Transcript
Speaker: at the end of the day, there is going to be a stopping point and you have to be prepared for that. And you have to be a person outside of that. I feel like I have a good relationship to it.
Speaker: Like I think that I have a pretty solid relationship to it because again, i understand everything that it requires. I know like you have to work really hard, like all these things and I'll do it. I'll take class every day, but I also will go do the other things I like to do outside ballet.
Speaker: I'm Kaitlin, a former professional ballerina turned dance educator and career mentor, and this is the Brand New Ballerina podcast. I am here for the aspiring professional ballerina who wants to learn what it really takes to build a smart and sustainable career in the dance industry.
Speaker: I'm peeling back the curtain of professional dance world with open and honest conversations about the realities of becoming a professional dancer. Come along to gain the knowledge and inspiration you need to succeed in a dance career on your terms.
Speaker: Hello and welcome to the Brainy Ballerina Podcast. I'm your host, Caitlin Sloan, and I am joined today by Lane Havany. Lane is a dancer in the Corde Ballet with New York City Ballet, and she's going to tell us all about that experience today. But first, Lane, can you tell us why did you take your very first dance class?
Speaker: I believe I took my very first dance class because i saw my older sister dancing. i was very young. So of course, this is what my mom always tells me is what I did. But yeah, apparently I saw her dancing on stage and threw a fit in the aisle of the theater saying that I wanted be on stage and here we are. How old were you then?
Speaker: think I was two or three, three probably. And then what was your training like growing up? I grew up doing all the different genres of dance. We were very active kids, my sister and I, and we did like a ton of different activities in general sports and horseback riding we did dance those were like kind of the two main ones grew up doing ballet tap jazz musical theater modern hip-hop the works and i loved it i really really loved doing all the different types i definitely had favorites the training was all very fun obviously like as you get older it gets more intense But I just remember always, just it was so fun. And like my teachers were stretched, but I loved it. Was there a certain point when you decided that you wanted to focus more on ballet?
Speaker: Sort of. i It's actually funny because I moved around to different studios growing up. I think just because we moved. And so we had to find new places. But finally, like the last one I was at before moving to New York...
Speaker: they had two like company routes you could go. You could go the ballet route or they also had their jazz musical theater competition route. And I don't know, there was a phase. I think we had just come to New York for vacation to like see my stepsister who was going to college here. And we went and saw like the Rockettes and we saw Broadway. And I think it was fresh off of that where I was like, I'm going to be in the jazz, like I'm going to be on Broadway.
Speaker: And I really, really wanted to do that side of it more than ballet. i remember my teacher, because my mom like went in to tell her that she was like, Lane wants to focus more on this stuff.
Speaker: And one of my teachers was like, no, she's not doing that. She's doing ballet. And I think it was probably around the same time where I like started dancing on point. And then eventually I think I was like, oh, wait, yeah, no ballet for sure.
Speaker: But it was probably around like 10 or 11 where I was just like, this is I think it was probably when I got point shoes and it was like really dancing where I was like, okay, this is fun. And then you moved to New York when you were 13 to study full-time at SAB.
Speaker: Yeah. How did that happen? What was that transition like for you? I mean, so the previous year, had gone to the ABT summer course in New York, and i really wanted to be asked to stay at JKO that year.
Speaker: ABT was always my goal company growing up. I grew up doing really classical ballet. We had like Julie Kent would come and do our Nutcrackers and my teacher had a really close relationship with Sarah Lane, still does.
Speaker: She still comes and teaches. So I grew up around like ABT dancers. I was obsessed. And so I really wanted to be an ABT. i didn't get asked to say that you're a JKO. The next year, got a full scholarship, everything to SAB summer course. My mom got me every video, anything she could about New York City ballet. And I just like completely became obsessed.
Speaker: I was like, I have to, like, if I don't stay in the year, like I'm never going to become a professional, you know, like, I knew. And my mom like secretly knew too. She was like, if she wants to like, she has to do this. I think because I was so fixed on it already, like the year before, for me, it was just like really exciting. I had already spent two summers in New York and had been there previously. So it wasn't like a brand new place. like It wasn't really shocking to me to be here.
Speaker: And honestly, like training-wise, it was almost less dancing than I was doing at home because at home I was doing all the things. And at SAB, they've added more to the curriculum now, but when I was there, we really just focused on technique, point variations, pas de deux class. I mean, that first year was intense because it was new and I was really acclimating to the new style.
