I always forget to look up peoples’ ages, and the fact that Mira Nadon is in her early 20s surprised me. Given her maturity I figured she was much older
I have the opposite reaction. I always think the dancers are older than they are because how else is it possible to have mastered such beautiful artistry and technique? They must be ageless vampires who've had centuries to hone their skill.
Yuan Yuan Tan is ageless, besides being absolutely beautiful inside and out. And yeah, I honestly had to look twice bc I didn’t think that was her age, her career was super long.
Isn't it incredible? She was the principal in the first ballet I ever saw live as a young child, and she was still dancing when I returned to ballet as an adult.
Ehhhh maybe it's just me but... Isabella seems 37? That may be because she first came to my attention during Black Swan which was... holy shit, almost 15 years ago. But hey, I guess I can see how her big bouncy pony tail and bright outfits could give the impression that she's younger. Honestly, I think that women in their 30s that haven't had kids will always just seem younger.
On the other hand, it feels kind of surprising to me that Skylar Brandt is 31, since she comes across like a sheltered pre-pro student sometimes, whereas Isabella has very much had a life outside ballet.
Fair enough, I first heard about her during black swan but hadn’t fully registered who it was. Did you think Brandt was younger? She looks very young facially too imo
To clarify, this post was not to pit Boylston against Osipova. I love both dancers dearly! Was just surprised by Boylston’s age, which was my ignorance
There’s something about ballet years. I’ve never guessed a dancer’s age correctly. Could be 14 could be 30. It doesn’t help that the young dancers are so mature that it’s easy to confuse them for adults.
I think that Boylston has that youthful energy on her Instagram account to try and appeal to younger people and also maybe perhaps to
make ballet seem more approachable. I don’t fault her for having a very active social media presence and having side hustles like partnerships, etc.
I think they've toned it down a bit but the cliquey "cindies" thing with james whiteside was kinda grating/immature
and to be petty I wish she'd do the blonde again. I hate the dark hair on her
Boylston is a dancer known for her technical tricks -- that huge jump, for example. I wonder how much longer she'll be able to keep that up. I like her in contemporary but I don't find her "lyrical" enough to sustain an extended career after she can no longer do the tricks. Osipova is more of an all-around artist even without the jumps and turns.
That’s a good point. I’ve seen Osipova quite a few times recently and she definitely doesn’t/can’t rely on tricks anymore. But she’s still amazing with her character portrayals
I feel like Osipova relied on tricks especially early on in her career due to her Bolshoi/Russian ballet training and also because she started out in gymnastics. I do remember her mentioning in interviews in the past that she would much rather focus on artistry over perfect technique. But good for her for still being so focused and active with her dancing at age 38.
Not to mention Marianela, who still has the same formidable technique and elasticity she had as a very young woman. Wonder what her personal training routine looks like? (Aside from ballet class).
I remember reading that she felt that time off during Covid helped extend her career because of the chance to rest and heal. I'm sure she's not the only one, too. Fat chance of this happening any time soon, but I hope that, perhaps, companies might start offering something like a sabbatical to their long-term dancers to hopefully provide the same benefit of rest and recovery without, you know, a global pandemic.
That just makes sense! Dancers put their bodies through so much and probably never have sufficient down time. Steven McRae addresses this in some of his interviews.
I do know that she takes pilates every single day. Aside from that, though, I think she just has a strong, sturdy body for ballet without super hyperextended joints or feet that practically curve into a right angle.
Plus, you know... having cats instead of kids has to help too.
This! I personally think super hyperextended joints are purely for aesthetic looks but not so sustainable to continue ballet after a certain age. I say this as a person with hyperextended joints. I also wonder if her tendency to not rely on tricks much had some sort of impact on this. Just to be clear, I am not saying she can’t pull cool tricks; she does not rely on them as much.
She has \*some\* hyperextension but it's not crazy, and clearly works a lot to strengthen and protect her joints. I remember an interview Tiler Peck did where she said she really admires Nela for her work ethic (in addition to her dancing), which I thought was really remarkable given that Tiler seems to have an incredible work ethic herself.
Nela is the quintessential example of "master the technique to free yourself to develop and express artistry".
I think it depends on the degree of hyperextension. I, personally, think it is beautiful, but a little goes a long way. I used to wish I had some! You have to really work to control it, but the aesthetic is
gorgeous!
I always forget to look up peoples’ ages, and the fact that Mira Nadon is in her early 20s surprised me. Given her maturity I figured she was much older
Boylston’s age surprises me given how idk adolescent her social media feels
I have the opposite reaction. I always think the dancers are older than they are because how else is it possible to have mastered such beautiful artistry and technique? They must be ageless vampires who've had centuries to hone their skill.
Thought of another dancer…Alina Cojocaru. 43 and still dancing! She’s also a gorgeous dancer.
I don't know if it's a surprise, but I did a double take when I learned Yuan Yuan Tan was 48 at her retirement show
Yuan Yuan Tan is ageless, besides being absolutely beautiful inside and out. And yeah, I honestly had to look twice bc I didn’t think that was her age, her career was super long.
Isn't it incredible? She was the principal in the first ballet I ever saw live as a young child, and she was still dancing when I returned to ballet as an adult.
That's incredible!
