Meet the Dancers of “Strictly Ballet” Season Two
Last year, Teen Vogue‘s “Strictly Ballet” infiltrated the elite world of NYC’s School of American Ballet. We got to meet a few of its most promising students, including Mimi Staker, who’s now a corps member of New York City Ballet, and Jasmine Perry, now an L.A. Ballet corps member. It was a fascinating account of life at SAB—what the training is like and the pressure that comes with being a student at one of the most prestigious schools in the country.
But Teen Vogue editor in chief, Amy Astley, wanted to expand the narrative. So for the second season of “Strictly Ballet,” the cameras are taking us inside Miami City Ballet School, introducing six of its most advanced students as they look to the next stages of their careers. Why Miami? “I’m fascinated by the city’s culture,” Astley says. “I also really wanted to show the diversity in ballet. I think a lot of people aren’t aware of the rich history of dance and ballet in the Hispanic culture—they don’t know about the National Ballet of Cuba or Alicia Alonso.” Many of the students featured this season are from outside the U.S., trying to make it in ballet—and in America. “Valeriia is from Russia, Mayumi and Gustavo are from Brazil and Carlos came from Cuba,” Astley continues. “They left their families behind, they’re homesick. And they all want their families to be proud, because they’ve sacrificed so much, too. It’s very personal.”