Speaker: But I did acclimate quickly. I think I don't know if I have a natural tendency towards it or not, but it always didn't feel that hard to like switch over, which was good. So it wasn't like that crazy.
Speaker: I would say. Do you feel like having all the different styles of dance growing up helped you with the Balanchine style? Definitely. Yeah. Definitely. I really think tap was like one of the biggest helpers. It really teaches you like rhythm and musicality. I mean, that's one of the biggest proponents of Balanchine, of the Balanchine style is just musicality besides ballet, obviously, but I don't really think anything else teaches that dance wise in the same way as tap does doing jazz and musical theater was also very helpful because obviously balanchine has so many different jazzy ballets like ballets that require more than just classical ballet technique so whenever we have done them in the past or do them now i can always pull that out and be like back to my roots you know yeah and it's so fun for me too to do that because i'm like oh yeah like this isn't new for me and it's not weird it doesn't feel weird to do
Speaker: How was it emotionally, like moving away from your family and making that transition? Again, i kind of feel like I just wanted to be here so badly that it was fine.
Speaker: Like I was always a good student at school, but I think that's just my nature is to just work hard at whatever it is I'm doing. But I was never like obsessed with school. I was like, oh, let me just do my things and get out so I can go to dance. I really just wanted to dance. Being here, that's what I was doing. And that's all I really cared about. I have an older sister.
Speaker: She stayed in Texas where i grew up the first year I lived in the dorms. And I mean, again, I just felt like like an extended summer course. Like I was just having fun. I did have to like I went to professional children's school. I didn't love that because we had so much schoolwork.
Speaker: Again, i was like, i'm not here to go to school. Like I was so annoyed. i was like, I just want to do class or whatever. That's the thing. I'm like, I don't remember being homesick or anything like that. I think I was just like so happy. I always wanted to like ever since I was eight, I always wanted to live in New York. so I was just like, I'm living where I want to be you know How did your training SAB prepare you for your career? Were there certain teachers or mentors that really had a big impact on you or really important lessons that you learned?
Speaker: Definitely. I've been lucky. I've had some really, really amazing teachers who have taught me not only about how to be an amazing dancer, but how to be a really great person as well and how to like approach my relationship with dance and what it gives and everything. At SAB, though, the top trifecta, Suzy, Pilar, Suki Shore, and K-Mezo, those were the three ladies that we all just worshipped. I will say like Katrina Killian has a big part. She's the one who brought me to SAV. And like to this day, whenever I go back and like work with the kids there, she and I still have such a great relationship. And it's crazy because she recently came up to she was like, I remember your summer course audition. And I was like, When I was 13, she was like, yeah, you were standing at the sidebar and we had to move you to the other bar because your little toe was hitting somebody else and run a jump. She's just like amazing. and remember And I'm like, you remember more than I do about myself. But anyway, she's been like someone too, because she picked me as well as a few other people in my class to do lecture demonstrations. So we would travel around to like different theaters in the New York area. area and perform a little demonstration point class technique variations and stuff and she would talk so we grew really close doing those things too because we would all be like in the car together and like hanging out and that you know so she's someone too who I just like love her so dearly but I definitely think in terms of training those three ladies that I mentioned before i still think of so many things that they each have said to me throughout the years that I was there that I think about and still implement into my dancing.
Speaker: Like what kind of things? What are some examples for the dance dancers listening? My last year SAB, I remember Kay never gave me, i mean, she probably did give me more corrections than this, but I remember her only giving me corrections on my head, like using my head.
Speaker: I remember her yelling at me, not yelling, but like getting mad at me because I would stand on the sidebar right in front of the mirror, right in front of the door. And um that was like my spot. So, you know, we all have bar spots.
Speaker: And that was my spot. And she would always say to me, stop looking in the mirror, stop, like stop staring in the mirror because I would be so focused. on like what I was doing, therefore not using my head.
Speaker: And eventually she had yelled at me so many times that I moved to the back of that bar, like in the back corner so that I didn't have anything to look at. And I was like, had to. And like, that was my decision. Like she didn't make me do that, but I was like, clearly I'm stuck staring in the mirror.
Speaker: I would say her, when it comes to like, how you present your A. Paul ball, things like that. And she's just like, to me, she's like the epitome of Balanchine technique style, the way she uses her hands. Like I remember her showing us how to like do a port-a-bras. We would do this mini one in like first position and i can like see her hands doing it and her just being like, you're just unwrapping a present, you know, like just things like that, the delicacy and like how to use your hands. Her hands were like amazing the way she used her hands.
