August 27, 2025 • 59 mins
When the Oscar-winning film Black Swan hit theaters, audiences were captivated by its haunting portrayal of the ballet world. In this episode, former professional dancer Lauren Fadeley-Veyette shares her experience being cast in the movie and takes us inside the rehearsal studio and film set. She reflects on working alongside Hollywood stars, the unique challenges of filming ballet on camera, and why she thinks the movie still resonates years later.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Hey everyone, welcome back to Belly Help Desk.
We have a really special guest today.
With the re-release of Black Swan, which I'm sure you guys have all seen, we decided totalk to somebody who was actually in the movie.
So welcome Lauren Viette.
uh I think everybody feels like they know you just because Fran talks about you so often.
(00:27):
But for those of...
But for folks out there who may not have heard about you through Fran singing yourpraises, can you just give us a little bit of background on your story?
Sure.
um Yes, I am Lauren Fathy Bayette.
I will try to keep the summary brief.
uh I'm originally from Orlando, Florida.
(00:48):
I went to train at SAB when I was 15 years old.
uh I was invited to become an apprentice with New York City Ballet when I was 16, which Iwas not really ready for, but I did anyway.
And uh I was an apprentice for a year, then I got
contract a year after that.
(01:10):
Ended up breaking my foot.
Wasn't so sure this was really the right path for me.
So after a year in the Corps, I decided to leave New York City.
I kind of thought I was done dancing forever, but with my parents' guidance,
I decided I'd go to college, so I ended up at Indiana University because Violette Verdewas there.
(01:35):
I thought I would still dance a little bit just to keep it going.
If I did want to dance professionally again, my thought was I wanted to be a physicaltherapist.
Four years later, I decided, well, you can't dance forever.
So, you know, that's why I've gone to college, but you can't dance forever.
So if you're going to, I was like, I got to do it now.
(01:56):
Ended up at Pennsylvania Ballet.
uh where I met Frances.
Actually, we met when we were younger.
That's a whole different story.
But we officially met, you know, as adults when I joined Pennsylvania Ballet.
uh I was there for nine seasons, uh through the Corps up to principal.
(02:17):
Then um with director changing and it wasn't um as much Balanchine as I had wanted,decided to audition for Miami City Ballet.
We went down there.
danced there for five years, had a child during the pandemic, decided, actually, well, Iwas kind of offered a position at Kansas City Ballet as the principal of their school and
(02:39):
was like, okay, cool, let's do it.
And so I retired two weeks before the season started and went to Kansas City Ballet, was adaytime principal there for three and a half years.
And now just moved here to Indianapolis Ballet in January where I'm the head of theschool.
So that is it in a nutshell.
Obviously I've
had to say that story many times, so I got it down, got it down packed.
(03:02):
But uh yes, that's my background.
And if people want to learn a little bit more about you, this is how I originally learnedabout you, is you have your own podcast about your transition from Pennsylvania to um
Miami.
And I listened to the whole thing.
Oh, that's right.
That might be scary to listen to now.
(03:25):
Yes, oh my gosh, yes, was a long time ago.
But yeah, I did.
Yeah, through somebody, they wanted me to do this.
I kind of, yeah, recorded that transition.
I went from being a principal dancer in Pennsylvania Ballet to at 30 years old, to movingdown to Miami and taking a soloist position.
(03:48):
starting over.
um But it was really, you know, one of the best things I ever ever did for my career and,you moving forward.
So, but yes, I do.
I do.
I forgot about that.
Thanks for bringing that up.
uh See if I can delete that.
Well, and don't also don't forget about um what you and Fran also have your business withthat virtual ballet school.
(04:11):
Can you talk about that a little bit?
Yes, well, and that's how we first met you all.
Yes, our virtual school that we started two years before the pandemic actually began.
So that's how we were really set up for all of this when it happened.
But yes, we started that when we were in Miami and I actually came about from someone whohappened to come see me at a performance at Miami City Ballet.
(04:36):
then they reached out to me via Twitter.
That's kind of how it all began.
uh So yeah, we had started that then and we're continuing to do it now.
I just had a lesson right before this.
So uh yeah, that's how we work with dancers one-on-one or through smaller group classes,uh just helping them fine tune things with their training that they feel they might not be
(05:01):
getting in their regular everyday classes at their studios.
So on top of that, you were in Black Swan.
How did you, like, how did that all happen?
Well, it actually, it was something that kind of was just like put on the plate ofPennsylvania Ballet, which is now Philadelphia Ballet, but I'll be referring to it as
(05:32):
Pennsylvania Ballet, because that's what it was at the time.
It all kind of started, that's why I was looking at the dates, because I was like, how isthis really 15 years ago?
So it was 2010.
But it actually started in 2009 was when we first started filming.
And this was in December of 2009.
(05:56):
We had heard that they were gonna be doing this, a ballet movie, you know?
And the whole thing was they were looking to cast an actual corps de ballet to be a partof the movie.
And they wanted it to look, you know, legitimate.
And so they were...
hoping to have dancers that had worked together as a corps de ballet.
(06:18):
So as opposed to just doing like an open call and just getting a bunch of differentdancers, they were like, how can we have, you know, a real corps de ballet from a company?
So of course it was being filmed in New York and Benjamin Millipier, who was a principaldancer at New York City Ballet at the time, was the choreographer.
so automatically they would want the New York City Ballet corps.
(06:41):
But because it was being filmed, uh
We started in December and it was, uh we went through most of January.
New York City Ballet was doing lots of Nutcracker and they at that time went right intothe winter season.
So like, I had been in New York City Ballet and they were still in that schedule.
(07:01):
It was like, you performed Nutcracker until like January 5th and then maybe you had twodays off and then you started right into winter season.
So there really wasn't like any of this time for that.
Whereas in Pennsylvania Ballet, we would go until Christmas, or sorry, New Year's Eve, andthen we would usually have like a week or two of a layoff before we would start rehearsals
(07:26):
for our next program, which would usually be in February.
So they couldn't use New York City Ballet, so they were like, well, Pennsylvania is notthat far away.
And so they kind of were like, let's see if we can...
get some Pennsylvania Ballet.
uh So it just so happened that that December we were performing at the Kennedy Center.
(07:51):
We were doing our Balanchine's Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center.
they brought, I mean all of this was kind of worked out behind the scenes.
We didn't know any of this.
We had like heard rumblings, but you know, so we were all just taking a warm-up class atthe Kennedy Center for our performance and all of a sudden all these like movie producers,
(08:11):
I guess.
they came and watched class and after that we were sent an email and was like, hey, if youwould like to be in this movie, um this is what's happening.
And that's kind of how it was.
So we really didn't have to go through anything.
It was just like here.
So the first thing was in, and we actually did do this right after a Nuckark performance,I remember, because we would do shows, I think maybe like Wednesday through Sunday.
(08:39):
So,
one of the weeks of Nutcracker on a Sunday after two shows, we all got on a bus and welike went to, it was filmed in Rye, New York.
ah It was actually at SUNY Purchase is where we were doing most of the filming.
So the first filmings in December were not just like the quarter valley, it was a bunch ofpeople.
(09:02):
So Fran was actually involved in the first filming.
And so they like, and a lot of different guys and stuff.
ah they just.
pretty much took most of our entire company and we just all went out there and did somefilming.
um And then from there is where they picked, I think there were 14 or 16 of us that endedup being like part of the core of ballet and that's how we're listed in the actual like
(09:29):
credits at the end of the movie.
And they did end up using other dancers, uh know, some, a lot, actually a lot of formerNew York City ballet dancers that were still in the area.
that were freelancing, that were friends of Benjamin.
So it wasn't just us, but um that's kind of how it ended up working.
(09:50):
And we did, in order to commit to this, I do remember we missed one week of rehearsalperiod because we had to do this whole January thing.
So it worked out for some of it, but not for that.
And I remember we had to end up forfeiting not being there and therefore not really
(10:10):
I think there were some ballets they were rehearsing.
Like, okay, well then you're not gonna get to like really get to be in that ballet orcover that ballet.
So that was like the sacrifice.
But when we were asked to do it, we had no idea what it was gonna be.
But we knew Natalie Portman was gonna be in it and Mila Kunis and know, it DarrenAronofsky.
So that was cool.
(10:30):
We're like, well, it's gonna be something.
But it did sound like it was gonna be more of this kind of like indie kind of film.
Like it wasn't gonna be like this big, big, you know.
thing that it became.
uh So we were kind of just like taking a risk and like, well, we'll see what happens.
But that's really all we knew.
So did they select a few of you from Pennsylvania Ballet, like in the core after theywatched that class, or did they just send a blanket email to everyone and everyone who
(10:59):
wanted to participate?
It kind of like I'm trying to remember, but yeah, I think like from that when they watchedat the Kennedy Center, they picked people and then from that class they also then moved it
down.
But then we also had to like it also had to be like, OK, you're going to be missing and itand I want to say there was a couple soloists too, but it was like the principles were off
(11:22):
limits, you know, and I was in the core at the time, so it just, you know, it worked outso.
They did have some selection and Benjamin had some say in it too because it wasn't justlike how you looked, it was also your dance quality because they did want it to look a
(11:42):
certain way.
But I would say it was a lot of us core core to ballet dancers.
So how long was the rehearsal period?
mean, it sounds like it was pretty compressed and you had to learn quite a bit of SwanLake.
Didn't Benjamin actually choreograph a new Swan Lake for you to learn?
(12:04):
Well, so yeah, there wasn't like a ton of rehearsals.
was kind of like, things would happen as it would go in a way because they were like, withrehearsals, when they were filming rehearsals, they were wanting it to look like a real
rehearsal.
And since we were actual ballet dancers, it wasn't just people like pretending, we couldmake that happen.
(12:30):
um
There are a couple scenes in there that were actually choreographed.
I remember there's the fourth act scene where we're all doing the arms and the runningaround before she goes and jumps.
um So that was all actually choreographed.
We did have a rehearsal for that.
(12:51):
That's on the stage.
So we were given our specific places in line and all of that.
But I'm pretty sure that was
He choreographed it, but I think that was pretty supposed to be authentic to the actualswanling.
The thing that he did re-choreograph and was made for the movie that we did have toactually work on was this four little swans.
(13:16):
And I was picked to be one of the four little swans.
uh I'm not that short, but we were all the same height for it.
uh
He redid that whole thing and we had like these like weird arms and stuff that he wantedand it was hard, I remember.
And Olga Kreskitsky, I can't pronounce it correctly.
(13:39):
She's like, she was a teacher at SAB and she was just like a ballet legend.
She was like our rehearsal director for the movie.
She's actually seen in the movie as well.
and she was helping Natalie with all her dancing stuff.
So she would rehearse us for it.
She was there when he was choreographing this.
(14:01):
And I just remember it being so hard.
And at this point, I had an osteogonium in my foot and uh during the filming, because thehours were so tedious, it ended up uh breaking off of my foot.
And I was in a lot of pain.
it was during this four little swan stance.
(14:22):
And I just remember being like, this is so hard.
And we had to do it so many times, right?
And when you're filming, you don't know what's gonna happen.
You're just doing things and everything's out of order.
I don't know.
Personally, not like, I had no desire to be in a movie again after this.
I like going to the ballet and seeing how it all lays out.
(14:46):
So we had to rehearse this for a little while, we had to learn it, we had to rehearse it,and then we had to do it a million times.
And then you go and watch the movie, and we're just blurriness in the background.
