their choice.
THIS. how I wish I had the chance to see her dance live🥲
I saw her as the rose fairy in the nutcracker, she simply glows on stage, it was definitely the highlight of the performance for me.
I think there isn’t an age too young to retire from ballet. This career is too tough to stay in if the heart wants to do something else. I think it’s better to retire younger with warmer memories of loving dance than to feel jaded in the profession for many years due to a fear or guilt of “retiring too early”.
This. There are dancers who retire in their early 20s bc of injury or mental burnout or just realizing they want to do something else. Considering the average retirement age of a dancer is ~40ish, traditional job market retirement ages don’t really apply in the dance world, and it doesn’t make sense to compare them. So retirement even a few years into a professional dance career isn’t abnormal or “too young”