Speaker: Suki, Suki is just everything. She always was like not always just talking about how to perfectly place everything, but it was like the presentation of your head, your chest. She would like grab on and like go like this. She'd be like, loosen your neck. She was just so funny. And then Susie, again, Susie just sew all of them. if We were laughing about this the other day. Craig Salstein was teaching us a little class. It ended up just being he and I at the end.
Speaker: He was saying that I like don't look very happy. i was like, it's because I'm concentrated, like joking. I remember SAB one class because there were a couple things Susie said to me because she has really great sassy humor. To me, that it lines up with my humor so well. So I always would laugh at the things she said because i understood where she was coming from. I knew she wasn't trying to be mean to be mean, but it was just like so blunt and honest, but like funny. And that's always what I respond to the best. But we did a combination and she looked at me she was like, Lane, you look like you're going to kill somebody.
Speaker: like That was like her comment, which was basically fix your face. Don't look angry while you're dancing. That's one that has stuck in my mind for forever. And then people will say like, fix your face. I'm like, yeah, I know. Susie told me forever ago. Like when I was like 17, she told me, I know. oh I love it. Yeah. So just like things like that helped with those like finishing final bits before you like move on into being a professional. Yeah.
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Speaker: How did you find out that you had your contract with new York City Ballet? It was interesting. Every year they have mid-year meetings with the students, with usually those three ladies and you. That's like your little mid-year meeting. And anyway, so we were scheduled to have those one day. And Susie was teaching us.
Speaker: It was a variations class when we were supposed to end like 15 minutes early so that we could get – the meetings going. But prior to this day, they were getting ready to start Nutcracker rehearsal in the company.
Speaker: And because I was the highest class at that point, like I had friends who were apprentices or like in the company already. And SAB, there's a Pilates room. And so we would all like often be in the Pilates room, like on the reformer, like doing exercises. It was kind of like a fun little social room.
Speaker: And my friend Claire, who wasn't really my friend at the time, because she was a couple years older than me at SAB. And She, I think, was probably as sort like her first year in the Corps. Her little sister was at SAB at the time.
Speaker: Also, like a couple of classes below me. This is Claire and Emma Van Ink, by the way. And I remember Claire being in the Pilates room and Emma was in there and they got the casting for Nutcracker. And on the Corps of Flowers and Snow, specifically Snow, it had all the names and then it just said New Apprentice 1, New Apprentice 2.
Speaker: So we all knew they were going to take people for Nutcracker. But so anyway, we're in class and we knew we were supposed to have these mid-year meetings. We're sitting in there. Susie's teaching us. We were doing Barocco, Concerto Barocco, the two violets. Everyone was dancing with their partner, whatever. Next thing we know, Kay Mazo and Peter Martins walk in. Kay has, we call it the Facebook. it's like everyone's faces with their information. you know like You're a little ID photo, essentially. We call it the Facebook.
Speaker: And so they come in and they're sitting there watching us and we're like, oh, here we go. like you know And they're in there for like 10, 15 minutes. They leave.
Speaker: Then we finish class. We all go to like the common area. We're sitting there because we're supposed to have meetings. And out comes Kay's assistant at the time. And she comes up and she goes to the group, the whole class, just sitting on there in the ground. and she's like, can we have Jackie, Mimi, and Elaine? And we went up. We went into the Kay's office. It was Kay, Susie, and Suki.
Speaker: And Kay was like, you're apprentices. And yeah, that was that. Peter wasn't there, which was hilarious. Peter wasn't there. So we didn't have a meeting. That's what we were told. And then we left and followed kay's assistant. She like got all our info and everything.
Speaker: It was like really unfortunate. I did feel bad, I remember, because walking out and seeing like my whole class there, obviously people were upset. I just remember like I felt so bad that it had to have been done that way.
Speaker: But it is what it is. Anyway, i Went up to the dorms with my two friends, Jackie and Mimi, the two girls that got in with me because I wasn't living in the dorms at that point anymore and called my mom and everything. And then we get a call from Kay's assistant again. And they're like, actually, they need you guys for rehearsal in like an hour. So like go down to the eighth floor. And we're like, excuse me, like I wasn't expecting to have to have rehearsal today. i remember I borrowed a colored leotard from my friend because i was like, there's no way I'm wearing my black leotard to rehearsal. Like, uh-uh. So I borrowed a colored leotard from my friend and went down and had rehearsal for flowers that same day.
