David Marchese

This is something that I was also thinking about coming out of the earlier part of the conversation, where there's like a little, almost like emotional contradiction that I'm hoping that you can tease out for me, where you really expressed in a heartfelt way, like your gratitude to toward the ABT and how it's been an incredible home for you.

And at the same time, you talk about these feelings of feeling stifled or thwarted a little bit or it took you 15 years to rise to the level of principal dancer or... Listen, it's almost like you're talking about two different places in a way. So tell me about that.

And at the same time, you talk about these feelings of feeling stifled or thwarted a little bit or it took you 15 years to rise to the level of principal dancer or... Listen, it's almost like you're talking about two different places in a way. So tell me about that.

Something that I was really thinking about was this sort of wave that's happening of attacks on DEI. And the way you put it was you want to put your head down and do the work. Like, you don't need to be out there shouting from the rooftops. I just wonder if you could sort of explain that approach a little bit more.

Something that I was really thinking about was this sort of wave that's happening of attacks on DEI. And the way you put it was you want to put your head down and do the work. Like, you don't need to be out there shouting from the rooftops. I just wonder if you could sort of explain that approach a little bit more.

Because if there were a time to shout from the rooftops, like, it seems like this is one of those times when, you know, maybe there's a fear of backlash or reprisal. So, like... Why the inclination to put the head down and do the work rather than shout from the rooftop?

Because if there were a time to shout from the rooftops, like, it seems like this is one of those times when, you know, maybe there's a fear of backlash or reprisal. So, like... Why the inclination to put the head down and do the work rather than shout from the rooftop?

It is complicated, yeah.

It is complicated, yeah.

And when you're in communities talking with people and sort of educating about dance, are the kinds of conversations you're having with people different recently than they were 10 years ago, 15 years ago? Are the concerns different?

And when you're in communities talking with people and sort of educating about dance, are the kinds of conversations you're having with people different recently than they were 10 years ago, 15 years ago? Are the concerns different?

I'm also curious about how you see dance's place in the culture. Because, you know, I was thinking about how, you know, like the tens of millions of people love to see, you know, viral TikTok dances. Who knows how many people every Friday and Saturday night are going out dancing, dancing all different styles all over the country. But at the same time, we don't really think of dance.

I'm also curious about how you see dance's place in the culture. Because, you know, I was thinking about how, you know, like the tens of millions of people love to see, you know, viral TikTok dances. Who knows how many people every Friday and Saturday night are going out dancing, dancing all different styles all over the country. But at the same time, we don't really think of dance.

dance as an art form is kind of like venerated or central to the culture in the way that music or film is. Do you have any thoughts about why dance as an art form seems to occupy this odd space?

dance as an art form is kind of like venerated or central to the culture in the way that music or film is. Do you have any thoughts about why dance as an art form seems to occupy this odd space?

Did you happen to read Jennifer Homan's book, Apollo's Angels, The History of Ballet?

Did you happen to read Jennifer Homan's book, Apollo's Angels, The History of Ballet?

I think it came out like 2010. So it's, you know, 15 years ago or something. But so it's this beautifully written, assiduously researched history of ballet. And at the end, and this is in 2010 when the book was published, You know, she basically says she thinks ballet is a dying art form. There's too much adherence to tradition.

I think it came out like 2010. So it's, you know, 15 years ago or something. But so it's this beautifully written, assiduously researched history of ballet. And at the end, and this is in 2010 when the book was published, You know, she basically says she thinks ballet is a dying art form. There's too much adherence to tradition.

It involves like a kind of idealism and self-control that the culture doesn't really value that much anymore, particularly in cynical times. And I don't know what she would say, but my hunch is that I don't think she would say that much has changed in the 15 years since that book came out. What's your response to that argument?