Jessica Ribera

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a ballerina when I grew up. And I think a lot of kids want to do that, but I was like really serious about it. And luckily for me, even though I'm from a kind of small town in Texas, there was a good set of teachers there who had sent three daughters, these like legendary daughters, off to the New York City Ballet. And so I stayed really serious about it.

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a ballerina when I grew up. And I think a lot of kids want to do that, but I was like really serious about it. And luckily for me, even though I'm from a kind of small town in Texas, there was a good set of teachers there who had sent three daughters, these like legendary daughters, off to the New York City Ballet. And so I stayed really serious about it.

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a ballerina when I grew up. And I think a lot of kids want to do that, but I was like really serious about it. And luckily for me, even though I'm from a kind of small town in Texas, there was a good set of teachers there who had sent three daughters, these like legendary daughters, off to the New York City Ballet. And so I stayed really serious about it.

And as time went on, it mostly became that I just wanted to get out of my small town in Texas and wind up in a city, and preferably New York City, because I had become obsessed with the New York City Ballet because of these daughters. And their portraits were on the studio wall.

And as time went on, it mostly became that I just wanted to get out of my small town in Texas and wind up in a city, and preferably New York City, because I had become obsessed with the New York City Ballet because of these daughters. And their portraits were on the studio wall.

And as time went on, it mostly became that I just wanted to get out of my small town in Texas and wind up in a city, and preferably New York City, because I had become obsessed with the New York City Ballet because of these daughters. And their portraits were on the studio wall.

And my teacher would tell us these like, they were almost like, you weren't really sure if they were true stories or if he was just trying to like Aesop's fable us somehow, you know, like these, and that's why you should never be late for a rehearsal or, you know.

And my teacher would tell us these like, they were almost like, you weren't really sure if they were true stories or if he was just trying to like Aesop's fable us somehow, you know, like these, and that's why you should never be late for a rehearsal or, you know.

And my teacher would tell us these like, they were almost like, you weren't really sure if they were true stories or if he was just trying to like Aesop's fable us somehow, you know, like these, and that's why you should never be late for a rehearsal or, you know.

But one of them that he told was about Alexia, who you could tell they were the most proud of, and I don't think you're supposed to do that, but that's what they did.

But one of them that he told was about Alexia, who you could tell they were the most proud of, and I don't think you're supposed to do that, but that's what they did.

But one of them that he told was about Alexia, who you could tell they were the most proud of, and I don't think you're supposed to do that, but that's what they did.

And he said, you know, Alexia, she wanted to learn so much, she would stay in the back of the rehearsal, and she would learn all the parts in the ballet, not just the one that was hers, and she would practice, and one day, the ballerina was injured. And the rehearsal director said, does anyone know this part? And Alexia was like, I do. And then it became her part.

And he said, you know, Alexia, she wanted to learn so much, she would stay in the back of the rehearsal, and she would learn all the parts in the ballet, not just the one that was hers, and she would practice, and one day, the ballerina was injured. And the rehearsal director said, does anyone know this part? And Alexia was like, I do. And then it became her part.

And he said, you know, Alexia, she wanted to learn so much, she would stay in the back of the rehearsal, and she would learn all the parts in the ballet, not just the one that was hers, and she would practice, and one day, the ballerina was injured. And the rehearsal director said, does anyone know this part? And Alexia was like, I do. And then it became her part.

And then she was like this big moment of jump up in her career. So I always tucked that in my mind. It's like, that's like the dream, right? That's like, I want that to happen to me. As I was obsessing about New York City and getting out of town, I read every book I could get from the tri-state library system about New York City Ballet. And George Balanchine started New York City Ballet.

And then she was like this big moment of jump up in her career. So I always tucked that in my mind. It's like, that's like the dream, right? That's like, I want that to happen to me. As I was obsessing about New York City and getting out of town, I read every book I could get from the tri-state library system about New York City Ballet. And George Balanchine started New York City Ballet.

And then she was like this big moment of jump up in her career. So I always tucked that in my mind. It's like, that's like the dream, right? That's like, I want that to happen to me. As I was obsessing about New York City and getting out of town, I read every book I could get from the tri-state library system about New York City Ballet. And George Balanchine started New York City Ballet.

He's credited with bringing ballet to the United States. And I was obsessed with him. I really loved reading about him, just artistically. And I found out it seemed like maybe he was a little bit obsessed with Western Texas culture. He choreographed a few ballets that are set in these saloon-y town, wild west, this man who grew up in Russia. And I thought that was so cool.

He's credited with bringing ballet to the United States. And I was obsessed with him. I really loved reading about him, just artistically. And I found out it seemed like maybe he was a little bit obsessed with Western Texas culture. He choreographed a few ballets that are set in these saloon-y town, wild west, this man who grew up in Russia. And I thought that was so cool.