Speaker: And remember coming down to like the seventh floor and like seeing people that we knew and everyone was like, con congratulations, giving us hugs and everything. And our, at the time, head ballet mistress or rep director, Rosemary Dunleavy came down and she saw me and Mimi and she told us to stand up and she looked at us and I think she was trying to see like who was taller or something because flowers is usually taller looked at us and she went you and like pointed to me and I was like me what and then that was me and then I was I was in flowers it was crazy and then it's funny too because that rehearsal I was wearing paper towels for some reason SAV we like wear paper towels in our shoes and I had changed paper towels I got the biggest blister I've ever had in that rehearsal
Speaker: And then since then, I was like, I'm not wearing paper towels again. Toe pads, I've never gone back to paper towels. And you know what's funny is that since then, I have not had a blistered at bat, knock on wood. I don't want that to happen again. I'm like, watch, it's going to happen. Oh my God, it was crazy. Okay, so you went straight into rehearsal this very first day. You got your apprenticeship. What were some of the adjustments between being a student and a professional? Or were you just like so thrown into it that you didn't have time to even think about it?
Speaker: I was definitely thrown into it. I do remember being in rehearsal and thinking to myself that I missed being a student because I was like, oh, no, no. I don't even remember like what my logic was behind it, but I was like, oh, like i kind of miss I kind of miss being there.
Speaker: i don't know what it was. like Maybe because I was like, this is real a real mature job. At the time when I got in in the company, it was still very much just like drop the fish in the water and hope they swim kind of mentality.
Speaker: And, you know, it really like teaches you a lot. Thankfully, there are people in the company who I knew, like the apprentices from the year prior. that were really great. And I remember people showing us where the studio was and like, where the different areas in the theater because the theater ginormous and confusing. If you don't know where you're going, there's so many random hallways. So that was really helpful. But those was like other dancers. Now there's apprentice mentors. And so they cover everything.
Speaker: But like, going to like DC for the first time, like on tour, basically, like anything like that, we were had to figure it out ourselves, basically, it was definitely adjustment, I think getting into the company from the school, like I was saying the school from my school was like almost less dancing, but then into the company from the school was like back to like so many hours at the Rose building in the studio. And like, when you're apprentice, you understudy so many things. So just adjusting to just being in the back of the studio, just standing there, things like that. And obviously, the dramas of the company and
Speaker: All of the above. Again, like i thought it was so fun. So I was loving it. My mom was here because my mom moved up to the city my second year at SAB. She was around. So it was like really nice because I like had her to like still kind of take care of me if I needed her. And I wasn't like living alone on my own yet.
Speaker: She would come in and out of the city, but it still was like her apartment and like, you know, I wasn't fully fending for myself yet. So I was very supported still. When you say drama, what kind of drama do you mean? Like interpersonal stuff?
Speaker: You know, like comparing and competition and like casting things and like, I don't know. I mean, a lot of it is always you're looking at it from the outside, at least for me.
Speaker: I've always tried to avoid being a part of any drama myself. And I was really lucky also when I got into the company. I think, honestly, that first rehearsal of Flowers, like I sort of proved myself that I could learn quickly. I've always been able to pick up choreography quickly. So I was put in a lot of ballets right away. I still understudied, like I still did my apprentice duty and understudied things. But like I also had to go into things as an apprentice and it was never difficult for the rep director in the front to put me into something because I would always know it, you know, because I'd done my job in the back.
Speaker: And so I was lucky and I got to like go into a lot of things and like dance a lot really young. I didn't get disappointed by like not being in things because that's some people struggle as well.
Speaker: Yeah, you go from that like insulated school world to all of a sudden being like, oh, we're all adults here and it's a huge range. Yeah. Especially like in the dressing rooms here, all the women's dressing rooms, are there's a couple of them, but there's one we call like the big dressing room, and that's where you go when you first get in. There's the main room, and there's like a little side room that still has this middle table where you can be on either side. and like There's the apprentice area, is kind of like what we call it, and it's the smallest, most in the back area.
Speaker: of course. But then on the other side of that is a little bit older people in the company. And like when I got in, it was people who had been here for a while felt like us immature children on one side. And then the other people on the other side who were probably sitting over there like, what are these girls talking about? I think having that was also good. It helped us see this is how maybe we should be behaving. So your first ballet you performed was Nutcracker. yep What was your first ballet you'd performed outside of Nutcracker?
Speaker: I think it was emeralds and jewels. What was that like? Amazing. I loved it. I still still to this day, I like love jewels. All of them. We're actually doing it in the fall.
