A classically trained dancer who performs principal and corps roles in ballet productions.
What ballerinas do
Ballerinas rehearse and perform classical and contemporary repertoire, from full-length story ballets like Giselle and Swan Lake to one-act and abstract works. They take daily class, attend rehearsals, perform many shows per season, and tour with the company.
Training path
Most ballerinas begin training between ages six and eight, enroll in pre-professional schools by their early teens, and audition for company apprentice programs at seventeen or eighteen. Major American training schools include the School of American Ballet and the ABT Studio Company.
Work setting
Permanent contracts are limited to the major US companies such as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and Houston Ballet. Many dancers freelance, join smaller regional companies, or tour with productions of The Nutcracker each holiday season.
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Ballerina starts with B and ends with A. Browse other professions along the same letter.
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