Q&A with Principal Dancer Lesley Rausch
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be? Worry less, enjoy more. You wouldn’t believe how fast a 20-year career can fly by.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be? Worry less, enjoy more. You wouldn’t believe how fast a 20-year career can fly by.
In just a few short weeks, the bright, staccato strings and the playful, blustering brass of Felix Mendelssohn’s Op. 21, the overture of George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night’s Dream, will fill McCaw Hall. Mendelssohn was just 17 when he wrote this famous overture. He went on to live a bustling life full of creating and performing music. Eduard Devrient described Mendelssohn as “always bubbling over like champagne in a small glass.” Read on to learn more about this man, who was just as vivacious as his compositions.
What is the most rewarding part of being a dancer? Getting to share my soul through my physicality is liberating, scary, and supremely fulfilling. I love working with a team to create magic moments for the audience.
What is one role that holds special significance for you? Little mortal jump was the ballet that made me fall in love with contemporary works. I feel fortunate to have been pushed outside my comfort zone and discover a whole new world of dance that has continued to bless and enriched my career.
What is the best advice that you've ever received? David Dawson told me to “Be brave!” minutes before the curtain came up on Empire Noir. I tell myself this often before performing, AND it’s also pretty applicable in my non-dancing life as well. The simplicity of an affirmation, am I right?
How has your approach to the career changed over time? My career at PNB and the pandemic has taught me to take myself less seriously and whole-heartedly embrace my successes and struggles equally.
Pacific Northwest Ballet Artistic Director Peter Boal has announced the line-up for PNB’s 51st anniversary, running from September 2023 through June 2024. Highlights include the return of Kent Stowell’s iconic Swan Lake, the comedic Coppélia, and Crystal Pite’s stunning The Seasons’ Canon. Also in the line-up are previous PNB crowd-pleasers […]
Ever wonder about the timeline for creating a new ballet? Famously Jerome Robbins took two years to choreograph Dances at a Gathering. George Balanchine believed in one minute of choreography for every hour in the studio, cranking brilliant works […]
The most rewarding part of being a dancer for me is to see the joy from the audience after shows. I want people to see that it’s a beautiful place to get away and to be part of an adventure.
PNB Principal dancer Cecilia Iliesiu is the Director of the organization Global Ballet Teachers, and recently travelled to Accra, Ghana. While there, Cecilia lead a Four-Day Teacher Workshop to inspire more connection between dance teachers around the world.