Speaker: And I've been in every one of them. I've been in every jewel. What's your favorite? I don't know. I think emeralds. Emeralds is one that tends to I think, get overlooked, like underrated.
Speaker: It's so stunning. I was actually just talking about this the other day. The music is stunning. The costumes are like the long romantic tutu. We don't get to wear those long romantic tutus that much.
Speaker: It's not that hard get to like look beautiful. I understudied or learned the pas de trois once. And that was so fun. Again, because it's kind of like more of one of the upbeat moments of Emeralds. Rubies is like a good one where I got to bring out my like jazzy background. i was like, ooh, we get to use our shoulders. get to like use our hips a little bit. We're turned in. Like that was so fun for that reason. It's very difficult to count. But sometimes for me, when there's like a ballet that has difficult counts, I like to treat it like a math problem or something where I'm like, when you count it correctly, you're like, yes, solve the equation. You know, like you're like, I solved it. And it's like so satisfying when you like count something correctly and you're just like, yes, it's driven to me too. So like, of course. And diamonds, I mean, diamonds is probably the one that's like most me as a dancer because it's just like so regal and it's very grand, very classical.
Speaker: in not a stuffy boring way i don't know I really like probably can't pick one I've danced diamonds the most for sure is there a ballet you never get tired of performing anytime it comes in the rep you're like yes I mean, Serenade is always wonderful. That's what everyone says. I know. I know. Yeah. Not in a bad way, but it's just like there's something about it, right? No, there really is. I mean, we just did it Saratoga. There really is like nothing like it for sure.
Speaker: But there have been years where it's been programmed a lot and it does get monotonous. You're like, okay. And then you start to perform it the same way. And that's like one of my favorite things to do is like finding new ways to perform things, regardless of how many times you've done them.
Speaker: There are certain ballets that like they don't go often and when they do go, I'm like, yes, this is so exciting. A lot of people don't like it, but I love Who Cares? Again, Jazzy.
Speaker: Oh, I know. Brahms Schoenberg Quartet. That's one of my ultimate favorites. Anytime that goes, I have so much fun in that ballet. It kind of has a similar vibe to Diamonds or even Emeralds a little bit. Like some of the sections are like that kind of just like glamour. a Again, the long tutus.
Speaker: Very grand music. oh It's so good. I love that ballet. Ballet competition season is here. And if you're looking for an event that is focused on artistry and education, then you need to check out a Toile dance competition.
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Speaker: C-O-M-P dot com. And don't forget, save 10% with code BRAINY10. Registration is now open. Do you have a dream role that you hope to perform?
Speaker: Many. There's so many. Again, it's hard for me to pick one. I haven't gotten to do many dream roles, but I mean, I've gotten to do many like dream core ballets. That's for sure. It's not ballet, but one of the dream roles I actually did get to do was... the pas de deux in Jerome Robbins Opus Jazz. That was, oh my god, so much fun. That's another one. Again, see, the jazz theme is really coming back because it's in sneakers too and you just like get to like look cool. The movement is like understated.
Speaker: don't know. like I watched the film of that. There's the film that the company did and I remember watching this pas de deux and just being like, ugh, because the music, the way they filmed it too, they're outside.
Speaker: It's Craig Hall and I think Rachel Rutherford. And they're like outside. like at the end, it's like kind of raining a little bit. And it's just like the way it's filmed and like their chemistry and emotion between the two of them. For some reason, I was just like that. Like I want to do that.
Speaker: And I got to do it. And it was so fun. But not only like the pas de deux part, but just the ballet itself. But it hasn't gone since I did it. Maybe in 2019, I think it was the last time it went. Or 2018. And it's just so much fun. I mean, we do more sneaker things these days. But we don't really do a lot that's like that. Yeah, that is a dream role.
Speaker: I mean, I've always said afternoon of a fawn. Again, it's like not really doing anything, but maybe that's why I'm like, if that looks so amazing. It's not hard. Sometimes doing less, though, is so much harder than doing a lot. Oh, yeah, for sure. Well, because afternoon of a fawn, too, is like you're supposed looking in a mirror and you have be able to portray that. It's kind of like a little acting, you know, but like not looking like you're acting. I feel like it does have similarities to that pas de deux and opus jazz because it's so intimate. Intimate as in the sense that it's just like these two people, so subtle.
