The Bolshoi

For an indication of just how hard it is to make it to the top in ballet, take a look at the famous Bolshoi Ballet of Russia.  This company has 18 principal dancers (10 women, 8 men), and these are the dancers who receive the lead roles in the productions.  After that, there are 9 "leading soloists," 9 "firsts soloists," 23 "soloists,"  10 dancers "working under contract," a whopping 156 in the "corps de ballet."  Those are some incredible odds for a dancer looking to make it to the top.

The following video is from the Bolshoi Ballet's performance entitled "Class Concert" in 2011.  I recommend watching it to get a better handle on just how intense the training must be for these dancers, at such a young age, to be at the level they are.  I think it's absolutely hysterical that the male dancers' legs basically blur out because they're moving so quickly!  If you only choose to watch one section (because the video is long), I suggest the section at 12:30; just look at how high he can jump!  (And in the section before that, how coordinated the female dancers are in their leaps...who am I kidding, just watch the whole video!)

Have you heard the name "Joy Womack" before?  I hadn't until the other day when I was looking through material for this post.  Joy is ballerina from the United States but made history by becoming the first American to train with Russian students at the prestigious Bolshoi Academy.  The New York Times does a quick, comprehensive video segment on her which I find fascinating.  She was only fifteen when she left her family to study in Russia, so she must have incredible fortitude.  This segment was filmed in 2010, so it will be interesting to follow up on her now and in the years to come.