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All Seasons

Season 1

  • S01E01 Intro

    • April 11, 2013

    Welcome to the New York City Ballet. Ballet Master in Chief, Peter Martins, and NYCB’s company members discuss what it takes to climb through the company ranks.

  • S01E02 Apprentices

    Every NYC Ballet dancer must pass through the ranks to reach the top. Silas and Claire are two apprentices standing at the gateway to a potential career with the NYC Ballet.

  • S01E03 Corps De Ballet

    If and when you are offered a corps de ballet contract, “the hard work begins.” Corps members do the most dancing, and get the least amount of time off.

  • S01E04 Soloists

    Some dancers feel that the soloist rank is the hardest level of their career. Waiting for the seniority to claim certain roles means much less dancing than previous ranks and that can chip away at focus and confidence.

  • S01E05 Principals

    Principal dancer is the most highly coveted rank in the New York City Ballet. How much of the work is physical and how much is mental?

  • S01E06 Relationships

    Romance within the company is inevitable given how much of their lives they spend within the company walls.

  • S01E07 Sacrifice

    When dancers choose to dedicate their lives to a career in the ballet, they also choose a life full of sacrifice. When you spend thirteen hours a day rehearsing, you can kiss a normal social life goodbye.

  • S01E08 Male Dancers

    Considering that they jump higher than NBA players and lift women over their head on a regular basis, the male dancer consistently delivers performances that rival any profession athlete. But try explaining to your playground buddies that you're a ballet dancer. It ain't easy being a male dancer.

  • S01E09 Partnering

    When a female and male dancer are partnered, the sum is often greater than the parts. It's a match-up that relies on a connection beyond simple technique, and sometimes a good pairing is hard to find.

  • S01E10 Swan Lake

    The lead role of Odette/Odile in classic ballet Swan Lake is such a demanding role that it requires three different dancers to share it. In this episode, we learn how different each of the women playing the role really is, and how they each approached it.

  • S01E11 Injuries

    Just weeks after landing a spot on the Corps, a young dancer is sidelined with a career threatening injury. It's devastating, but a common occurrence when dancers push their bodies to the limit everyday.

  • S01E12 Finale

    When the curtain goes down, NYC Ballet dancers return to the outside world and head home. In this finale episode of city.ballet., the cast give us a glimpse of what their lives are like outside the ballet.

Season 2

  • S02E01 Corps Stories

    Welcome back to the New York City Ballet. It’s sink or swim for the Corps De Ballet, and the company’s supporting cast of performers, as they struggle for recognition to rise through the ranks.

  • S02E02 A Choreographer's Story

    NYCB dancer Troy Schumacher steps out on his own in the role of choreographer as he prepares a new imaginative vision of work for his home company.

  • S02E03 Peter Martins

    Peter Martins talks about his extraordinary 30 year journey from principal dancer to NYCB Master in Chief. This season the NYCB leader returns to his beloved role of choreographer, adding his distinct identity to a ballet classic.

  • S02E04 New Beginnings - Sara Mearns

    After a potentially career-ending injury, principal dancer Sara Mearns returns to the NYCB while balancing new challenges both on and off the stage.

  • S02E05 Ballet Masters

    A close look at the honored careers of Ballet Masters as they continue the legacy of the New York City Ballet by passing their teachings on to the next generation of dancers.

  • S02E06 New Steps - Ratmansky

    Company members discuss working with Alexei Ratmansky, one of the most prolific and sought-after choreographers in the world, as he creates his fourth ballet for NYCB.

  • S02E07 Where We Come From - Ashley

    Ashley Bouder reflects on her transition from small town ballerina to the highest rank of principal dancer at the NYCB.

  • S02E08 Staying In The Game - Chase Finlay

    After a serious injury and hiatus, Chase Finlay talks about his determination and perseverance to return to the NYCB. Chase reveals how his family's strong support and his impressive inroads helped him rise up and become the youngest principal dancer in the company.

  • S02E09 Company Romance - Lauren Lovette

    Soloist Lauren Lovette discusses her relationship with fellow company dancer Chase, including their romance both onstage and off.

  • S02E10 Inspiration

    Every dancer has a personal inspiration. NYCB dancers discuss how they enjoy their time off from the daily pressures by exploring their individual passions.

  • S02E11 Veterans

    Veteran dancers face new challenges as they enter the final stages of their career.

  • S02E12 The Performance

    In the final episode of city.ballet, the countdown begins for performance night. Backstage, dancers reveal their innermost fears, excitement and thrills seconds before the curtain opens.