And I was like, I broke my foot for this.
Yeah, because during, you'll hear it, you can hear the music going and you'll see in theback, but during that scene, it's pretty much like Benjamin and Natalie.
(15:13):
flirting in the wings and other things going on.
And then you see us like run off at the end.
I know I have a moment where I like stretch my shoulders.
that's like, you can't even see my face, but I'm like, oh, that's me.
But yeah, so that was like the one thing that was really rehearsed and like done over andover again.
And then it didn't even make the cut.
(15:36):
Were you expecting that?
Like, you know, I don't have any idea how movies are made, but like, I kind of have asense of how ballets get rehearsed and performed, but uh were you expecting the outcome to
be what it was?
No, mean, yeah, I had no idea.
I mean, like when you're rehearsing things, yeah, like at Far Valley, if you're the fourlittle swans, you know you're gonna be seen as a four little sun, you know?
(16:01):
The effort you're putting into the rehearsal will be seen on this stage.
oh So no, I mean, that's what was kind of wild.
like when we went to the premiere, we had a big premiere in Philly and then we had one inNew York and uh like we had no idea.
what we were gonna see and what we were gonna be in.
I knew where I was in scenes, but then you were like, oh wait, that's where I was.
(16:28):
Nope, that wasn't there.
So there was a lot of times, you would go back and watch it.
It's funny, I'll still have people send me, they'll slow it down and they'll take, thereyou are.
And I'm like, oh, that's cool.
I didn't even know I was in that part.
So, because everything is just so fast and we're all like, especially when we're incostume and stuff, it's really hard to know.
(16:51):
So yeah, it was a big surprise.
And I have to say it's a lot of work that goes into, you know, something for like just amoment.
So I mean, ballet is like that too, but I think for something that's, you know, filmed inthere forever, yeah, you don't know what it, and I can't imagine for like the...
(17:13):
you know, the actors too, don't know how much say they would have in angles of things.
You know, like as a dancer, like if you're a principal, you get to approve photos.
You know, if you're like, oh no, I don't like that one.
Like don't, you can't use that.
Cause that's like out there forever.
But like as an actor, like, do you get to say, oh, I don't, you know, I don't like thatangle when I'm doing that line.
(17:34):
I don't think so.
So it's, guess it's a lot of distrust in what it's going to be.
I I wonder if they will release like a longer version of all of the dancing that they kindof cut because that would actually be really cool to see, right?
(17:55):
Like.
to see the four little swans dance that broke my foot.
I think that would be really neat.
So can you like, can you share a little bit of like the process?
Like did you train with the actors?
Did the actors ask you for like ballet advice?
Like did you guys all have separate schedules?
What was that kind of like?
(18:16):
Because you said it was a really tedious long day.
So what does that kind of look
Well, yeah, the schedule was weird and I might say this incorrectly.
sorry if this is not correct anymore with all the SAG-AFTRA rules, but it was one of thosewhere it's like you can work 12 hours on and then you have to have 12 hours off.
(18:46):
it would be like Monday, we would start at say like six in the morning.
And then, I don't know, but it would just work its way where you would start super earlyand then you'd go to a time and then the next day would be a little bit later to then like
say by Friday, we wouldn't start until four in the afternoon.
(19:08):
So it wasn't 12, it wasn't 12, it was just something weird like that.
Like maybe it was 12 and then 10, I don't know.
So it was a lot of really long days and then not knowing when you were going to be needed.
So like as a ballet dancer, especially in an Agma company, you're given your schedule, youknow.
(19:30):
Like you know when you have rehearsal that whatever happens, however many times you haveto do it, you're gonna be done at this time, you know?
We never knew that because so much of it would depend on what other things were happening.
yeah, so that was really hard.
So we were a lot of times just waiting.
(19:52):
um And when there were days, like say, like when we were maybe just gonna kind of berehearsing things, we would have class with Olga and Natalie would take class with us.
And she had worked privately a lot with like Kurt Froen and...
one of them, I think it was Kurt and Olga.
And so she was very like, she was so focused.
(20:15):
She was like in the character all the time.
No one really spoke to her because she was, you know, she was doing her thing.
That was her character.
But yeah, she would, like if we had a warmup class as well for like, we knew we were gonnabe filming the scene.
ah Cause there were a lot of scenes too before we had to do all the.
costumes where it was just like rehearsal parts of it where we would like wear our Like webring our own lead target to do a like color palette Everything had to be either black
(20:46):
White gray or light pink and we would like bring our things and they would approve what wecould wear each day That was a whole process But yeah, she would take class with us, but
she was like very serious about it.
um But then you know um
There were scenes where we were in with them.
You would be, like, I remember being at a hallway with Mila Kunis for several hoursbecause they're just having to keep filming in different angles and stuff.
(21:16):
And she'd have her people come over and bring her Starbucks and stuff.
And you would talk to her and she was really cool.
And she was just like, I don't know how you guys do this.
This is insane.
She's like, they won't let me eat anything.
Like I just remember that she was like, they would only give her like tuna fish orsomething.
Like she was like, this is horrible.
(21:37):
I hate this.
Because that was the thing too.
was like, we were all coming off of Nutcracker.
Like we were dancing so much and like the crafts, we were all at craft services together,which that was great.
That was like buffet all the time.
as know, dancers, free food, you're just like, is great.
what is Craft Services?
I'm sorry, what is that?
(21:57):
it's like the food they provide for everybody on set.
So it was just like, yeah, and they would have the food trucks and everything.
So it was just like free buffet all the time.
yeah, anyone, like dancers and free food, it's like, absolutely.
yeah, totally, totally.
(22:18):
Yes, yes.
And because we were living in a hotel at this point too, because they weren't bringing usback and forth.
So we were like in a hotel for three weeks too.
So like we would be around with them.
um But yeah, so that part of it, she never took class with us.
um She, think, I'm sure they were doing their own things.
(22:41):
have their trailers and all of that.
uh you know, we, when we were in the common areas, you know, they would be around with us.
But I would say Natalie was very focused and in her character, whereas
She was just really cool.
She was really funny.
Did you guys deal, like, did you deal a lot with the other actors?
(23:01):
Like, it just is interesting because you guys are all performers, right?
But very different, uh different types of performers.
But I'm curious, like, how much did you guys hang out with the rest of the actors?
Um, I guess like not too much because a lot of times, like I said, we, we, we would alwayssay it's like hurry up and wait because they were filming, you know, a lot of their actual
(23:26):
acting scenes.
mean, when we were doing this part in January, this was obviously the whole part was meantto be filming these scenes for the rehearsals in the theater.
They had, they had already filmed those stuff like in the apartment and in Lincoln center.
you know, prior to us getting there.
(23:46):
Like we never saw Winona Ryder, you know, like we didn't see any of that kind of stuff.
ah We were only doing anything that was filmed in the studio or the theater.
ah So yeah, we didn't see them that much, because I think they had, you know, they hadtrailers and stuff.
We were just, we were in like this, just big, like open area, just waiting, just waitingto be called to dance.
(24:11):
And so that was really hard too, because
we, if we had to actually dance, we needed to be warm.
So we would come in and we would warm up because we wouldn't know if we'd be ready.
But then sometimes we'd just be, then waiting for hours.
So you never really, you never really know.
So how did you stay warm?
(24:32):
Were you constantly just like doing bar or like that must have like gotten reallytiresome, honestly.
I, yeah, I personally was not a fan.
Just because I like a schedule.
I like to know like what's happening.
And then when we got to the costumes, we would have to come in right away and get like,we'd have call time for our hair and makeup and they would do that every day.
(24:59):
And like they would do our hair and their makeup and like they made us the hair had to belike straight back, low bun.
you know, like, and, and, they did like, uh like, we hated how they did our buns, we'relike, this is not how a real dancer would do a bun, you know, but we couldn't touch it.
And then they would do all this makeup.
And we had to have like weird, like, I sent you all the pictures, like of our fingers,like they would put this black stuff on our fingers, because that was part of the costume
(25:26):
that they wanted.
And so then we couldn't eat because then we'd have these stuff on our hands.
And, and then
your faces in the photos you sent were super white.
Like, that intentional?
Yeah, it was like half white up here, like the forehead and then the bottom wasn't.
But then they also put this like silver streaks and stuff.
(25:48):
Yeah, I don't know.
It was all part of their their their plan.
So yeah, so we would have to go in there and do that.
And then so then not only are you waiting, but then you have all this on you.
And then they'd have to do the touch ups and the costumes we wore, I believe are actuallyABTs.
Swan Lake costumes or at least they're like old costumes, I'm sure after that.
(26:13):
that too, then we'd be like done up in tutus and we're just like so uncomfortable andwaiting around.
uh But I will say that we did start to educate them quickly on to what was actually beingfilmed in each scene because
(26:35):
like that act four, I just remember doing all those borrées with the arms up and down andwe're like, hey, and that was one of the times where it was late.
that was like two in the morning and we were like, hey, if you're not actually gonna befilming our feet right now, can we not go up on point?
You know, because they didn't know, but we were like, this is really hard and it hurts,you know?
(26:59):
So like, if you're not even focusing on us, like we can do our arms, so.
Like it took us a little while to kind of get, like understand what they were doing andfor them to understand what we were doing.
But we finally kind of got to that point because we were just like, you know, it was, itwas grueling and then trying to keep everything in the continuity.
(27:23):
So um like they would, they would be like, you know, if we were, we were doing somethingand say we would have gotten sweaty.
but then you have to go back and do it again.
So then they'd have to get like a spray bottle of water and they'd be like spraying us sothat it would look like we were sweaty picking it up from another place.
(27:44):
But it was good because they did want everything to be realistic and that's what I doappreciate that.
That's why they wanted real dancers that work together.
And you know, we would be, say we'd be doing a bar in like they'd be recording it or then.
or then we'd be in a rehearsal and they'd be like, well, would you still be wearing yourwarmups at this point?
Or would you be warm?
(28:04):
Like, what would you actually be wearing?
You know, like it wasn't, you know, models doing ballet.
they wanted it to be like, what would you actually do?
So they were consulting us and obviously the real experts to do that.
But yeah, we did have to a couple of times be like, hey, we need a moment.
(28:26):
And I'm sure you kept saying like, okay, ballet dancers look homeless.
lots of lots of holes, lots of things that just kind of hang, you wear all leg warmeraround your thigh and that's it.
But that's what was funny.
Like when we first came, like that first day that we did the filming, like I said, myfriend Sarah and it's in the movie.
(28:48):
It's like the very first day when Vincent Cassel is doing this whole speech and it islike, it's visceral and real.
and we did that fondue combination.
I can't even tell you how many times.
And like I said, that was like in the middle of a nutcracker run and we were just dying.
And I remember Mila Kunis was near us for that one.
And she was like, you guys, this is what you do all day?
(29:11):
And we were like, no, not, we would never do this.
Like, this is crazy.
ah But that day, that was one of the first times that they were like, okay, you need tobring black, white.
of everything you own and then we'll tell you what to wear.
Were you like, wait a minute, this is like, we wear whatever's clean and on top of thepile.
(29:34):
Yeah, totally.
But also I was like, why are we providing our own costumes?
Like, and we did.
realized that leotards are expensive.
I'm sure they were like...
yeah, that's I was like, wait, is this a real movie?
Like, and we did that.
We did that for like the first week.
We, we all, and we all just would switch, like we'd all bring stuff.
