Entertainment
CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Christopher Wheeldon wields a lot of power in the world of ballet. Happily, as the former soloist and resident choreographer -- and, frankly, the golden boy -- of the New York City Ballet, he wields it gracefully. Wheeldon, 35, began dancing in his youth at Londons Royal Ballet, and he lives, breathes, and loves (his partner, Jock Soto, is a recently retired New York City Ballet legend) ballet even as he yanks it into the 21st century. Since starting his company, Morphoses, in 2007, Wheeldon has sought to bring the elevated forms of classical dance to the masses. Audiences from London to New York to Vail have responded with sold-out shows and standing ovations. Thankfully, Wheeldon isnt going the route of Bravos Step It Up and Dance. We want to attract people who think they might not understand ballet [and] make it accessible. You wont see kneepads, conga lines, or -- God forbid -- turned-in pirouettes and flexed feet. Its a matter of updating the form elegantly and with integrity. A recent Morphoses performance starts with a short documentary film of dancers engaged in grueling rehearsals. Darcy Bussell, one of Wheeldons muses, is shown on screen in sweatpants, perspiring. The curtain rises and theres Bussell, serene and smooth in a beige costume, casting her long limbs into Wheeldons memorable shapes in Tryst Pas de Deux with Jonathan Cope. Without his choreographic skill, Wheeldons determination to bring the audience backstage would be just another hey-look-at-my-process ploy. But Wheeldon makes bodies curve, extend, and entwine in ways that would make George Balanchine blush. His men are muscular; his women are assertive. Wheeldon has big plans for the future too. I would love to break into popular music like pop and indie rock, he tells me. Id like to work with people like Rufus [Wainwright] and Sufjan [Stevens.] Already in the works: a collaboration with Ruben and Isabel Toledo, a painterandfashion designer team in New York. In October, Morphoses returns to the City Center stage in New York where it debuted just a year ago, this time bringing even more buzz and a new work. For a fall schedule visit Morphoses .org. Send a letter to the editor about this article.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
38 Male Celebs Who Did Full Frontal Scenes
November 17 2023 5:18 PM
These are all the celebrities Who came out as LGBTQ+ in 2023
December 31 2023 12:19 PM
29 LGBTQ+ celebs you can follow on OnlyFans
April 18 2024 1:00 PM
26 actors who showed bare ass in movies & TV shows
February 28 2024 1:50 PM
16 times male celebrities had to say they weren't gay
April 17 2024 11:57 AM
21 LGBTQ+ reality dating shows & where to watch them
April 03 2024 4:01 PM
15 Unforgettable Gay Kissing Scenes From TV & Movies
February 14 2024 10:20 AM
14 queens who quit or retired from drag after 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
April 04 2024 12:56 PM
40 steamy celebrity Calvin Klein ads we'll always be thirsty for
January 04 2024 10:54 AM
The 15 Best LGBTQ+ Movies of 2023
December 04 2023 10:32 AM
Watch Now: The Daily
Trending stories from our video partner Advocate Channel.
For more videos and shows go to advocatechannel.com.
Trending stories from our video partner Advocate Channel.
For more videos and shows go to advocatechannel.com.
Latest Stories
9 milestones & records that prove 'Drag Race' season 16 was HERSTORIC
April 23 2024 5:08 PM
Was Joel Kim Booster ACTUALLY heckled on stage? Here's what he had to say!
April 23 2024 4:28 PM
'Drag Race' fans are SHOOK by Magnolia Crawford's new out-of-drag pics
April 23 2024 4:14 PM
Manu Ríos & André Lamoglia's reunion is sending 'Élite' fans into a pit of thirst
April 23 2024 1:40 PM
Meet the queens of 'All Stars 9' — and the charities they'll be competing for
April 23 2024 12:00 PM
Photographic proof Pearl has one of the beast beards in the game
April 23 2024 10:26 AM
How the 'Challengers' screenwriter crafted one of this year's most delicious love triangles
April 23 2024 10:24 AM
Ranking the highest-earning queens in 'RuPaul's Drag Race' herstory
April 22 2024 7:29 PM
These are all the 'Drag Race' queens who won crowns in 2024 (so far)
April 22 2024 6:30 PM