The Artistry and Forbearance of New York City Ballet’s Sara Mearns

It’s a rare privilege to see one of the most celebrated ballerinas of our time up close on a day like any other, to hear about her creative process, what inspires her, and how she conveys so much passion on stage.
The Artistry and Forbearance of New York City Ballet’s Sara Mearns
Sara Mearns as The Sugarplum Fairy in George Balanchine's THE NUTCRACKER Act II Choreography George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust New York City Ballet Credit Photo: Paul Kolnik [email protected] nyc 212-362-7778
Milene Fernandez
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NEW YORK—Sara Mearns is in constant conversation with her body. She’s intensely aware of her every step, turn, extension, leap, jump, landing, gesture, and expression. Every millisecond of dancing requires every cell of her body to be fully committed.

It’s a rare privilege to see one of the most celebrated ballerinas of our time up close on a day like any other. In mid-November as she rehearsed sections of the very physically demanding roles of Dewdrop and the Sugarplum Fairy in “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker,” she sweated and panted. The sound of her shoes on the studio floor was actually audible. She counted or hummed as she ran through the steps, remembering a sequence she has danced many times before.

In the middle of her solo rehearsal, she walked toward the mirror to take a good look at her reflection. Catching her breath during that brief pause, she seemed to be strengthening her resolve—giving herself a pep talk. Then she continued running through a part of Dewdrop’s dance.

Sara Mearns pauses while rehearsing the part of Dewdrop in "George Balanchine's The Nutcracker" on Nov. 19, 2015. (Benjamin Chasteen/Epoch Times)
Sara Mearns pauses while rehearsing the part of Dewdrop in "George Balanchine's The Nutcracker" on Nov. 19, 2015. Benjamin Chasteen/Epoch Times