(29:56):
Like once it became like that group and then caught the wardrobe people would just belike, okay, you were this one, you were this one, you were this one.
And that's how it ended up.
And now they would dress obviously all the actors.
And fun fact, if you, if like when you're watching it, um, Natalie's almost always wearingsomething.
long sleeves, because she actually has shorter arms, which is not like really conducive tolike about like a swan.
(30:22):
So they always kind of had to put they always had her in like a shrug or like longsleeves, they were like trying to elongate her arms.
And then also because uh Sarah Lane was her, her double for all the dancing too.
So they were like trying to make it match a little bit.
Can you talk a little bit about like the whole dance double thing?
Because, you know, over the years, like you see stuff where the dancers are like, yeah, Igot no credit for that.
(30:47):
Yeah, yeah, see that's a shame because like I said, my name is listed in the credits andlike that's cool and I'm getting residuals and like Sarah Lane had to do like what days to
the left and you know, her name's not on there, that's not right.
um I don't think, I think that was the whole controversy.
(31:08):
I think she said it wasn't.
So I think that that was, I'm not, don't quote me on that.
Everyone watch it so that I can get a.
penny of residuals.
And then you can see if her name's on there or not.
But I think that was the whole thing.
think when she came out later, was like it was that she didn't get any credit for it.
ah And again, I don't know which one is correct.
(31:33):
It was one or the other, but the Fuete's had to go to the left in the movie.
She's going to the left.
and this is, don't know.
I don't know if it was that.
Sarah Lane was a lefty and so therefore they made Natalie have to pretend spot to the leftor if it was that Natalie could only like, you know, attempt to do the fuetes to the left
(31:59):
and therefore Sarah had to do them to the left.
It was one or the other, but it was not, that day was not nice.
It was really uncomfortable because whoever it was, like they were not getting along.
with it because one or the, can't remember who it was.
(32:19):
Well, I have to find out.
So maybe someone can answer.
Is Sarah Lane lefty or is she a righty and most had to go left because that's what Nataliewas doing.
You know, that's what I think that's what it was is that Natalie was in, you know, markingit for the, to redo it.
(32:41):
That's what I think happened.
But with that and in that part,
we're all in the wings and we're all like, we're all like watching like in the scene.
So that's how it was when we were filming it.
And so like Natalie would be there in the costume and pretending and then like Sarah wouldcome on in like her unitard with like the green, you know, things to like do it.
(33:07):
But it was, she was struggling doing the flutes.
I just, I remember that.
And so it was, it was very tense um that day.
I would imagine, I mean, if you have to do like bourrées and arms, you know, 50 times, Ican't imagine having to repeat shooting, doing that many foites because, you know, it's,
(33:27):
it's always a miracle when people land it regardless, you know, no shade, everyone iswonderful, but like that's, it's so hard.
So.
was, I, yeah, my memory, you know, I'm a mom now.
I don't remember things so well, but I just remember it was something weird with the Fatesde la Leste and it was really awkward.
And we were all in the wings, like, cause that was the point is like, we were supposed tobe, cause that's when her, like, you know, she imagined such that she grows actual wings.
(33:55):
So like, we're supposed to be there, like what's happening?
But we were, it's, we were not acting.
were like.
So yeah, that was an awkward day.
and Sarah Lane must've been like, how did she even stay vertical?
Like she must've been dead tired after all this.
No, and that's what I said, like having to do things so often like that, that was reallyhard.
(34:20):
I really don't know how I get lots of respect for people in the movies, you know, and likehow many times are you gonna do it before it's perfect, you know, in the black spawn
terms.
I was perfect.
Because in the ballet, you know, like when you're on stage, that's it.
You have it once.
(34:40):
And it's left out there.
Like, yeah, maybe you're recording it and it's that, but it's not, the audience is therein that moment.
It's live theater and then it goes away.
Whereas like stuff like this, I can imagine it's really hard to like be like, okay, thatwas good enough.
And now we're gonna move on.
(35:03):
And that's gonna be in the movies that people are gonna watch for the rest of their lives.
I wouldn't be able to do it.
do you think Black Swan has had this kind of staying power?
You know, and especially because I think people were confused that it was a ballet movierather than a psychological thriller set in a ballet company, right?
(35:25):
And I don't know.
I mean, it still just has like cult-like status.
Why do you think that it is connected with people in such a real way?
Yeah, mean, I think too, yeah, because I had no idea what it was going to be, honestly,until I saw the movie too.
um
kind of like a summary, like this is what the movie's about and this is how you guys allfit in or was it more like show up and dance?
(35:50):
Yeah, not really.
I mean, we knew that there was supposed to be weird things that were going to happen withit.
And I mean, we knew when she jumped at the end, because we were all part of that aroundher, it was like maybe she was dying or not.
But still, no one really knows what actually was happening.
(36:14):
And we knew when Nona Ryder was supposed to be in it, but we never saw.
We weren't a part of that.
you know, so we didn't know much.
But I think it's because it's so odd and there's so much that is left to the imaginationto decide.
You know, it's not like you're like, yeah, did that actually happen?
(36:37):
Was she imagining that?
Like what is real and what isn't?
And I think that's like, I think as like a
It's listed in the top 100 films that were ever made or something, I think, because it isso artistic in that sense.
think, like I said, the color palette, if you go and watch it, everything is in those, ithas that scheme.
(37:01):
It was filmed in that building because it's all cinder block and stuff.
It is very cinematic in that way.
I think it is very thought provoking.
um
maybe the reason like, know, dancers, you know, like it because it is, it does show likehow much you can put into your craft, like how passionate you can be.
(37:27):
uh I don't think we're that crazy, you know?
But I think it does have, it has somewhat of that like, you know, this is, we put ourlives into this, our sweat and blood go into what we do and sometimes it can feel all
consuming.
you know, especially if you're preparing for a character, you know, in a role like that,like it can feel like that becomes you.
(37:54):
So I think that that's probably why.
And I will say because it has such beautiful, you know, real dancing in it.
It's not just, you know, pretend dancing.
You have actual ballet dancers in there.
So I think that that's uh something to do with it as well.
Can I ask you something about um the character that Natalie Portman played?
(38:16):
Because you hear in ballet a lot, dancers who are going to do a principal part, right?
They have to get into the character.
They have to make that character their own.
I mean, I know that sounds super cliched.
But there's an element of getting into character versus what you said Natalie was doing.
But ballet dancers don't go into character and stay like that for a week because they'reprepping for.
(38:40):
Yeah.
whatever.
But was that interesting, like watching her process versus knowing how dancers have to doit when they go out on stage and boom, all of a sudden you're a character?
Yeah.
for the film.
Yeah, yeah.
um No, I mean, I think maybe for that because it is so much of like the day, you know,like you are like, you're doing that all day and then you're just sleeping and then you're
(39:12):
going right back into it.
And I feel like, um I don't know, I could see how that would.
would work, you know?
I mean, I wasn't like that as a dancer, but I remember when I was Giselle, walking to thetheater pretending I was Giselle.
know?
I would be like, ooh, like getting into the role.
(39:34):
um And I'm saying Natalie was in character.
I don't know how much of that was maybe, you know, maybe that was part of her, that's justhow she works.
I don't know, but I just know she was focused.
So, yeah.
I'm not entirely sure, but uh I do think there is something to be said for that.
(39:56):
And I will say, interestingly enough, this, we filmed all of this in like, that was uhJanuary of 2010.
And then the movie came out around August of 2010.
And uh because I had broken my foot, my atragonum had disconnected from my foot duringthis filming.
(40:18):
And so I went all the way through the season with that.
And I want to say like in April or something, I was doing square dance core and the at theend and the osteogonium shattered at this point because I'd been working, I'd been dancing
on it so badly since the movie.
So then I had to get surgery on it.
(40:39):
And so I was injured all summer I was out, I rehabbed, came back in August, the movie cameout, I was coming back.
took me a long time to really feel back into it.
But then in January of the next year, Swan Lake was coming.
And Pennsylvania Valley did Christopher Wilden's Swan Lake.
(41:00):
And I was still in the Corps.
And Fran and I had got, we were engaged at that point.
But yeah, I was in the Corps and I had never done Chris Wilden's Swan Lake or anything.
But at this point, all the principals, one of them was pregnant, one of them was,
like really injured.
(41:20):
And it was a full Black Swan moment where they called me into the office and they werelike, we're gonna put you as Odette.
Like before the rehearsal schedule came up and I was like, okay.
Like I recall like my mom, was like, I'm gonna be the Swan Queen.
Like it was like, it was just bizarre because I was like, this is Black Swan.
(41:44):
Like now I'm like one.
And, um, cause I was in the court and I ended up doing the opening night like of like,dead, Oh, deal.
And, um, but what was it, you know, and then I ended up getting promoted soloist and thenprint, know, like it was a life changing like moment, like for all of that, but it was
(42:06):
just funny because of black Swan having come out in August.
we like sold out.
mean, they had to open up like the very top like bleacher seats and they people werecalling and saying, when is Natalie Portman going to purple?
Like, because people were like, they thought like, oh, black, like, this is, this is themovie.
(42:31):
Like, this is like the movie.
And so I hate that, like, you know, people thought that it was like black swamp, but itreally did help bring a lot of more
like popularity to the ballet and to Swan Lake.
So I have to say like, thank you to the movie for that.
And then also, I don't know if it was a publicity stunt or what, but like, hey, I got tolive out the Natalie Portman from the core to the principal.
(43:01):
you know, so yeah, that just kind of felt like a full circle like moment.
That is a very full circle moment.
mean, and I don't know, that must've just felt so surreal just to feel like, my gosh, thisis like my real life.
This is crazy.
I mean, but to be fair, you did not have a total psychological break and no one in thecore was putting glass in your shoes.
(43:27):
but we did joke about it quite often.
There were so many times where we were joking.
I remember at um one point something happened and I started bleeding and it was like, it'shappening.
uh
Did you pick up your shoes and shake it every time like, hey, I'm just checking.
Yeah.
(43:48):
But then like, you know, like the press picked up on it and they're like, oh, it's likethe books, it's real black swan.
And, know, so maybe it was a marketing ploy, but it worked, you know, and I got to do SwanLake and it got me promoted.
And so thank you, black swan.
There it is.
yeah, I don't think anything you got to dance was for a publicity.
(44:09):
I mean, you're a generational talent.
So I really think that it's true.
I um think everyone was just recognizing the writing on the wall that you were ready for.
I will say that because I broke my foot filming Black Swan and I had to get surgery, Ifinally like I rehabbed and came back very strongly and I was finally able to use the full
(44:37):
range of my left foot, which is what I really do attribute to getting promoted because Ihad had that huge ostragonum in the back of my foot for so long.
So I do think that that helped.
But see, Black Swan helped me, you know.
so many ways, but let's put in.
forms at four in the morning will make that happen.
I don't know, mental toughness.
(44:58):
That's what they talk about in ballet, right?
Just in toughness, you can endure.
mean, but let's do a small little plug for, please get your osteogonium taken care of andjust do that because just like Abby, mean, you know, Abby's story is very sad and filled
with like, my gosh, the timing was not fantastic, but it all worked out.
(45:18):
And actually I feel like she never would have gone to Pittsburgh if she had had surgerybecause
other things were in the pipeline.
And I think that Pittsburgh has been such a lovely place for her.
And it was, you know, I mean, so, you know, he plugs to everybody, people that email meall the time.
(45:40):
Should I get my Oscar going?
I'm taking care of, yes.