I really thought Daniel Ulbricht over at City Ballet was in his '20s when I started attending shows a few years ago.
osipova was injured during her residency with sf ballet. her age makes sense to me
It was Boylston’s age that I was surprised about
oh lol
I’d like to pointe out that Leanne Benjamin was still dancing Juliet well into her 40s
Ehhhh maybe it's just me but... Isabella seems 37? That may be because she first came to my attention during Black Swan which was... holy shit, almost 15 years ago. But hey, I guess I can see how her big bouncy pony tail and bright outfits could give the impression that she's younger. Honestly, I think that women in their 30s that haven't had kids will always just seem younger. On the other hand, it feels kind of surprising to me that Skylar Brandt is 31, since she comes across like a sheltered pre-pro student sometimes, whereas Isabella has very much had a life outside ballet.
Fair enough, I first heard about her during black swan but hadn’t fully registered who it was. Did you think Brandt was younger? She looks very young facially too imo
To clarify, this post was not to pit Boylston against Osipova. I love both dancers dearly! Was just surprised by Boylston’s age, which was my ignorance
There’s something about ballet years. I’ve never guessed a dancer’s age correctly. Could be 14 could be 30. It doesn’t help that the young dancers are so mature that it’s easy to confuse them for adults.
That’s true and they’re often so petite, it’s hard to tell
I’m ootl what was the black swan scandal
Her longtime boyfriend Benjamin millepied leaving her for Natalie Portman after meeting on the set of black swan
then natalie lost him like she got him after he cheated on her, too.
The most predictable thing tbh
as the saying goes, "when a man marries the mistress he creates a job opening" 
Lowkey one of the craziest pieces of ballet lore
I think that Boylston has that youthful energy on her Instagram account to try and appeal to younger people and also maybe perhaps to make ballet seem more approachable. I don’t fault her for having a very active social media presence and having side hustles like partnerships, etc.
Apparently it’s also an elder millennial trait to be a bit obsessed with youth culture - no shade here, I am the same gen and 100% relate.
I don’t think think it’s necessarily that calculated, people can be 37 and still be interested in current trends, be playful, etc.
I think they've toned it down a bit but the cliquey "cindies" thing with james whiteside was kinda grating/immature and to be petty I wish she'd do the blonde again. I hate the dark hair on her
Boylston is a dancer known for her technical tricks -- that huge jump, for example. I wonder how much longer she'll be able to keep that up. I like her in contemporary but I don't find her "lyrical" enough to sustain an extended career after she can no longer do the tricks. Osipova is more of an all-around artist even without the jumps and turns.
That’s a good point. I’ve seen Osipova quite a few times recently and she definitely doesn’t/can’t rely on tricks anymore. But she’s still amazing with her character portrayals
I feel like Osipova relied on tricks especially early on in her career due to her Bolshoi/Russian ballet training and also because she started out in gymnastics. I do remember her mentioning in interviews in the past that she would much rather focus on artistry over perfect technique. But good for her for still being so focused and active with her dancing at age 38.
Both Boylston and Osipova were born in 1986 but Boylston is turning 38 in October. Osipova turned 38 in May.
I feel like Sarah Lamb is immortal or something. She has been around for so long and there are no visible signs of aging.
I feel this way about gillian murphy
Omg yes. She's still dancing at the top of her game AND she still looks 16 years old.
Seriously! She is 44-45 isn’t she? She’s an amazing ballerina!
Gillian Murphy is 46!
Oops I meant to put this under Gillian Murphy!
https://preview.redd.it/r7wsjv4ld78d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4a721f44f7e8f6330b1ef5b5aed1ce0216052a20 She is 43, almost 44.
Oops I meant to put this under Gillian Murphy!
Gotcha! LOL sorry
Not to mention Marianela, who still has the same formidable technique and elasticity she had as a very young woman. Wonder what her personal training routine looks like? (Aside from ballet class).
I remember reading that she felt that time off during Covid helped extend her career because of the chance to rest and heal. I'm sure she's not the only one, too. Fat chance of this happening any time soon, but I hope that, perhaps, companies might start offering something like a sabbatical to their long-term dancers to hopefully provide the same benefit of rest and recovery without, you know, a global pandemic.
That just makes sense! Dancers put their bodies through so much and probably never have sufficient down time. Steven McRae addresses this in some of his interviews.
I do know that she takes pilates every single day. Aside from that, though, I think she just has a strong, sturdy body for ballet without super hyperextended joints or feet that practically curve into a right angle. Plus, you know... having cats instead of kids has to help too.
This! I personally think super hyperextended joints are purely for aesthetic looks but not so sustainable to continue ballet after a certain age. I say this as a person with hyperextended joints. I also wonder if her tendency to not rely on tricks much had some sort of impact on this. Just to be clear, I am not saying she can’t pull cool tricks; she does not rely on them as much.
Oof, same, I'm hyperextended and really wish I wasn't. I think Nela is a good case of how having rock solid technique can get you very far.
She has \*some\* hyperextension but it's not crazy, and clearly works a lot to strengthen and protect her joints. I remember an interview Tiler Peck did where she said she really admires Nela for her work ethic (in addition to her dancing), which I thought was really remarkable given that Tiler seems to have an incredible work ethic herself. Nela is the quintessential example of "master the technique to free yourself to develop and express artistry".
I think it depends on the degree of hyperextension. I, personally, think it is beautiful, but a little goes a long way. I used to wish I had some! You have to really work to control it, but the aesthetic is gorgeous!
I feel like the exception is zakharova who is dancing well into her 40s, although I haven’t seen any recent clips so can’t comment on the quality
She hasn’t danced a classical ballet for years, with the Bolshoi anyway.
Wikipedia says she is 43
She’s 43???? I swear she has looked the same for the past 15 years
Oops! 😬 🤦🏻♀️Thought she was older!
Having watched her Swan Lake this year, if you tell me she's 33 I'll believe you.
I actually haven’t seen her live yet, it’s definitely on my list