Allegra Kent's guest appearances

Allegra Kent

The Best Ever You Show 

City Ballet The Podcast

David Allen

Anita Moorjani

Eric Pearl

Lisa Wentz

David Meltzer

Cynthia Clark

Tami Simon

Jack Canfield

Robin Smith

Don Miguel Ruiz

Nancy Levin

JJ Virgin

Cynthia James

Rachel Carlson

Joel Comm

OwlTail

Our special two-part episode of Hear the Dance continues with former Principal Dancers Allegra Kent and Jared Angle exploring Kent’s career at New York City Ballet, zeroing in on two key roles: the Sleepwalker in La Sonnambula, and the lead in Agon. Kent shares that she was coached extensively by Balanchine for La Sonnambula—the first ballet Kent saw onstage, and immediately fell in love with—but perhaps learned most from an impromptu session with originating dancer Alexandra Danilova at a bus stop. Beginning as an understudy for Principal Dancer Diana Adams, Kent performed Agon, which she describes as “astonishing,” with Arthur Mitchell and other partners for many years. (41:47) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Agon (1953-56) by Igor Stravinsky Based on themes from operas by Vincenzo Bellini, including La Sonnambula, Il Puritani, Norma and I Capuleti e i Montecchi (1830-1835) by Vittorio Rieti The Unanswered Question (1908) by Charles Ives Symphony No. 1 in C major (1855) by Georges Bizet All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra

Our special two-part episode of Hear the Dance continues with former Principal Dancers Allegra Kent and Jared Angle exploring Kent’s career at New York City Ballet, zeroing in on two key roles: the Sleepwalker in La Sonnambula, and the lead in Agon. Kent shares that she was coached extensively by Balanchine for La Sonnambula—the first ballet Kent saw onstage, and immediately fell in love with—but perhaps learned most from an impromptu session with originating dancer Alexandra Danilova at a bus stop. Beginning as an understudy for Principal Dancer Diana Adams, Kent performed Agon, which she describes as “astonishing,” with Arthur Mitchell and other partners for many years. (41:47) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Agon (1953-56) by Igor Stravinsky Based on themes from operas by Vincenzo Bellini, including La Sonnambula, Il Puritani, Norma and I Capuleti e i Montecchi (1830-1835) by Vittorio Rieti The Unanswered Question (1908) by Charles Ives Symphony No. 1 in C major (1855) by Georges Bizet All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra

Episode 88: Hear the Dance: Allegra Kent (Part 2)

In part one of this week’s special Hear the Dance episode, legendary former Principal Dancer Allegra Kent joins host and fellow former Principal Jared Angle to discuss her beginnings as a dancer. From joining Bronislava Najinska's intermediate class full of GIs fresh from World War II at the age of 11, to entering the School of American Ballet at 14, to premiering in the corps of Symphony in C as an apprentice a year later, Kent describes the whirlwind of her early years with the Company—capped off with the first featured role created for her: that of the lead in Balanchine’s The Unanswered Question from Ivesiana. (40:37) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Agon (1953-56) by Igor Stravinsky Based on themes from operas by Vincenzo Bellini, including La Sonnambula, Il Puritani, Norma and I Capuleti e i Montecchi (1830-1835) by Vittorio Rieti The Unanswered Question (1908) by Charles Ives Symphony No. 1 in C major (1855) by Georges Bizet All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra 

In part one of this week’s special Hear the Dance episode, legendary former Principal Dancer Allegra Kent joins host and fellow former Principal Jared Angle to discuss her beginnings as a dancer. From joining Bronislava Najinska's intermediate class full of GIs fresh from World War II at the age of 11, to entering the School of American Ballet at 14, to premiering in the corps of Symphony in C as an apprentice a year later, Kent describes the whirlwind of her early years with the Company—capped off with the first featured role created for her: that of the lead in Balanchine’s The Unanswered Question from Ivesiana. (40:37) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Agon (1953-56) by Igor Stravinsky Based on themes from operas by Vincenzo Bellini, including La Sonnambula, Il Puritani, Norma and I Capuleti e i Montecchi (1830-1835) by Vittorio Rieti The Unanswered Question (1908) by Charles Ives Symphony No. 1 in C major (1855) by Georges Bizet All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra

Episode 87: Hear the Dance: Allegra Kent (Part 1)

Allegra Kent, legendary ballerina and muse of George Balanchine and Joseph Cornell, started studying ballet at 11, with Bronislava Nijinska and Carmelita Maracci, in Los Angeles. At 14, she came to New York as a scholarship student at The School of American Ballet. The following year, George Balanchine invited her to join the New York City Ballet, where she danced for the next 30 years.Allegra is the author of several critically acclaimed books, including her autobiography, Once a Dancer. . .and her first book for children, Ballerina Swan, which has recently leapt from the page onto the stage, courtesy of Making Books Sing. In 2009, she was a recipient of a Dance Magazine Award. She writes frequently for Dance and has written for The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, Vogue, and Allure. Most recently, she has contributed an essay to The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage. She lives in New York City.

Allegra Kent, legendary ballerina and muse of George Balanchine and Joseph Cornell, started studying ballet at 11, with Bronislava Nijinska and Carmelita Maracci, in Los Angeles. At 14, she came to New York as a scholarship student at The School of American Ballet. The following year, George Balanchine invited her to join the New York City Ballet, where she danced for the next 30 years. Allegra is the author of several critically acclaimed books, including her autobiography, Once a Dancer. . .and her first book for children, Ballerina Swan, which has recently leapt from the page onto the stage, courtesy of Making Books Sing. In 2009, she was a recipient of a Dance Magazine Award. She writes frequently for Dance and has written for The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, Vogue, and Allure. Most recently, she has contributed an essay to The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage. She lives in New York City.