And you heard it here, Lauren.
I say I got promoted.
I got promoted because I got my Oshagon amount.
Yep.
And it broke because of Black Swan.
So there we go.
Were there any my god moments when you were there in the, well, filming this going like,how is this people's jobs and their lives?
(46:04):
Were there some things that you were witnessing that you were just like, how is this real?
Yeah, mean, I guess just like, yeah, some of the process, like with the extras, likepeople would just show up for the day and then they would just cast, like they'd just be
like, okay, like they just look at the room and they'd be like, okay, you and you and thenlike, okay, the rest of you can go home.
(46:25):
And I was just like, people just do this every day.
They just like look to see if there's a movie being filmed and you just like hope and thenyou're there all day and maybe.
It's almost like jury duty.
It's like, okay, well, then maybe you're going to be there now for a week or a month, ormaybe you are not.
And this wasn't even for dancing parts.
I don't even know.
(46:46):
They would be audience members or a donor or something.
That was bizarre to me.
Yeah, I didn't really understand all of that.
uh
And then I was trying to think what else there was a funny moment where, cause we wouldsee like we would get a, there would be a schedule, a rough draft.
(47:13):
So like we would know when our call time was like, and obviously there were only a certainnumber of like hair and makeup people.
So they would try to stagger us as to like when we would come to do all of that.
And it would take like an hour, no joke, just to do one person.
So then you, like if we were gonna film something, you know, like a whole core, we wouldhave to wait for every single person to have all of that done.
(47:38):
Would have been a good time to be in like virtual schooling, you know?
Then you could really get like a lot of work done.
But I don't even know if I had a smartphone.
I don't even know what I did.
gosh, I hope you had like a stool that at least you could like sit on or you just or didyou just do that ballet thing where you just like stand along the wall and wait for your
turn?
yeah, I have no idea what we were doing.
(48:00):
um But one of the things that like they put on there, it said bloody point shoes.
Like that's what the scene was called.
And we were like, what is this gonna be?
Bloody point shoes.
And it was, um was the part in the fourth act when we're all in costume.
And I think it's like when we're like running off, like we're running, but we were likerunning around her and then off before she's gonna run and go and jump.
(48:28):
And they wanted it to be like she was already bleeding or something, like something wasbleeding and it was like dripping down and they were gonna like film it where there was
like blood dripping down onto her pointe shoes.
And to film this, they thought that they were just gonna get like, I don't know, like aketchup bottle of fake blood and they were just gonna like.
(48:48):
start squeezing it while we're running around.
And I was like, I really don't want fake blood.
We're providing our own tights and pointe shoes, by the way.
Yeah, they're not giving us pointe shoes or tights.
We were bringing that ourselves.
mean, the comp...
were, you were paying basically to be in this movie.
(49:11):
is giving us our pointe shoes so I'm sure they worked out some kind of deal behind thescenes where the movie, because it's like 20th Century Fox was the movie, now it's sold to
Disney or something, I don't know who I get the residuals from, but they like, em I'm surethey paid them for stuff.
(49:32):
But yeah, was like, don't, I wanna wear these again, I don't want like.
fake blood on them.
yeah, and then I was like, how are we supposed to go back and redo the continuity?
So then they're trying to get it out.
So then we're running and all of us were just trying to jump over.
It was really not a good scene and I think it ended up getting cut.
(49:56):
I mean, I think they ended up just putting it already on her with us running around.
But that was just a messy, were like bloody pointe shoes, really.
That was just funny.
is so funny.
mean, I always think it's amazing when you look at the credits of how many people actuallywork on these productions.
(50:17):
Was it shocking to you to see how many people are actually there?
yeah, so many, yeah like the April Beard, you know, and like all the cameras, so many, andthat too, that was like, that's where I would get annoyed, because they'd be like, okay,
well we're gonna do it all, and we're all filming it this way.
And now we're doing it all again, and it's all being filmed this way, and now we're doingit again, it's all being filmed this way, and I was like, no.
(50:38):
Oh.
So are you saying the scene would be shot?
I mean, I don't know anything about filmmaking, but you'd shoot the same scene three orfour times with three or four different camera angles versus all the cameras shooting at
the same time.
Yeah, because they'd want to have the close-up one.
Because then they would be seen.
So they would do so many with Natalie.
(50:59):
And that too.
don't know how they're doing all these serious scenes.
And literally, the camera's right next to your head.
So yeah, I don't know how any of them do it.
I walked away from that whole thing really being like, I never want to be in a movieagain.
(51:19):
I have so much respect for what they do because I would not have the patience for this.
I would not be able to, you know, get, be able to get in character like that.
And in all honesty, I was like, we didn't get paid uh any more than we got oh our normalsalary as a dancer.
(51:44):
Yeah.
So they, yes.
So I will tell you that, when we only, like when we did the extra, some of the extrathings we got paid, but um for like whatever the quarter ballet thing was, it was not more
than our normal salary.
Again, I don't know if it was worked out where it was like, hey, this is just your extraweeks of work, so we're gonna get paid that and they paid the company extra, I don't know.
(52:12):
But I was, for me, I was like, this is not worth it, I broke my.
I'm exhausted, you know, like, and I didn't get paid like anything extra.
This is wild.
But we were also like we were cast members.
So we were not extras.
Extras got paid by the day.
We were cast members and then so we could work whatever hours in the day.
(52:34):
uh We were non speaking roles.
One of our principal dancers, actually his name is Sergio Tirado.
He was in San Francisco, LA before he came.
Pennsylvania, he was the von Rothbard and he had one speaking line.
He said, are you okay?
And so that, but that immediately put him into like the speaking thing.
(52:57):
So I think he got bumped up way more than that.
So there's definitely levels, but I will tell you that then when we started getting theresiduals and I'm still getting residuals for what I did 15 years ago, you know, I mean, I
still get like a couple hundred bucks.
every year for just doing that.
(53:19):
I'm like, wow, that's cool because I never know when it's going to come.
I just get in the mail like, cool, I got a hundred bucks.
That's great.
If I'm getting that 15 years later, what are they getting?
I will say when Natalie Portman won the Academy Award, we all got a really nice check inthe mail.
(53:41):
I think that's
probably where a lot of the, you know, the actors are gonna get paid well for their work,but then when you're the residuals for things, that's probably gotta be like, yeah, you
wanna make a good work, but if your work has like standing power, that's where you'regonna keep it coming.
(54:02):
So.
So everyone go out and support ballet dancers by watching Black Swan.
yes, yes please.
So what do you think overall the movie did for the reputation of ballet?
I don't know, do think it gave some, know, made ballet dancers look a little crazy.
(54:25):
But also I think made it, it gave that respect in a way of like, wow, they really workhard, you know, like they do a lot.
They put in a lot for what they do and they really love what they do.
And I think too, it definitely upped the profile for Swan Lake.
(54:47):
I think people knew of Swan Lake before, but now it's like, yeah, Swan Lake.
yeah, that's like Black Swan.
And I think at any time, Swan Lake was already a big pleaser to the audiences.
But I think even more now, that ballet is just, it just sells out every time, anywhere.
(55:10):
Yeah, it does.
It's so beautiful.
yeah, when the movie came out, yeah, absolutely.
When the movie came out, I mean, the thing I remember because I don't know, Abby was likefive, right?
She was really young.
So,
and she was just doing comp dancing at that point.
(55:31):
So ballet was not on our radar at all.
The only thing I really remember is both Mila and Natalie coming out saying, ballet is thehardest thing I've ever done.
And I bowed down to ballet dancers because I did it for four months and I thought I wasgonna die.
And so.
yes, Yeah, so that's what saying.
I think it gave more respect to ballet, whereas some of the other, like if you're gonnacompare it to center stage, which is more just kind of like, it's fun, like it made it
(56:01):
look hard and stuff, but that genre of movie was less serious.
I mean, Turning Point is, I love Turning Point, but I think that's not as...
up there in this generation of movies and things.
So uh I think the staying power of it is there because of the acting that was availablewith it.
(56:28):
That's incredible what they all did with their storylines.
Why do you think media, and I don't know if you have any answers, really struggles to tellballet stories a little more realistically?
Why do you think they really struggle to make it seem like all the girls are terrible,everyone has an eating disorder, and all the guys are gay, right?
(56:53):
And then it's like, or yeah, right?
And like, I think...
They it's so siloed and they make it so, you know, they really struggle to tell like amuch more complex nuanced story What why do you think they really struggle with that
because I mean they like to talk about that
(57:13):
Yeah, I think it's probably just to make some drama, know, make some kind it's like, it'slike they eat, those are the easiest things to do, you know, it's like, well, they're thin
because they're always dancing and they're in a tutu.
So like, yeah, they obviously like don't eat and then like guys are wearing tights andstuff, you know, or, or the girls are in leotards.
(57:35):
So they're easy access and you're touching each other, you know, it's just, I just feellike it's just, it's easy access to.
make up some kind of drama.
Whereas, you know, I guess if you're just being a normal dancer and just doing your jobs,they're like, no, that's not that exciting.
No, I mean, I like I'm a big 30 for 30 fan on ESPN.
(57:57):
Have you ever seen that series?
It's like they do documentaries on different athletes.
My fantasy is that ESPN would do a series of 30 for 30s on ballet dancers, because I thinkthat would be really cool to kind of go behind the scenes.
and then like, and what, how, like the other things that dancers do, like, you know,people going to, you know, getting their master's degree on the side or like, oh, a dancer
(58:20):
who's a mom or a dad and you know, all the other things, a teacher doing all the otherthings at night.
Like there's, there is so much more than, you know, those go-to stories.
But I think for all of that, because it's been generalized now,
In a lot of the media, it's like now that's what's expected in a way, you know, which isnot fair.
(58:46):
handled that?
Because that was going to be the next big thing, and then boom, they canceled it.
Yeah.
I know.
I mean, I enjoyed it.
I watched it.
I thought it was fun because I had friends in it and stuff.
I thought the dancing was great.
That was really nice, again, to have real dancing in there with real, know, was so fun tosee Chris Wheldon play himself.
(59:10):
That was wonderful to have all of that.
But yeah, I don't know.
was like, well, was that not, that wasn't enough?
It wasn't enough.
drama or whatever, like they had to can it.
I don't know.
I mean, I thought that it was pretty good.
Yeah, I was excited for it to continue.
(59:30):
mean, I think some of the criticism that I had heard is the main characters were just kindof unlikable and they wished like the dancing, the dancers were brought forward a little
more and that the main characters were made a little bit more approachable and likable.
But I was just excited that ballet was gonna get kind of its next shot at the spotlight.
(59:54):
um
it being so like cringy.
They meant like the artistic directors were not likable.
Cause I think that's kind of realistic.
to saying that's usually like a common thing, you know?
Yeah, I mean, but yeah, I know it would have been nice to have more of the like, yeah, thedance.
(01:00:22):
I'm super curious about Black Swan, uh and Jenny, you can edit this out if you want to,was that when uh Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millipied were starting their thing?
Yes, so the T is, he was actually, uh he was with Isabella Boylston at the time.
(01:00:43):
And before, like when I was in the company, um he had been with Saskia, but yeah, he waswith Isabella, they were dating, and then yeah, during this movie, that is when they
started kind of, yeah.
And then he got all big into like other movie things and he ended up,
actually coming, he choreographed a piece for Pennsylvania Ballet, like soon after that.
(01:01:08):
And they would drive from New York every day and she would like sit in her car.