Speaker: But beautiful. And also she has her hair down. And I'm like, anything where my hair is down, like, yes, please. Please let me dance with my hair down. Yes. How do you feel like your relationship with ballet has kind of evolved since you first started in the company to now? I feel like it happens to everyone or to most people as you get older, where you just kind of start to realize that ballet isn't everything. Obviously, when you're younger, that's the only thing you're really working towards.
Speaker: one of the only things and everyone has that dream of being in a company and being principal dancer and like all these things and i think just realizing sometimes when maybe it doesn't happen or things go ways that you don't expect for me like coming to terms with maybe my career going in directions that I didn't anticipate ballet is still like it still is like so special to me truly will always be like one of my biggest if not biggest passion dance in general But you just live your life also. You have to live your life also. You have to understand that it's not the end all be all. And like at the end of the day, there is going to be a stopping point and you have to be prepared for that. And you have to be a person outside of that.
Speaker: I feel like I have a good relationship to it. Like I think that I have a pretty solid relationship to it because again, I understand everything that it requires. I know like you have to work really hard, like all these things and I'll do it.
Speaker: I'll take class every day. But I also will go do the other things I like to do outside ballet. There is sacrifice. I do know that. But I don't need to be this is the only person who I am. Yeah. Definitely when I was younger and like very wrapped up in the company and sort of like I was saying the drama of it all. I was like, this is I'm a dancer. Like those are the times when you're kind of like, this is who you are.
Speaker: But then. I'm sure a lot of people say like the pandemic really like changed a lot for a lot of people, especially those of us who had already had a few years of experience and or people who had like full careers already. We were forced to not do it and then also really take a look at ourselves and be like, who am I outside of this place? It's probably because I'm a dancer, but I also just like, I love to be active. I'm like a very active person.
Speaker: I've really gotten into yoga, specifically this one studio slash teacher, Sky Ting in New York. There's something about special about that place. And I like to just be active in general. I have a dog. We have our like nightly evening walks. That's just like one of my favorite things to do. Big music person.
Speaker: Unfortunately, I really like clothes. So I end up going shopping a lot. Yeah, this is the bad thing that when we're like on a break from work, I'm like, what else is there to do except go shopping? And I don't always buy things. It's for research. you know When I was younger, I always said that I wanted to be either a dancer or a fashion designer. i get to indulge in my like love of fashion. I really do like try to maintain a social life.
Speaker: Early on, that was something that I really didn't have because I was so busy in the company. My relationships and friendships are just like so important to me. So i definitely prioritize my time with my friends and stuff.
Speaker: I have to be at home. i'm I'm like definitely a homebody for sure. Like I have to have that time alone. I had like a crafty phase where I was like making jewelry, which was really fun, actually. but I think I have like a big creative thing. Like right now, for sure, I haven't choreographed anything in a while. And I'm like, the creative itch is there, you know? Yeah, that was one my questions for you about choreography. What has inspired you to kind of start exploring that area?
Speaker: I've definitely been choreographing my whole probably life like since I was at least like eight or nine at my studio in Texas. They had a really great summer course actually. i think it was like five or six weeks and there was like a choreography class.
Speaker: I loved it because we got to make up dances and I always loved making up dances even with my like sister and cousin who are like not dancers. I was like, we're doing this. be choreographing. When i was around maybe 11, we moved and it was unfinished, I remember. And so my mom turned the two rooms that were unfinished, one of them into a dance room for me because it was like right off my bedroom. And then the other one was like a movie room, which honestly both very big parts of my dance life because
Speaker: I would go in that dance room and like just turn music on, dance around, but also like make up steps. I would choreograph on myself. Then in the movie room, my mom, who got me all the different dance videos, like the number of times I watched ABT's Le Corsair, the giant screen. i was just like watching Julie Kent. So I would like go in my dance room and like be in there for hours, like probably till like 10 o'clock at night making things up. It's so funny. I remember like being there like tired, like, like, Like I would go hard. I would go really hard. Even at like Chautauqua summer program, there was like a student choreographic thing. And that was the first time I think maybe I really choreographed on other people. And then at SAB, There's also a student choreographic. My last year, I created a piece for four of my friends and loved it. thought it was so fun. And then just like outside of that, I would just do it for fun. And then finally, in the company, Peter Martins had created this First Steps program is what they call it. And it's basically a program for company dancers to just explore choreographing on other dancers in the company.
Speaker: And I always was like, I want to do this because I think it'd be really fun to work with people who know what they're doing mostly. And I had applied for it one year, but then I didn't follow through with it because was like, actually, like I don't have time to do this this year or like I'm not focused on this. And then actually the first year I did it was the pandemic year.
