Perfection En Pointe

I've always found classical ballet enchanting. The precision behind each move amazed me as a child, prompting me to take ballet classes at the age of seven. Although I eventually stopped, my fascination for the art never ceased. Ballet is painful, strenuous, and takes decades of practice to perfect. Yet, every time I see a ballet performance, the dancers always maneuver with such grace -- like it's the easiest thing in the world. One can truly recognize the amount of technique and hours of training behind each turn, leap, and point of the feet.

Below is a clip from New York City Ballet MOVES performing an excerpt from Jerome Robbins Dances At A Gathering as part of their debut at the 2011 Vail International Dance Festival in July 2011. I love the elegance of each lift as the female dancers are tossed slightly upwards to be caught by their next male counterpart. There are even moments wherein the women are being carried across the stage, but their partners lift them in such a way that it looks like they are gliding out of their own will. These facets of the performance highlight the joy and elated tone of the story.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoigxYt5Hgk