Like she wouldn't come in the building.
She's just like, yeah, it's like when she was in it.
Yeah, yeah, edit this part out.
Yeah, she would, I don't know if she would just like sit in the car the whole time he waschoreographing.
So that's why was like, I don't know how much of it was her acting and how much of it washer, I don't know.
(01:01:31):
But.
Yeah, that was all.
And again, edit this part out.
I feel like he was like, he really enjoyed the whole limelight of the movie process.
he, I think he was like, ooh, this is like what I want to do more of this.
And so that was kind of like, you know, that was a way, a way in.
(01:01:55):
Was it off?
Like, did everyone know what was going on?
Kind of, because I mean people were friends with Isabella, so.
Oh yeah.
Cause that I remember, like, I don't know if you remember that cause it was a while ago,but like all of my friends, was like, uh all of a sudden like, he just like came back
after the movie was done taping was like, you're out.
(01:02:18):
Like no explanation, just like kicked her out, all her stuff.
And that was it.
wait, they were living together?
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, it was just like, okay, bye.
And this was before she was like a big deal.
She was just like in the core at ABT.
What an asshole.
(01:02:39):
honestly, okay, we can put this back in.
Do you think, like, why didn't he choose ABT Corp?
I mean, no offense to Pennsylvania Ballet, but like, there are two major companies in NewYork and if he was, and they're right there and they're not in season at that point, and
if he was dating Bella, why didn't they use ABT dancers?
(01:03:02):
Maybe he wanted a more Balanchine aesthetic and you guys are Balanchine.
maybe.
Yeah, I don't know.
I don't know.
I just know that they were like, hey, you want to be in a movie?
said, sure.
Yeah, that is a good point.
That is a good point.
Yeah.
I don't know, just, Andy used ABT costumes, so I don't know, ABT could probably be alittle butt hurt.
(01:03:25):
I mean, a little like, what, hey, sorry, my teenager rubs off on me and I say like things.
Yeah, they might have been.
Yeah, I don't know.
imagine that would be a huge letdown.
Like, wait a minute, we're supposed to be a miracles company.
Why aren't you using us?
I mean...
true.
That is true.
Yeah, because yeah, we do.
Yeah, that's where their costumes.
(01:03:45):
So, know, mean, ballet sliding continues, right?
Hey, maybe we were cheaper for the Pennsylvania instead of New York.
I don't know, but I think this like all goes back to ballet with like just the absence ofcommunication, right?
It's like, it just kind of, you know, they point you in the direction and say, hey, youwant to do this?
(01:04:06):
You're like, oh, okay.
But.
have any idea it was gonna blow up like this?
Like while you were filming it, did you have any sense that like this was gonna be what itwas?
No, no, I mean, that was the thing.
It was like, okay, well, these are big name people, you know, like with Darren and VictorCastell, you know, and Natalie, obviously.
But like, again, I thought like, maybe this will be like, at like, you know, the likeindie film festival or something.
(01:04:34):
Yeah, yeah, we didn't, we really didn't, we didn't know.
Especially because it, like, I don't wanna say it felt unorganized, because I think that'sjust how, like, movies run.
But as a dancer who was in the Agma Company who was very used to things being run likethat, it felt like, what, what do you mean?
Like, we don't know when we're gonna dance right now.
(01:04:56):
And then like, you know, doing like, oh, maybe we could do this or this, you know, it justfelt like, oh, this is, I don't know.
So, yeah.
I I think it's one of those very interesting things that I think there's like, there's nogreat either you really like it or you really don't.
And it seems like you really kind of fell in that take me back to a ballet companywhere...
(01:05:16):
Yeah, but some people, yeah, some people loved it, you know, like Sarah Hay was in thecompany with us and they loved her.
You know, she had like the orange hair, like strikingly beautiful.
And so they were always like, you know, putting her in the front for things and like shereally enjoyed it.
And then that's when she like soon after ended up like moving to LA and she was in thatflesh and bone.
(01:05:39):
She was like the main character in that.
So for some people it really like brought out like a new thing for them.
Yeah, not me.
I think, yeah.
Like you've given us so much of your time.
I'm so glad you came in to talk to us and stroll down memory lane and talk about BlackSwan.
Is there anything you wanted to wrap this conversation with?
(01:06:03):
Like a fun little memory or, I don't know.
I just can't believe it's been 15 years.
It feels like it was like a different like lifetime ago, know, totally like just fun tothink about being back, you know, in the core of Pennsylvania Ballet to where I am now.
(01:06:25):
and...
Oh, thank you.
but like the dancing part?
Have you shown her any of the part and be like, look, your mama's in a movie.
no, haven't.
Actually, I do have like, I have a book somewhere, like one of the crew guys, like hadtaken a bunch of backstage photos and put together some kind of book.
And I don't even know how my mom found it, but she like bought it.
(01:06:48):
And so I should, that would be good.
I know, I know.
It was actually really like, it's a really nice like book, cause it's not just like, youknow, pictured from the movie.
It's like behind the scenes.
So I should show her that.
That would be cool.
But you know, like I, the other day I'm, Carnival of the Animals, John Liscow, like wrotethe book that was for the ballet that Christopher Wilden choreographed uh for New York
(01:07:15):
City Ballet.
And I was in the original production of that.
And so the book, the children's book, there's a picture in the back of it.
And like, I'm in that picture.
And we were at the library the other day, and I was like,
book, there's that book, like we have it.
But I was like, look, there's a book, mama's saying the book in the library, isn't thatcool?
And she was like, we have, I already know that.
Like we already have.
(01:07:35):
And I was like, okay, I just thought that would be cool.
Like, like I'm like in this book that's like in the library, but she didn't care.
Yeah, exactly.
So yeah, who knows who cares.
I don't know, it's kind of healthy.
I was like, you know, but that is so funny.
Lauren, thank you so much for joining us.
(01:07:57):
This has been a delight.
Good to see you too.
Thank you so much.
Okay, let me stop.
Hey everyone, welcome back to Belly Help Desk.
We have a really special guest today.
With the re-release of Black Swan, which I'm sure you guys have all seen, we decided totalk to somebody who was actually in the movie.
So welcome Lauren Viette.
uh I think everybody feels like they know you just because Fran talks about you so often.
(00:27):
But for those of...
But for folks out there who may not have heard about you through Fran singing yourpraises, can you just give us a little bit of background on your story?
Sure.
um Yes, I am Lauren Fathy Bayette.
I will try to keep the summary brief.
uh I'm originally from Orlando, Florida.
(00:48):
I went to train at SAB when I was 15 years old.
uh I was invited to become an apprentice with New York City Ballet when I was 16, which Iwas not really ready for, but I did anyway.
And uh I was an apprentice for a year, then I got
contract a year after that.
(01:10):
Ended up breaking my foot.
Wasn't so sure this was really the right path for me.
So after a year in the Corps, I decided to leave New York City.
I kind of thought I was done dancing forever, but with my parents' guidance,
I decided I'd go to college, so I ended up at Indiana University because Violette Verdewas there.
(01:35):
I thought I would still dance a little bit just to keep it going.
If I did want to dance professionally again, my thought was I wanted to be a physicaltherapist.
Four years later, I decided, well, you can't dance forever.
So, you know, that's why I've gone to college, but you can't dance forever.
So if you're going to, I was like, I got to do it now.
(01:56):
Ended up at Pennsylvania Ballet.
uh where I met Frances.
Actually, we met when we were younger.
That's a whole different story.
But we officially met, you know, as adults when I joined Pennsylvania Ballet.
uh I was there for nine seasons, uh through the Corps up to principal.
(02:17):
Then um with director changing and it wasn't um as much Balanchine as I had wanted,decided to audition for Miami City Ballet.
We went down there.
danced there for five years, had a child during the pandemic, decided, actually, well, Iwas kind of offered a position at Kansas City Ballet as the principal of their school and
(02:39):
was like, okay, cool, let's do it.
And so I retired two weeks before the season started and went to Kansas City Ballet, was adaytime principal there for three and a half years.
And now just moved here to Indianapolis Ballet in January where I'm the head of theschool.
So that is it in a nutshell.
Obviously I've
had to say that story many times, so I got it down, got it down packed.
(03:02):
But uh yes, that's my background.
And if people want to learn a little bit more about you, this is how I originally learnedabout you, is you have your own podcast about your transition from Pennsylvania to um
Miami.
And I listened to the whole thing.
Oh, that's right.
That might be scary to listen to now.
(03:25):
Yes, oh my gosh, yes, was a long time ago.
But yeah, I did.
Yeah, through somebody, they wanted me to do this.
I kind of, yeah, recorded that transition.
I went from being a principal dancer in Pennsylvania Ballet to at 30 years old, to movingdown to Miami and taking a soloist position.
(03:48):
starting over.
um But it was really, you know, one of the best things I ever ever did for my career and,you moving forward.
So, but yes, I do.
I do.
I forgot about that.
Thanks for bringing that up.
uh See if I can delete that.
Well, and don't also don't forget about um what you and Fran also have your business withthat virtual ballet school.
(04:11):
Can you talk about that a little bit?
Yes, well, and that's how we first met you all.
Yes, our virtual school that we started two years before the pandemic actually began.
So that's how we were really set up for all of this when it happened.
But yes, we started that when we were in Miami and I actually came about from someone whohappened to come see me at a performance at Miami City Ballet.
(04:36):
then they reached out to me via Twitter.
That's kind of how it all began.
uh So yeah, we had started that then and we're continuing to do it now.
I just had a lesson right before this.
So uh yeah, that's how we work with dancers one-on-one or through smaller group classes,uh just helping them fine tune things with their training that they feel they might not be
(05:01):
getting in their regular everyday classes at their studios.
So on top of that, you were in Black Swan.
How did you, like, how did that all happen?
Well, it actually, it was something that kind of was just like put on the plate ofPennsylvania Ballet, which is now Philadelphia Ballet, but I'll be referring to it as
(05:32):
Pennsylvania Ballet, because that's what it was at the time.
It all kind of started, that's why I was looking at the dates, because I was like, how isthis really 15 years ago?
So it was 2010.
But it actually started in 2009 was when we first started filming.
And this was in December of 2009.
(05:56):
We had heard that they were gonna be doing this, a ballet movie, you know?
And the whole thing was they were looking to cast an actual corps de ballet to be a partof the movie.
And they wanted it to look, you know, legitimate.
And so they were...
hoping to have dancers that had worked together as a corps de ballet.
(06:18):
So as opposed to just doing like an open call and just getting a bunch of differentdancers, they were like, how can we have, you know, a real corps de ballet from a company?
So of course it was being filmed in New York and Benjamin Millipier, who was a principaldancer at New York City Ballet at the time, was the choreographer.
so automatically they would want the New York City Ballet corps.
(06:41):
But because it was being filmed, uh
We started in December and it was, uh we went through most of January.
New York City Ballet was doing lots of Nutcracker and they at that time went right intothe winter season.
So like, I had been in New York City Ballet and they were still in that schedule.
(07:01):
It was like, you performed Nutcracker until like January 5th and then maybe you had twodays off and then you started right into winter season.
So there really wasn't like any of this time for that.
Whereas in Pennsylvania Ballet, we would go until Christmas, or sorry, New Year's Eve, andthen we would usually have like a week or two of a layoff before we would start rehearsals
(07:26):
for our next program, which would usually be in February.
So they couldn't use New York City Ballet, so they were like, well, Pennsylvania is notthat far away.
