Ballet Dancers Are Elusive

Pursuing the story of Ballet Tech School means pursuing the stories of the students themselves.  I’d thought first of looking solely at BTS’s Beginners Program and profiling a few of the school’s youngest participants– the eight-year-olds moving through the 18-week audition period in hopes of acceptance in May.  I’d thought next of looking at students at different stages in the program: a potential student, a mid-level student, a student on the verge of graduation.  The age range at BTS is wide (8-18) considering that the school’s focus and goals are so specific.  I’d thought of profiling the school through Eliot Feld, choreographer and founder of Ballet Tech and its school.   Program profiles like the one I hope to write rest, I think, on the involvement of a loosely representative figure, a student who somehow typifies the struggles of her peers, a faculty member who exemplifies the school’s mission.  A strong character is a necessary vehicle to exploring the greater story.  But finding this person requires access first, and Ballet Tech is awfully careful. 

The school and the Ballet Tech Offices share a building; they are located at 890 Broadway, at 19th St, just past Union Square West.  The building is guarded by a doorman who sits in a tiny lobby– standing room only.  He cannot be sweet-talked. 

 I’ve been in touch with Sherry Jeter (secretary to principal John Treadwell) at the school and Janelle Cooke at Ballet Tech, who have both been friendly and who have seemed amenable to the idea of an outsider intrusion.  But am still pursuing contact with Treadwell himself, and also Joe Rigori at Ballet Tech– its own little dance of persistence and evasion-by-voicemail that has been put on hold until school is back in session after the holiday weekend.