Speaker: And I went and stayed with Indiana Woodward at her house in Malibu and choreographed on her and Harrison Cole, this like pas de deux. And it was so fun. And everyone loved it, apparently. Like it actually still like I watch it and like, this is not bad. It's like a nocturne Rachmaninoff stunning, very like romantic. I would say, again, like it's always kind of been there, the creative thing. I've always really enjoyed the making things up.
Speaker: And then also, like I was saying before, like I love music. And I've always loved classical music. When I would like find a new piece of music, I'd be like, ah, And I would go in my dance room and make something up to it.
Speaker: Then I know you also served as the apprentice repertory director. Can you talk about that role? That sounds so interesting. That's a new thing that they've done the way it was done previously is people would kind of start to shadow other rep directors. Usually they would shadow if they were going to be one. When I first got in the company, Glenn Keenan was majorly shadowing Rosemary. Obviously now she is basically Rosemary because Rosemary retired. But then this year...
Speaker: they decided to create this program in the fall jp frolic john pier frolic had come up to me and was like i just want to like get your two cents on this and he was like i was wondering if you would be interested in being in the studio with me for goldberg variations which is this Jerome Robbins Ballet that I've danced many times. And he was like, I was wondering if you want to be in the studio with me, like in the front. And I was like, oh, I was not expecting him to like ask me that. And at the time, like neither he nor I knew about this program that they were creating because it was really going to be for this other dancer who sort of Rosemary was also setting her up to be core rep director. But she was awake. She had just had a baby.
Speaker: And so he was like, when I was thinking of people to ask, it was you and this other person. Obviously, it was like, wow, like I'm so flattered. and he was like, first of all, I think you're so smart. And I think you would be really good at it. And I also think that people would just like really see how much you care.
Speaker: was like, first of all, it's nice that you see that. I told him, I was like, I'll think about it and get back to you. And then I eventually told him, I was like, yes, I'd love to like be in there. That's when like, i remember John Stepper was like, well, actually, we're starting this program. He was like, we weren't expecting to have two people, but why not? So that's kind of like how it went throughout the year.
Speaker: I kind of was just exclusively doing Robbins ballets. I got to work with JP, obviously, Lisa Jackson, Christine Redpath, and Katie Tracy. Each one was so different.
Speaker: and amazing. Like, I feel like I did learn a lot from each of them. At this point, I've choreographed enough. I know how to run a room. Like, I know how to be in the front. That wasn't a new thing for me to learn. But it was also just, like, coming up with something new and also teaching things that have already been done are two very different things. Seeing the way they handle that, even though, again, I've been in the room for all of these things before as a dancer, kind of seeing it from the other side. You know, when you're a dancer, you're just, like,
Speaker: caught up in whatever's going on and if they're not talking to you sometimes they're working on another group you're just kind of like not paying attention but then like as a rep director apprentice I was paying attention to like everything obviously just like seeing the way they go through that and then like the notes, like the number of notes that they have that they didn't even take. Lisa Jackson has notes that Sally Leland took from Jerome Robbins. And so Lisa's like, I'm trying to organize these so I can pass them on to you because they've just been passed down through all the generations, which is like also incredible. So I feel like I learned a lot of like that kind of stuff and also like nuance the way certain ballets should be performed. You're not just dancing the steps. There has to be a certain feel, a certain vibe to the ballets. That's obviously very important to teach as well. I thought it was a really interesting and fun time. I definitely preferred the rehearsals where like the rep directors would let me like be involved.
Speaker: You know, because if I was just sitting there, like, it's kind of boring sometimes because I was like, I know in ballet, like I've watched it so many times. And like, obviously, I would notice something, but like, I wouldn't overstep and be like, oh, by the way, like, they are not doing the right thing. Like, I wasn't going to do that. But then like, sometimes Lisa would we'd be in rehearsal for this ballet, Opus 19, The Dreamer, which they put in a brand new cast. And I was in the last cast that did it. And it was like me and like all of these senior core people. And they put in brand new people who like maybe didn't even understudy it before. Lisa was like, she gave me a lot of free reign. She was like, if you see something, like say something to them.
Speaker: There's a lot of people. I'm like, she can't see everything, you know, again, because it was so many new people. There were many things that needed to be said. That ballet is like so specific and like the way it should be performed. And also because the other girls in it and like the whole core in general, like they all know me. And so they weren't afraid to come up and like ask me a question.
