A Ballerina Steps Into the Spotlight With Swan Queen Confidence
But a body isn't everything in ballet. What makes Miller so striking isn't what you see but what you instinctively feel: her aura. Resolute yet plush, her presence has a quiet command and, within that, an almost casual confidence.
At New York City Ballet, where she was recently promoted to principal dancer, Miller, 28, has that rare ability to dance onstage as if she were singing through the steps in an open meadow. 'I don't love doing ballets that are performative to the audience,' she said. 'I like it when it's more internal, and it's the audience looking in on you and seeing you approach and explore.'
Over the past couple of years she has become her own dancer — not Miller dancing someone else's part, but Miller being herself. On Thursday, she makes her debut in the dual role of Odette-Odile in 'Swan Lake,' with Chun Wai Chan as her Siegfried. The weight of carrying this ballet, for any dancer, is both a technical and emotional feat. Timing is everything. Miller's consistency has caught up to her beauty. And she is a swan.
Miller has danced with City Ballet for 10 years, beginning with an apprenticeship that just months in saw her making a debut as Titania in George Balanchine's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' Even at a company like City Ballet where debuts come out of nowhere, this was a shock. Just who was this willowy blond from Iowa City, Iowa? She was young and her performance wasn't perfect, but her radiance and command of the stage were obvious.
Over the years, her renditions of the Siren in 'Prodigal Son' and the Stripper in 'Slaughter on Tenth Avenue' have cemented her ability to use her glamour with steely calculation or with humor. In more exposed roles — in 'Agon' and in ballets by Pam Tanowitz — she possesses an understated, lucid vibrancy. 'When I feel completely confident in what I'm doing and secure in myself within the role,' she said, 'it allows me to go out there without being in my head, without second-guessing how I'm being perceived. I'm just able to dance freely'
But there was something else: Life happened. Recently Miller got married and relocated to Westchester County from the Upper West Side. She recently got a bachelor's degree from Fordham University, majoring in anthropology with a minor in sociology. She found her identity outside of the company, outside of ballet.
Earlier this season, after her second show of Balanchine's 'Variations pour une Porte et un Soupir,' Miller was promoted to principal. Jonathan Stafford, the company's artistic director, told her that the plan had been to promote her after 'Swan Lake,' but the decision was made to do it before. He didn't want her, she said, to worry about anything.
For years Miller saw 'Swan Lake' as being unattainable. 'I used to think that there's no way I would ever be able to get through the whole ballet or to be able to master those steps,' she said. 'I surprised myself because there's nothing in it that I can't do. I love to tell a story onstage, and I love to have a character to embody, but in my own way.'
To her, simple is better. She's focusing on not overdoing the emotion. 'It's not needed for either role, Odette or Odile,' Miller said. 'It can get a little tacky.'
That is one thing she has never been. Before her promotion to principal, and before she learned she'd be dancing 'Swan Lake,' she was in a good place. She was dancing — and dancing true to herself. She felt respected by her peers and her superiors. And as her debut this season in Balanchine's 'Concerto Barocco' attested, she was performing with a certain beaming joy.
'You never know how you're going to feel until you're doing it, and then you're like, Oh wow,' she said. 'You don't really think, How am I going to hold my expression? Am I going to smile? With 'Barocco,' I just was smiling the whole time.'
She wasn't thinking about being promoted. 'I felt supported,' she said. 'And that's what mattered to me: If I had good relationships, if I still enjoyed being in the studio with everyone.'
Miller is poised and smart. She has a serious work ethic. And she's not prone to sentimentality. When she was promoted, she said, she was happy and surprised but not exactly bawling her eyes out. 'It's not like I was focusing everything on it,' she said.
But driving to work the next morning, she remembered a wish she had made at 15, a wish that she would some day become a principal dancer. Finally, she started to cry.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
2 days ago
- USA Today
Free beer, Ohio! Miller Lite is giving away 50,000 beers
Miller Lite is celebrating its 50th anniversary by offering 50,000 free beers at bars across the United States, including Ohio. The beer brand will offer free drinks at 450 bars nationwide during International Beer Day on August 1. It will also host a special New Year's Eve-style "Beer Drop" at a Milwaukee brewery, USA TODAY writes. Fans age 21 or older but unable to make it to any of the listed bars can still participate through an online alternative, the company said. USA TODAY reached out to Miller Lite for clarification on whether there is a one free can limit per person. The company kicked off its 50th year celebration by releasing limited-edition gold cans earlier this summer and unveiling a partnership with "Saturday Night Live" star Marcello Hernandez. Here's what to know about the free Miller Lite beers and where to get them in Ohio. When is Miller Lite giving away free beers? Miller Lite will be giving away 50,000 free beers on Friday, August 1, which also happens to be International Beer Day. Ohio bars giving away free Miller Lite beer August 1 As of July 24, nine Ohio bars are participating in the giveaway, according to Miller Lite: More locations could be added to the list, according to Miller Lite's website. "The 50th anniversary is just more than a milestone for Miller Lite, it's a celebration of our fans and the five decades we've spent together enjoying Miller Time," Ann Legan, Vice President of Marketing for Miller family of brands, said in a news release. Which bars are giving free Miller Lite beers? Free Miller Lite beers will be offered at 450 different bars in the U.S. To find the nearest participating location near you, visit enter your state and navigate the list. The company will host its main event at the Miller Lite Brewery in Milwaukee, where cans will drop one by one from a massive six-pack installation at 4:50 p.m. local time. The event will also be livestreamed with the installation dropping at 4:50 p.m. across various time zones. "No matter where you are when the clock strikes 4:50 p.m., it's Miller Time," the brand said in a news release.