And so they kind of were like, let's see if we can...
get some Pennsylvania Ballet.
uh So it just so happened that that December we were performing at the Kennedy Center.
(07:51):
We were doing our Balanchine's Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center.
they brought, I mean all of this was kind of worked out behind the scenes.
We didn't know any of this.
We had like heard rumblings, but you know, so we were all just taking a warm-up class atthe Kennedy Center for our performance and all of a sudden all these like movie producers,
(08:11):
I guess.
they came and watched class and after that we were sent an email and was like, hey, if youwould like to be in this movie, um this is what's happening.
And that's kind of how it was.
So we really didn't have to go through anything.
It was just like here.
So the first thing was in, and we actually did do this right after a Nuckark performance,I remember, because we would do shows, I think maybe like Wednesday through Sunday.
(08:39):
So,
one of the weeks of Nutcracker on a Sunday after two shows, we all got on a bus and welike went to, it was filmed in Rye, New York.
ah It was actually at SUNY Purchase is where we were doing most of the filming.
So the first filmings in December were not just like the quarter valley, it was a bunch ofpeople.
(09:02):
So Fran was actually involved in the first filming.
And so they like, and a lot of different guys and stuff.
ah they just.
pretty much took most of our entire company and we just all went out there and did somefilming.
um And then from there is where they picked, I think there were 14 or 16 of us that endedup being like part of the core of ballet and that's how we're listed in the actual like
(09:29):
credits at the end of the movie.
And they did end up using other dancers, uh know, some, a lot, actually a lot of formerNew York City ballet dancers that were still in the area.
that were freelancing, that were friends of Benjamin.
So it wasn't just us, but um that's kind of how it ended up working.
(09:50):
And we did, in order to commit to this, I do remember we missed one week of rehearsalperiod because we had to do this whole January thing.
So it worked out for some of it, but not for that.
And I remember we had to end up forfeiting not being there and therefore not really
(10:10):
I think there were some ballets they were rehearsing.
Like, okay, well then you're not gonna get to like really get to be in that ballet orcover that ballet.
So that was like the sacrifice.
But when we were asked to do it, we had no idea what it was gonna be.
But we knew Natalie Portman was gonna be in it and Mila Kunis and know, it DarrenAronofsky.
So that was cool.
(10:30):
We're like, well, it's gonna be something.
But it did sound like it was gonna be more of this kind of like indie kind of film.
Like it wasn't gonna be like this big, big, you know.
thing that it became.
uh So we were kind of just like taking a risk and like, well, we'll see what happens.
But that's really all we knew.
So did they select a few of you from Pennsylvania Ballet, like in the core after theywatched that class, or did they just send a blanket email to everyone and everyone who
(10:59):
wanted to participate?
It kind of like I'm trying to remember, but yeah, I think like from that when they watchedat the Kennedy Center, they picked people and then from that class they also then moved it
down.
But then we also had to like it also had to be like, OK, you're going to be missing and itand I want to say there was a couple soloists too, but it was like the principles were off
(11:22):
limits, you know, and I was in the core at the time, so it just, you know, it worked outso.
They did have some selection and Benjamin had some say in it too because it wasn't justlike how you looked, it was also your dance quality because they did want it to look a
(11:42):
certain way.
But I would say it was a lot of us core core to ballet dancers.
So how long was the rehearsal period?
mean, it sounds like it was pretty compressed and you had to learn quite a bit of SwanLake.
Didn't Benjamin actually choreograph a new Swan Lake for you to learn?
(12:04):
Well, so yeah, there wasn't like a ton of rehearsals.
was kind of like, things would happen as it would go in a way because they were like, withrehearsals, when they were filming rehearsals, they were wanting it to look like a real
rehearsal.
And since we were actual ballet dancers, it wasn't just people like pretending, we couldmake that happen.
(12:30):
um
There are a couple scenes in there that were actually choreographed.
I remember there's the fourth act scene where we're all doing the arms and the runningaround before she goes and jumps.
um So that was all actually choreographed.
We did have a rehearsal for that.
(12:51):
That's on the stage.
So we were given our specific places in line and all of that.
But I'm pretty sure that was
He choreographed it, but I think that was pretty supposed to be authentic to the actualswanling.
The thing that he did re-choreograph and was made for the movie that we did have toactually work on was this four little swans.
(13:16):
And I was picked to be one of the four little swans.
uh I'm not that short, but we were all the same height for it.
uh
He redid that whole thing and we had like these like weird arms and stuff that he wantedand it was hard, I remember.
And Olga Kreskitsky, I can't pronounce it correctly.
(13:39):
She's like, she was a teacher at SAB and she was just like a ballet legend.
She was like our rehearsal director for the movie.
She's actually seen in the movie as well.
and she was helping Natalie with all her dancing stuff.
So she would rehearse us for it.
She was there when he was choreographing this.
(14:01):
And I just remember it being so hard.
And at this point, I had an osteogonium in my foot and uh during the filming, because thehours were so tedious, it ended up uh breaking off of my foot.
And I was in a lot of pain.
it was during this four little swan stance.
(14:22):
And I just remember being like, this is so hard.
And we had to do it so many times, right?
And when you're filming, you don't know what's gonna happen.
You're just doing things and everything's out of order.
I don't know.
Personally, not like, I had no desire to be in a movie again after this.
I like going to the ballet and seeing how it all lays out.
(14:46):
So we had to rehearse this for a little while, we had to learn it, we had to rehearse it,and then we had to do it a million times.
And then you go and watch the movie, and we're just blurriness in the background.
And I was like, I broke my foot for this.
Yeah, because during, you'll hear it, you can hear the music going and you'll see in theback, but during that scene, it's pretty much like Benjamin and Natalie.
(15:13):
flirting in the wings and other things going on.
And then you see us like run off at the end.
I know I have a moment where I like stretch my shoulders.
that's like, you can't even see my face, but I'm like, oh, that's me.
But yeah, so that was like the one thing that was really rehearsed and like done over andover again.
And then it didn't even make the cut.
(15:36):
Were you expecting that?
Like, you know, I don't have any idea how movies are made, but like, I kind of have asense of how ballets get rehearsed and performed, but uh were you expecting the outcome to
be what it was?
No, mean, yeah, I had no idea.
I mean, like when you're rehearsing things, yeah, like at Far Valley, if you're the fourlittle swans, you know you're gonna be seen as a four little sun, you know?
(16:01):
The effort you're putting into the rehearsal will be seen on this stage.
oh So no, I mean, that's what was kind of wild.
like when we went to the premiere, we had a big premiere in Philly and then we had one inNew York and uh like we had no idea.
what we were gonna see and what we were gonna be in.
I knew where I was in scenes, but then you were like, oh wait, that's where I was.
(16:28):
Nope, that wasn't there.
So there was a lot of times, you would go back and watch it.
It's funny, I'll still have people send me, they'll slow it down and they'll take, thereyou are.
And I'm like, oh, that's cool.
I didn't even know I was in that part.
So, because everything is just so fast and we're all like, especially when we're incostume and stuff, it's really hard to know.
(16:51):
So yeah, it was a big surprise.
And I have to say it's a lot of work that goes into, you know, something for like just amoment.
So I mean, ballet is like that too, but I think for something that's, you know, filmed inthere forever, yeah, you don't know what it, and I can't imagine for like the...
(17:13):
you know, the actors too, don't know how much say they would have in angles of things.
You know, like as a dancer, like if you're a principal, you get to approve photos.
You know, if you're like, oh no, I don't like that one.
Like don't, you can't use that.
Cause that's like out there forever.
But like as an actor, like, do you get to say, oh, I don't, you know, I don't like thatangle when I'm doing that line.
(17:34):
I don't think so.
So it's, guess it's a lot of distrust in what it's going to be.
I I wonder if they will release like a longer version of all of the dancing that they kindof cut because that would actually be really cool to see, right?
(17:55):
Like.
to see the four little swans dance that broke my foot.
I think that would be really neat.
So can you like, can you share a little bit of like the process?
Like did you train with the actors?
Did the actors ask you for like ballet advice?
Like did you guys all have separate schedules?
What was that kind of like?
(18:16):
Because you said it was a really tedious long day.
So what does that kind of look
Well, yeah, the schedule was weird and I might say this incorrectly.
sorry if this is not correct anymore with all the SAG-AFTRA rules, but it was one of thosewhere it's like you can work 12 hours on and then you have to have 12 hours off.
(18:46):
it would be like Monday, we would start at say like six in the morning.
And then, I don't know, but it would just work its way where you would start super earlyand then you'd go to a time and then the next day would be a little bit later to then like
say by Friday, we wouldn't start until four in the afternoon.
(19:08):
So it wasn't 12, it wasn't 12, it was just something weird like that.
Like maybe it was 12 and then 10, I don't know.
So it was a lot of really long days and then not knowing when you were going to be needed.
So like as a ballet dancer, especially in an Agma company, you're given your schedule, youknow.
(19:30):
Like you know when you have rehearsal that whatever happens, however many times you haveto do it, you're gonna be done at this time, you know?
We never knew that because so much of it would depend on what other things were happening.
yeah, so that was really hard.
So we were a lot of times just waiting.
(19:52):
um And when there were days, like say, like when we were maybe just gonna kind of berehearsing things, we would have class with Olga and Natalie would take class with us.
And she had worked privately a lot with like Kurt Froen and...
one of them, I think it was Kurt and Olga.
And so she was very like, she was so focused.
(20:15):
She was like in the character all the time.
No one really spoke to her because she was, you know, she was doing her thing.
That was her character.
But yeah, she would, like if we had a warmup class as well for like, we knew we were gonnabe filming the scene.
ah Cause there were a lot of scenes too before we had to do all the.
costumes where it was just like rehearsal parts of it where we would like wear our Like webring our own lead target to do a like color palette Everything had to be either black
(20:46):
White gray or light pink and we would like bring our things and they would approve what wecould wear each day That was a whole process But yeah, she would take class with us, but
she was like very serious about it.
um But then you know um
There were scenes where we were in with them.
You would be, like, I remember being at a hallway with Mila Kunis for several hoursbecause they're just having to keep filming in different angles and stuff.
(21:16):
And she'd have her people come over and bring her Starbucks and stuff.
And you would talk to her and she was really cool.
And she was just like, I don't know how you guys do this.
This is insane.
She's like, they won't let me eat anything.
Like I just remember that she was like, they would only give her like tuna fish orsomething.
Like she was like, this is horrible.
(21:37):
I hate this.
Because that was the thing too.
was like, we were all coming off of Nutcracker.
Like we were dancing so much and like the crafts, we were all at craft services together,which that was great.
That was like buffet all the time.
as know, dancers, free food, you're just like, is great.
what is Craft Services?
I'm sorry, what is that?
(21:57):
it's like the food they provide for everybody on set.
So it was just like, yeah, and they would have the food trucks and everything.
So it was just like free buffet all the time.
yeah, anyone, like dancers and free food, it's like, absolutely.
yeah, totally, totally.
(22:18):
Yes, yes.
And because we were living in a hotel at this point too, because they weren't bringing usback and forth.
So we were like in a hotel for three weeks too.
So like we would be around with them.
um But yeah, so that part of it, she never took class with us.
um She, think, I'm sure they were doing their own things.
(22:41):
have their trailers and all of that.
uh you know, we, when we were in the common areas, you know, they would be around with us.
But I would say Natalie was very focused and in her character, whereas
She was just really cool.