Speaker: And they like listened to what I had to say. They'd seen me all perform it like so many times. Did having that experience change the way you approach your own rehearsals or the way that you kind of are in the room now that you've been on both sides of it?
Speaker: Definitely. Yeah. I always like compare it to driving in the city. I weirdly love like driving the city, but I feel like me driving makes me a better pedestrian because I know like what the driver is looking for. And like, same thing, like I love to like ride a city bike as a city bike rider or a bike rider or walk whatever, crossing a street. It's like, I know what they're thinking. And then as a driver, I'm like, I know what that person's thinking. Like, I'm annoyed that they're walking when they shouldn't be walking, but like silly things like that. But it's the same way being in the front of the room, like as rep director, choreographer, whatever, and being a dancer. One of the biggest things I noticed is like you know like when you're in a studio and the teacher's like, okay, does anybody like want to go again?
Speaker: you want to do it to the left? And everyone's just... nothing nothing no words and you're like give me something and like that has happened so many times yeah both sides of it where I'm like the dancer and I just stand there in silence and then also is the teacher or the cro whatever and no one said anything to me and I'm like somebody say something please like I need an answer yeah and then so now it's like as the dancer and they ask a question I'm like yes I like answer out loud I like don't even care I'm just like I'll be the one to answer because I know that that teacher is like probably annoyed that no one's saying anything
Speaker: They help each other. And like, yeah, like as a dancer in the room now, I try to be as easy, like the easiest person to work with ever. Like if I have to move a spot, I have to move a spot. If they ask me a question, I'll like try and give them, you know, and it's like I try and be what I would want as the person in the front of the room, you know. So they really just play off of each other. And I think I would hope that it makes me a better employee. Mm hmm.
Speaker: Do you see yourself pursuing that after you retire from dancing someday? Which one? Rep director or choreographer or both? Either way. Like, do you think you'll stay more in the ballet world and pursue those avenues? Or do you see yourself doing something totally different? I could definitely see myself being a choreographer.
Speaker: I personally think I could do the rep director job quite well just because of I know who I am. as person I'm very detail oriented and musical and like all these things.
Speaker: And I think I have a good eye for like aesthetic. I'm good at knowing like what things should look like. That ties into choreography as well. But I don't think I'd be bad at the job, basically. Is that something I really want to do? Because it is very similar to being a dancer in terms of hours and like workload. And sometimes it's more.
Speaker: i don't know about that yet. Choreographer, i think it's like similar, but think you have a little bit more agency. And again, like the new creation aspect is like very exciting to me.
Speaker: I mean, I could do both. There are people who have done both. That would be fun. But I mean, I could see it. Ultimately, it comes down to like, is ballet what I like want to continue doing? Like I said, I love fashion. Like I'd love to do something. Like I love fashion. I love wellness.
Speaker: I'm like considering like doing yoga training. There's so many other things that I really love, but I can't see myself being a lawyer or going into like the medical field. Like that's not for me. It's not. And that's totally fine. Yeah. Because there's so many people who did have a little overlap in the company with incredible women in the core who are doctors. And I'm like, that is amazing.
Speaker: You're amazing. Dr. Brown. Dr. Lowry, I'm like, you're incredible and you're so smart, but I don't think that's my route. Yeah, everyone's different. Which is fine.
Speaker: And I'm fine with that. Yeah. Lane, this has been so interesting hearing about your dance career and all of this insight into New York City of Ballet. The last question I have for you is if you had to give aspiring professional dancers pursuing their career one piece of advice, what would you tell them?
Speaker: I will say one of the things that I just brought up that I try and do is being easy to work with, I think is like very, very important because if you're easy to work with, then people want to work with you.
Speaker: And i think, again, that's what helped me so much early in my career is that I paid attention. i listened. I'm sure I was a little sassy in certain moments because I can be, but not so much to the people in the front. I danced so much. Got to dance so many ballets so early on. I would say like that is a major one. Always work hard.
Speaker: Always take class. Some people stop taking class. Always take class. Yeah. Take care of yourself. That's like a major one. I feel like you can get so caught up. Like learn who you are and like take care of yourself. So good.
Speaker: Lane, if anyone listening wants to learn more about you or your dance journey, where can we find you? i mean, Instagram, I guess, is probably the best. My name is just at Lane Habini.
Speaker: I've thought about making a website one of these days. It's not there yet, though. Well, we'll keep an eye out for that. Great. Thank you so much for this. This was so fun, Lane. Oh, yay. had fun too.
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