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Apryl Miller slashed $2M off the price of her colorful home
It turns out even a kaleidoscope can come with a markdown. Apryl Miller's technicolor Upper East Side apartment — an exuberant swirl of painted floors, bright tiles, geometric mosaics and custom Lucite-legged kitchen furniture — is back on the market with a new, lower price, The Post has learned. Now asking $6.75 million, the full-floor residence at 188 E. 76th St. was first listed last year for $8.75 million, before undergoing a recent $2 million price reduction, StreetEasy records show. Miller — an artist, poet and jewelry designer — purchased the 4,076-square-foot condo, spanning the entire 29th floor of the Siena tower, in 1998 with her former husband. 9 Apryl Miller's vividly colorful Upper East Side apartment is back on the market with a $2 million price cut, now listed for $6.75 million. instagram/aprylmillerart She later took full ownership in 2002 and spent the following decades transforming the space into what she has described as a 'very special home' for her daughters. 'Color is rejuvenating, and colors have souls,' Miller previously told the New York Times in an interview when the property was first listed. 'I didn't want white walls.' The result is more art installation than apartment. Every room is doused in saturated tones and custom finishes, from Jackson Pollock-style paint-splattered floors to vibrant tile work and swirls of inlaid carpet. Over the years, the apartment has been featured in the Netflix documentary series 'Amazing Interiors,' MTV's 'Teen Cribs,' 'Open House New York' tours and numerous design publications. 9 The artist, known for transforming the full-floor condo at 188 E. 76th St. into a living art installation, originally listed the property for $8.75 million in 2024. Nathan Patrick Media for Sothebys International Realty 9 Color is rejuvenating, and colors have souls,' Miller told the New York Times, adding, 'I didn't want white walls.' Nathan Patrick Media for Sothebys International Realty But the creative haven has outgrown its purpose. With her daughters now adults, Miller says the apartment, once bursting with art projects and floor picnics, is simply 'too big.' 'I always knew I couldn't keep it forever,' she told the outlet. 'It's an art installation. Art doesn't last forever.' Offered for the first time in 25 years, the five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom residence includes a private elevator landing, oversize windows, and panoramic views from Central Park to the East River. A 28-foot living room connects to a dining space and a library/media room, while a cerulean blue eat-in kitchen features geometric floors and a custom table designed with her children in mind. 9 Though the furnishings aren't included, they're available for purchase. Instagram/aprylmillerart 9 Over the years, the home has been featured in 'Amazing Interiors,' 'Teen Cribs' and 'Open House New York.' Nathan Patrick Media for Sothebys International Realty 9 Spanning 4,076 square feet, the five-bedroom residence occupies the entire 29th floor of the Siena condominium and is defined by its riot of color — paint-splattered floors, hand-cut tiles, geometric inlays and Lucite-legged kitchen furniture — designed for her daughters. Nathan Patrick Media for Sothebys International Realty 'My girls liked being underneath the table with their little toys,' Miller said of the Lucite-leg design. The primary bedroom suite is similarly dramatic, with two walk-in closets, a raised sitting area and a hand-tiled bath with skyline views. One of the additional bedrooms, once used as a stage for in-home concerts, is now an artist's studio. The apartment also once featured an installation known as the 'chair museum,' made up of Miller's sculptural furniture. 'Each one of the pieces tells a different story,' she told the Times, referencing the garments and textures that inspired them. 9 She purchased the apartment in 1998 with her former husband and raised her two daughters there, hosting 'floor picnics,' holiday parties and impromptu performances on a small stage built into one of the bedrooms. Nathan Patrick Media for Sothebys International Realty 9 The sprawling unit includes a 28-foot living room, a cerulean eat-in kitchen, a primary suite with skyline views and sweeping vistas from every room. Nathan Patrick Media for Sothebys International Realty 9 Now that her daughters are grown, Miller says the apartment is 'too big,' and she's ready to move on. Nathan Patrick Media for Sothebys International Realty Listing agents Eileen Foy and Ana Ozashvili of Compass are marketing the property, which occupies a rare full-floor layout in the Siena, a full-service white-glove condominium with a gym, a playroom, a furnished terrace and a 24-hour doorman. They did not return The Post's request for comment. The building is one of the few condos west of Third Avenue in Lenox Hill. Despite the price drop, the furnishings and art are not included — but are available for purchase separately. And while the next owner may not embrace the same Crayola-happy aesthetic, Miller says she's made her peace with that. 'I'm OK with having the whole place gutted,' she said. 'I know I'll be really sad when it's actually sold. I'll cry later.'
Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
Disney Ambassador Program Marks 60th Anniversary. Why It's Still Vital For Disney
Global Disney Ambassadors for the 2024-2025 season. If you were able to flashback to Disneyland in 1965, you'd be celebrating the park's 10th anniversary, but it was also a busy time for Walt Disney. Not only was he enhancing his current park in Anaheim, California, but he was also secretly buying land in Florida for what would become Walt Disney World, working on new feature films, and more. His time was spread thin. This very moment sparked an idea in Jack Lindquist, director of marketing for Disneyland at the time, to have a Cast Member (what The Walt Disney Company calls employees) represent Disney around the world, showcasing Disneyland and its 10th anniversary. This was the start of what's now known as the Disney Ambassador program, where selected Cast Members from each of Disney's theme parks around the world, plus its resort in Hawaii, Aulani, embark on a two-year temporary role at their corresponding theme park to highlight the work of Cast Members, talk to media, and make official appearances as representatives for Disney Parks. Steven Miller and Disney Legend Marty Sklar in 2002 while Miller was a Walt Disney World Ambassador. ... More According to Steven Miller, former Disney Ambassador from 2001 to 2002, and current lead of the Walt Disney World Ambassador Program, 'A lot of times the ambassador program grew out of the VIP, like tour guides or the Guest Relations team.' And in 1964, the very first rounds of interviews of Disneyland's first ambassador took place with six final candidates. In the end, Julie Reihm Casaletto became the first Ambassador of Disneyland in 1965. 'The world is introduced to Julie as Miss Disneyland tencennial on a broadcast for Disneyland's tencennial celebration,' explains Miller. 'Julie ends up spending a year, you know, going around, traveling and telling the world about all the exciting things that are going on at Disneyland. And in essence, she was representing Walt in many of those capacities.' After Casaletto's successful stint as Miss Disneyland, the program continued, though with the title of Ambassador. For years, the role was filled by a single person, but today each Ambassador team has two Cast Members, except for Aulani, which has a single Ambassador each season. Stories from a former Disneyland Ambassador Andrae Gill learning she would be a Disneyland Ambassador during the resort's 50th anniversary. Andrea Gill, director of event planning, operations and strategy at the Disneyland Resort, is a former Disneyland Ambassador during the 50th anniversary of the resort. Gill first became a Cast Member in 2000, working in food and beverage, and took on the Ambassador role from 2004 to 2006, noting it was a highlight of her Disney career. 'To be able to represent not only our cast members and put a voice for them, but also go on to community events, the business events, all of that, and be the official representative, which is, again, something completely unbelievable,' she explains. Gill recalls getting selected during a ceremony at the train station at Disneyland Park. 'I remember that day, so it's a big moment, Mickey and the characters all come out, and it was almost like a Miss America moment, where all the candidates are up on stage, and then our president comes out, the current ambassador, they invite all the former ambassadors to come out, and then on stage, it's revealed.' Andrae Gill with executives for The Walt Disney Company in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at ... More Disneyland. Meeting people and learning about all the facets of the company was a highlight for Gill. Her Ambassador role also opened new career doors for her, and she feels like being an Ambassador even helps her with her current job in event planning. 'We do a lot of events company-wide, and I feel I know a lot of how the company operates because of my experience as an Ambassador.' One of Gill's lasting legacies as Disneyland Ambassador was creating a program called Ambassador 101, a training program for Cast Members interested in becoming an Ambassador. It still runs 20 years later. 'It's a five-week program where Cast Members can come in and learn how to build a resume, do mock interviews with recruiters to get comfortable with the interviewing process, and meet with show directors to teach them about poise and how to speak in front of people,' she explains. Disney Ambassadors today Steven Miller with current Walt Disney World Ambassadors at EPCOT. Today, Disney Ambassadors talk to media, fan sites, and bloggers, represent the company at events around the country, take to social media to highlight the work of individual Cast Members, and take what's known as 'Walt Walks,' where they walk the park to observe and talk to guests and Cast Members about the day. Each Ambassador role is a two-year position. 'I think it works out great, because that first year they're just figuring out what's going on, trying to get their feet, and then by the second year, they're really making some significant impact with our cast and our company,' explains Miller. The program encourages all types of Cast Members to apply. The only limitations are that you must be at least 18 years old and have worked for Disney for at least two years in a part-time or full-time role. There's also no limit to how many times someone can apply to be an Ambassador until they are picked. For Miller, along with his current role as the lead for the Walt Disney Ambassador Program, he's also on the corporate social responsibility team. He can see that his Ambassadorship from 2001 to 2002 was a foundation for elevating his career. 'I can trace back to the foundation of the ambassador program, being able to deliver on key messages in a succinct manner, being able to write, being able to have the confidence to just pick up the phone and call somebody you know, and and having a big picture view of all the different pieces and parts of how Disney works.' Even after 60 years of the Disney Ambassador program, the role is just as important today as it was in 1965. 'Your job is to shine the light on everybody else, [to] recognize and celebrate our Cast Members, bring that Disney magic into our community, and to create happiness for people who need it,' Miller says.