She was really funny.
Did you guys deal, like, did you deal a lot with the other actors?
(23:01):
Like, it just is interesting because you guys are all performers, right?
But very different, uh different types of performers.
But I'm curious, like, how much did you guys hang out with the rest of the actors?
Um, I guess like not too much because a lot of times, like I said, we, we, we would alwayssay it's like hurry up and wait because they were filming, you know, a lot of their actual
(23:26):
acting scenes.
mean, when we were doing this part in January, this was obviously the whole part was meantto be filming these scenes for the rehearsals in the theater.
They had, they had already filmed those stuff like in the apartment and in Lincoln center.
you know, prior to us getting there.
(23:46):
Like we never saw Winona Ryder, you know, like we didn't see any of that kind of stuff.
ah We were only doing anything that was filmed in the studio or the theater.
ah So yeah, we didn't see them that much, because I think they had, you know, they hadtrailers and stuff.
We were just, we were in like this, just big, like open area, just waiting, just waitingto be called to dance.
(24:11):
And so that was really hard too, because
we, if we had to actually dance, we needed to be warm.
So we would come in and we would warm up because we wouldn't know if we'd be ready.
But then sometimes we'd just be, then waiting for hours.
So you never really, you never really know.
So how did you stay warm?
(24:32):
Were you constantly just like doing bar or like that must have like gotten reallytiresome, honestly.
I, yeah, I personally was not a fan.
Just because I like a schedule.
I like to know like what's happening.
And then when we got to the costumes, we would have to come in right away and get like,we'd have call time for our hair and makeup and they would do that every day.
(24:59):
And like they would do our hair and their makeup and like they made us the hair had to belike straight back, low bun.
you know, like, and, and, they did like, uh like, we hated how they did our buns, we'relike, this is not how a real dancer would do a bun, you know, but we couldn't touch it.
And then they would do all this makeup.
And we had to have like weird, like, I sent you all the pictures, like of our fingers,like they would put this black stuff on our fingers, because that was part of the costume
(25:26):
that they wanted.
And so then we couldn't eat because then we'd have these stuff on our hands.
And, and then
your faces in the photos you sent were super white.
Like, that intentional?
Yeah, it was like half white up here, like the forehead and then the bottom wasn't.
But then they also put this like silver streaks and stuff.
(25:48):
Yeah, I don't know.
It was all part of their their their plan.
So yeah, so we would have to go in there and do that.
And then so then not only are you waiting, but then you have all this on you.
And then they'd have to do the touch ups and the costumes we wore, I believe are actuallyABTs.
Swan Lake costumes or at least they're like old costumes, I'm sure after that.
(26:13):
that too, then we'd be like done up in tutus and we're just like so uncomfortable andwaiting around.
uh But I will say that we did start to educate them quickly on to what was actually beingfilmed in each scene because
(26:35):
like that act four, I just remember doing all those borrées with the arms up and down andwe're like, hey, and that was one of the times where it was late.
that was like two in the morning and we were like, hey, if you're not actually gonna befilming our feet right now, can we not go up on point?
You know, because they didn't know, but we were like, this is really hard and it hurts,you know?
(26:59):
So like, if you're not even focusing on us, like we can do our arms, so.
Like it took us a little while to kind of get, like understand what they were doing andfor them to understand what we were doing.
But we finally kind of got to that point because we were just like, you know, it was, itwas grueling and then trying to keep everything in the continuity.
(27:23):
So um like they would, they would be like, you know, if we were, we were doing somethingand say we would have gotten sweaty.
but then you have to go back and do it again.
So then they'd have to get like a spray bottle of water and they'd be like spraying us sothat it would look like we were sweaty picking it up from another place.
(27:44):
But it was good because they did want everything to be realistic and that's what I doappreciate that.
That's why they wanted real dancers that work together.
And you know, we would be, say we'd be doing a bar in like they'd be recording it or then.
or then we'd be in a rehearsal and they'd be like, well, would you still be wearing yourwarmups at this point?
Or would you be warm?
(28:04):
Like, what would you actually be wearing?
You know, like it wasn't, you know, models doing ballet.
they wanted it to be like, what would you actually do?
So they were consulting us and obviously the real experts to do that.
But yeah, we did have to a couple of times be like, hey, we need a moment.
(28:26):
And I'm sure you kept saying like, okay, ballet dancers look homeless.
lots of lots of holes, lots of things that just kind of hang, you wear all leg warmeraround your thigh and that's it.
But that's what was funny.
Like when we first came, like that first day that we did the filming, like I said, myfriend Sarah and it's in the movie.
(28:48):
It's like the very first day when Vincent Cassel is doing this whole speech and it islike, it's visceral and real.
and we did that fondue combination.
I can't even tell you how many times.
And like I said, that was like in the middle of a nutcracker run and we were just dying.
And I remember Mila Kunis was near us for that one.
And she was like, you guys, this is what you do all day?
(29:11):
And we were like, no, not, we would never do this.
Like, this is crazy.
ah But that day, that was one of the first times that they were like, okay, you need tobring black, white.
of everything you own and then we'll tell you what to wear.
Were you like, wait a minute, this is like, we wear whatever's clean and on top of thepile.
(29:34):
Yeah, totally.
But also I was like, why are we providing our own costumes?
Like, and we did.
realized that leotards are expensive.
I'm sure they were like...
yeah, that's I was like, wait, is this a real movie?
Like, and we did that.
We did that for like the first week.
We, we all, and we all just would switch, like we'd all bring stuff.
(29:56):
Like once it became like that group and then caught the wardrobe people would just belike, okay, you were this one, you were this one, you were this one.
And that's how it ended up.
And now they would dress obviously all the actors.
And fun fact, if you, if like when you're watching it, um, Natalie's almost always wearingsomething.
long sleeves, because she actually has shorter arms, which is not like really conducive tolike about like a swan.
(30:22):
So they always kind of had to put they always had her in like a shrug or like longsleeves, they were like trying to elongate her arms.
And then also because uh Sarah Lane was her, her double for all the dancing too.
So they were like trying to make it match a little bit.
Can you talk a little bit about like the whole dance double thing?
Because, you know, over the years, like you see stuff where the dancers are like, yeah, Igot no credit for that.
(30:47):
Yeah, yeah, see that's a shame because like I said, my name is listed in the credits andlike that's cool and I'm getting residuals and like Sarah Lane had to do like what days to
the left and you know, her name's not on there, that's not right.
um I don't think, I think that was the whole controversy.
(31:08):
I think she said it wasn't.
So I think that that was, I'm not, don't quote me on that.
Everyone watch it so that I can get a.
penny of residuals.
And then you can see if her name's on there or not.
But I think that was the whole thing.
think when she came out later, was like it was that she didn't get any credit for it.
ah And again, I don't know which one is correct.
(31:33):
It was one or the other, but the Fuete's had to go to the left in the movie.
She's going to the left.
and this is, don't know.
I don't know if it was that.
Sarah Lane was a lefty and so therefore they made Natalie have to pretend spot to the leftor if it was that Natalie could only like, you know, attempt to do the fuetes to the left
(31:59):
and therefore Sarah had to do them to the left.
It was one or the other, but it was not, that day was not nice.
It was really uncomfortable because whoever it was, like they were not getting along.
with it because one or the, can't remember who it was.
(32:19):
Well, I have to find out.
So maybe someone can answer.
Is Sarah Lane lefty or is she a righty and most had to go left because that's what Nataliewas doing.
You know, that's what I think that's what it was is that Natalie was in, you know, markingit for the, to redo it.
(32:41):
That's what I think happened.
But with that and in that part,
we're all in the wings and we're all like, we're all like watching like in the scene.
So that's how it was when we were filming it.
And so like Natalie would be there in the costume and pretending and then like Sarah wouldcome on in like her unitard with like the green, you know, things to like do it.
(33:07):
But it was, she was struggling doing the flutes.
I just, I remember that.
And so it was, it was very tense um that day.
I would imagine, I mean, if you have to do like bourrées and arms, you know, 50 times, Ican't imagine having to repeat shooting, doing that many foites because, you know, it's,
(33:27):
it's always a miracle when people land it regardless, you know, no shade, everyone iswonderful, but like that's, it's so hard.
So.
was, I, yeah, my memory, you know, I'm a mom now.
I don't remember things so well, but I just remember it was something weird with the Fatesde la Leste and it was really awkward.
And we were all in the wings, like, cause that was the point is like, we were supposed tobe, cause that's when her, like, you know, she imagined such that she grows actual wings.
(33:55):
So like, we're supposed to be there, like what's happening?
But we were, it's, we were not acting.
were like.
So yeah, that was an awkward day.
and Sarah Lane must've been like, how did she even stay vertical?
Like she must've been dead tired after all this.
No, and that's what I said, like having to do things so often like that, that was reallyhard.
(34:20):
I really don't know how I get lots of respect for people in the movies, you know, and likehow many times are you gonna do it before it's perfect, you know, in the black spawn
terms.
I was perfect.
Because in the ballet, you know, like when you're on stage, that's it.
You have it once.
(34:40):
And it's left out there.
Like, yeah, maybe you're recording it and it's that, but it's not, the audience is therein that moment.
It's live theater and then it goes away.
Whereas like stuff like this, I can imagine it's really hard to like be like, okay, thatwas good enough.
And now we're gonna move on.
(35:03):
And that's gonna be in the movies that people are gonna watch for the rest of their lives.
I wouldn't be able to do it.
do you think Black Swan has had this kind of staying power?
You know, and especially because I think people were confused that it was a ballet movierather than a psychological thriller set in a ballet company, right?
(35:25):
And I don't know.
I mean, it still just has like cult-like status.
Why do you think that it is connected with people in such a real way?
Yeah, mean, I think too, yeah, because I had no idea what it was going to be, honestly,until I saw the movie too.
um
kind of like a summary, like this is what the movie's about and this is how you guys allfit in or was it more like show up and dance?
(35:50):
Yeah, not really.
I mean, we knew that there was supposed to be weird things that were going to happen withit.
And I mean, we knew when she jumped at the end, because we were all part of that aroundher, it was like maybe she was dying or not.
But still, no one really knows what actually was happening.
(36:14):
And we knew when Nona Ryder was supposed to be in it, but we never saw.
We weren't a part of that.
you know, so we didn't know much.
But I think it's because it's so odd and there's so much that is left to the imaginationto decide.
You know, it's not like you're like, yeah, did that actually happen?
(36:37):
Was she imagining that?
Like what is real and what isn't?
And I think that's like, I think as like a
It's listed in the top 100 films that were ever made or something, I think, because it isso artistic in that sense.
think, like I said, the color palette, if you go and watch it, everything is in those, ithas that scheme.
(37:01):
It was filmed in that building because it's all cinder block and stuff.
It is very cinematic in that way.
I think it is very thought provoking.
um
maybe the reason like, know, dancers, you know, like it because it is, it does show likehow much you can put into your craft, like how passionate you can be.
(37:27):
uh I don't think we're that crazy, you know?
But I think it does have, it has somewhat of that like, you know, this is, we put ourlives into this, our sweat and blood go into what we do and sometimes it can feel all
consuming.
you know, especially if you're preparing for a character, you know, in a role like that,like it can feel like that becomes you.
(37:54):
So I think that that's probably why.
And I will say because it has such beautiful, you know, real dancing in it.
It's not just, you know, pretend dancing.
You have actual ballet dancers in there.
So I think that that's uh something to do with it as well.
