Category: Pop Culture
How Majorette Dance Became a Mainstream Phenomenon
At historically Black colleges and universities in the American South, the real stars of any football game are the majorettes. Their signature dance style, created by Black women and femmes, has attracted a cultlike following. It’s all about no-holds-barred spectacle, combining the precision of a kick line with the winking sensuality of burlesque, boldly embodying […]
“Playground” Star Dexter Carr on When Dance Gets the Reality Show Treatment
The new Hulu reality series “Playground,” with Megan Thee Stallion as an executive producer, is equal parts dancing and drama. The show’s namesake is Playground LA, the Los Angeles dance studio owned by Kenny Wormald and Robin Antin that serves as a frequent backdrop for viral class videos. “Playground” follows a group of the studio’s […]
ESPN+ Series Takes Viewers Inside a Mark Morris Dance Group Audition
Up to four company spots available. Two days of open classes. 380 hopeful dancers. These are the stakes laid out at the start of the fifth episode of the new ESPN+ series “Tryouts,” which takes viewers inside the pressure-cooker environment of a Mark Morris Dance Group audition. The series, which premiered last month, tracks some […]
What Real Dancers Think of Balletcore
Whether you like it, loathe it, or roll your eyes at it, you can’t miss it: Ballet-inspired clothing for the nondancing consumer is everywhere. The fashion and ballet worlds have a long and storied relationship, but ballet-aesthetic streetwear’s recent resurgence in popularity has been striking. According to fashion insiders, “balletcore” is already a defining trend […]
The Most Memorable Dance Moments From the 2024 Academy Awards
2024 was a big year for dance at the Oscars, including a history-making performance, a heart-pumping ensemble number, and a surprise addition to the “In Memoriam” segment. We’re still rooting for a “Best Choreography” category as dance continues to be an integral part to each year’s nominated films. But until then, we still enjoy seeing […]
The Best Dance in This Year’s Oscar-Nominated Films
With the 96th Academy Awards coming our way on March 10, we’re taking a moment to acknowledge the most prominent dance in the films nominated for Oscars this year, as well as those movies’ choreographers. The Oscars and dancemakers don’t have the easiest relationship. Although many of the films nominated inevitably include dancing, there’s no […]
Real Dancers, Really Dancing: The Making of Just Dance 2024
When you imagine a video game studio, you probably think of rows of programmers at rows of computers and a fleet of gaming consoles, rather than mirrored dance studios. But at Ubisoft Paris, there are both: The Paris branch of the video game company leads the creation and development of Just Dance, a game in which […]
Beach Reads: 4 Recently Released Novels Set in the Dance World
There’s no shortage of dance-based nonfiction on seemingly endless topics, but fiction shelves have seen a recent influx of stories set in the studio and backstage. Whether you’re craving an escapist romance or a historical thriller, a dreamy fantasy or a piece of contemporary literary fiction, these novels keep one toe in the dance world […]
Tara Nicole Hughes on How The Little Mermaid Brings Dance Under the Sea
Bringing Disney’s animated classics to live-action life has taken more than a dusting of pixie dust over the years. The latest adaptation, The Little Mermaid, may be the most extravagant yet: It features a star-studded cast that includes Halle Bailey (Ariel), Daveed Diggs (Sebastian), and Melissa McCarthy (Ursula). But the finished product has been a […]
Ballerina Onscreen: Madison Keesler Guest-Stars in “FBI: International”
You may recognize freelance ballerina Madison Keesler from her former positions with San Francisco Ballet, English National Ballet, and Hamburg Ballet. But this Tuesday, April 11, at 9 pm EST, you may be surprised to see her on television as a guest star in the CBS police procedural “FBI: International.” In reality, there’s little reason […]