Can I ask you something about um the character that Natalie Portman played?
(38:16):
Because you hear in ballet a lot, dancers who are going to do a principal part, right?
They have to get into the character.
They have to make that character their own.
I mean, I know that sounds super cliched.
But there's an element of getting into character versus what you said Natalie was doing.
But ballet dancers don't go into character and stay like that for a week because they'reprepping for.
(38:40):
Yeah.
whatever.
But was that interesting, like watching her process versus knowing how dancers have to doit when they go out on stage and boom, all of a sudden you're a character?
Yeah.
for the film.
Yeah, yeah.
um No, I mean, I think maybe for that because it is so much of like the day, you know,like you are like, you're doing that all day and then you're just sleeping and then you're
(39:12):
going right back into it.
And I feel like, um I don't know, I could see how that would.
would work, you know?
I mean, I wasn't like that as a dancer, but I remember when I was Giselle, walking to thetheater pretending I was Giselle.
know?
I would be like, ooh, like getting into the role.
(39:34):
um And I'm saying Natalie was in character.
I don't know how much of that was maybe, you know, maybe that was part of her, that's justhow she works.
I don't know, but I just know she was focused.
So, yeah.
I'm not entirely sure, but uh I do think there is something to be said for that.
(39:56):
And I will say, interestingly enough, this, we filmed all of this in like, that was uhJanuary of 2010.
And then the movie came out around August of 2010.
And uh because I had broken my foot, my atragonum had disconnected from my foot duringthis filming.
(40:18):
And so I went all the way through the season with that.
And I want to say like in April or something, I was doing square dance core and the at theend and the osteogonium shattered at this point because I'd been working, I'd been dancing
on it so badly since the movie.
So then I had to get surgery on it.
(40:39):
And so I was injured all summer I was out, I rehabbed, came back in August, the movie cameout, I was coming back.
took me a long time to really feel back into it.
But then in January of the next year, Swan Lake was coming.
And Pennsylvania Valley did Christopher Wilden's Swan Lake.
(41:00):
And I was still in the Corps.
And Fran and I had got, we were engaged at that point.
But yeah, I was in the Corps and I had never done Chris Wilden's Swan Lake or anything.
But at this point, all the principals, one of them was pregnant, one of them was,
like really injured.
(41:20):
And it was a full Black Swan moment where they called me into the office and they werelike, we're gonna put you as Odette.
Like before the rehearsal schedule came up and I was like, okay.
Like I recall like my mom, was like, I'm gonna be the Swan Queen.
Like it was like, it was just bizarre because I was like, this is Black Swan.
(41:44):
Like now I'm like one.
And, um, cause I was in the court and I ended up doing the opening night like of like,dead, Oh, deal.
And, um, but what was it, you know, and then I ended up getting promoted soloist and thenprint, know, like it was a life changing like moment, like for all of that, but it was
(42:06):
just funny because of black Swan having come out in August.
we like sold out.
mean, they had to open up like the very top like bleacher seats and they people werecalling and saying, when is Natalie Portman going to purple?
Like, because people were like, they thought like, oh, black, like, this is, this is themovie.
(42:31):
Like, this is like the movie.
And so I hate that, like, you know, people thought that it was like black swamp, but itreally did help bring a lot of more
like popularity to the ballet and to Swan Lake.
So I have to say like, thank you to the movie for that.
And then also, I don't know if it was a publicity stunt or what, but like, hey, I got tolive out the Natalie Portman from the core to the principal.
(43:01):
you know, so yeah, that just kind of felt like a full circle like moment.
That is a very full circle moment.
mean, and I don't know, that must've just felt so surreal just to feel like, my gosh, thisis like my real life.
This is crazy.
I mean, but to be fair, you did not have a total psychological break and no one in thecore was putting glass in your shoes.
(43:27):
but we did joke about it quite often.
There were so many times where we were joking.
I remember at um one point something happened and I started bleeding and it was like, it'shappening.
uh
Did you pick up your shoes and shake it every time like, hey, I'm just checking.
Yeah.
(43:48):
But then like, you know, like the press picked up on it and they're like, oh, it's likethe books, it's real black swan.
And, know, so maybe it was a marketing ploy, but it worked, you know, and I got to do SwanLake and it got me promoted.
And so thank you, black swan.
There it is.
yeah, I don't think anything you got to dance was for a publicity.
(44:09):
I mean, you're a generational talent.
So I really think that it's true.
I um think everyone was just recognizing the writing on the wall that you were ready for.
I will say that because I broke my foot filming Black Swan and I had to get surgery, Ifinally like I rehabbed and came back very strongly and I was finally able to use the full
(44:37):
range of my left foot, which is what I really do attribute to getting promoted because Ihad had that huge ostragonum in the back of my foot for so long.
So I do think that that helped.
But see, Black Swan helped me, you know.
so many ways, but let's put in.
forms at four in the morning will make that happen.
I don't know, mental toughness.
(44:58):
That's what they talk about in ballet, right?
Just in toughness, you can endure.
mean, but let's do a small little plug for, please get your osteogonium taken care of andjust do that because just like Abby, mean, you know, Abby's story is very sad and filled
with like, my gosh, the timing was not fantastic, but it all worked out.
(45:18):
And actually I feel like she never would have gone to Pittsburgh if she had had surgerybecause
other things were in the pipeline.
And I think that Pittsburgh has been such a lovely place for her.
And it was, you know, I mean, so, you know, he plugs to everybody, people that email meall the time.
(45:40):
Should I get my Oscar going?
I'm taking care of, yes.
And you heard it here, Lauren.
I say I got promoted.
I got promoted because I got my Oshagon amount.
Yep.
And it broke because of Black Swan.
So there we go.
Were there any my god moments when you were there in the, well, filming this going like,how is this people's jobs and their lives?
(46:04):
Were there some things that you were witnessing that you were just like, how is this real?
Yeah, mean, I guess just like, yeah, some of the process, like with the extras, likepeople would just show up for the day and then they would just cast, like they'd just be
like, okay, like they just look at the room and they'd be like, okay, you and you and thenlike, okay, the rest of you can go home.
(46:25):
And I was just like, people just do this every day.
They just like look to see if there's a movie being filmed and you just like hope and thenyou're there all day and maybe.
It's almost like jury duty.
It's like, okay, well, then maybe you're going to be there now for a week or a month, ormaybe you are not.
And this wasn't even for dancing parts.
I don't even know.
(46:46):
They would be audience members or a donor or something.
That was bizarre to me.
Yeah, I didn't really understand all of that.
uh
And then I was trying to think what else there was a funny moment where, cause we wouldsee like we would get a, there would be a schedule, a rough draft.
(47:13):
So like we would know when our call time was like, and obviously there were only a certainnumber of like hair and makeup people.
So they would try to stagger us as to like when we would come to do all of that.
And it would take like an hour, no joke, just to do one person.
So then you, like if we were gonna film something, you know, like a whole core, we wouldhave to wait for every single person to have all of that done.
(47:38):
Would have been a good time to be in like virtual schooling, you know?
Then you could really get like a lot of work done.
But I don't even know if I had a smartphone.
I don't even know what I did.
gosh, I hope you had like a stool that at least you could like sit on or you just or didyou just do that ballet thing where you just like stand along the wall and wait for your
turn?
yeah, I have no idea what we were doing.
(48:00):
um But one of the things that like they put on there, it said bloody point shoes.
Like that's what the scene was called.
And we were like, what is this gonna be?
Bloody point shoes.
And it was, um was the part in the fourth act when we're all in costume.
And I think it's like when we're like running off, like we're running, but we were likerunning around her and then off before she's gonna run and go and jump.
(48:28):
And they wanted it to be like she was already bleeding or something, like something wasbleeding and it was like dripping down and they were gonna like film it where there was
like blood dripping down onto her pointe shoes.
And to film this, they thought that they were just gonna get like, I don't know, like aketchup bottle of fake blood and they were just gonna like.
(48:48):
start squeezing it while we're running around.
And I was like, I really don't want fake blood.
We're providing our own tights and pointe shoes, by the way.
Yeah, they're not giving us pointe shoes or tights.
We were bringing that ourselves.
mean, the comp...
were, you were paying basically to be in this movie.
(49:11):
is giving us our pointe shoes so I'm sure they worked out some kind of deal behind thescenes where the movie, because it's like 20th Century Fox was the movie, now it's sold to
Disney or something, I don't know who I get the residuals from, but they like, em I'm surethey paid them for stuff.
(49:32):
But yeah, was like, don't, I wanna wear these again, I don't want like.
fake blood on them.
yeah, and then I was like, how are we supposed to go back and redo the continuity?
So then they're trying to get it out.
So then we're running and all of us were just trying to jump over.
It was really not a good scene and I think it ended up getting cut.
(49:56):
I mean, I think they ended up just putting it already on her with us running around.
But that was just a messy, were like bloody pointe shoes, really.
That was just funny.
is so funny.
mean, I always think it's amazing when you look at the credits of how many people actuallywork on these productions.
(50:17):
Was it shocking to you to see how many people are actually there?
yeah, so many, yeah like the April Beard, you know, and like all the cameras, so many, andthat too, that was like, that's where I would get annoyed, because they'd be like, okay,
well we're gonna do it all, and we're all filming it this way.
And now we're doing it all again, and it's all being filmed this way, and now we're doingit again, it's all being filmed this way, and I was like, no.
(50:38):
Oh.
So are you saying the scene would be shot?
I mean, I don't know anything about filmmaking, but you'd shoot the same scene three orfour times with three or four different camera angles versus all the cameras shooting at
the same time.
Yeah, because they'd want to have the close-up one.
Because then they would be seen.
So they would do so many with Natalie.
(50:59):
And that too.
don't know how they're doing all these serious scenes.
And literally, the camera's right next to your head.
So yeah, I don't know how any of them do it.
I walked away from that whole thing really being like, I never want to be in a movieagain.
(51:19):
I have so much respect for what they do because I would not have the patience for this.
I would not be able to, you know, get, be able to get in character like that.
And in all honesty, I was like, we didn't get paid uh any more than we got oh our normalsalary as a dancer.
(51:44):
Yeah.
So they, yes.
So I will tell you that, when we only, like when we did the extra, some of the extrathings we got paid, but um for like whatever the quarter ballet thing was, it was not more
than our normal salary.
Again, I don't know if it was worked out where it was like, hey, this is just your extraweeks of work, so we're gonna get paid that and they paid the company extra, I don't know.
(52:12):
But I was, for me, I was like, this is not worth it, I broke my.
I'm exhausted, you know, like, and I didn't get paid like anything extra.
This is wild.
But we were also like we were cast members.
So we were not extras.
Extras got paid by the day.
We were cast members and then so we could work whatever hours in the day.
(52:34):
uh We were non speaking roles.
One of our principal dancers, actually his name is Sergio Tirado.
He was in San Francisco, LA before he came.
Pennsylvania, he was the von Rothbard and he had one speaking line.
He said, are you okay?
And so that, but that immediately put him into like the speaking thing.
(52:57):
So I think he got bumped up way more than that.
So there's definitely levels, but I will tell you that then when we started getting theresiduals and I'm still getting residuals for what I did 15 years ago, you know, I mean, I
still get like a couple hundred bucks.
every year for just doing that.
(53:19):
I'm like, wow, that's cool because I never know when it's going to come.
I just get in the mail like, cool, I got a hundred bucks.
That's great.
If I'm getting that 15 years later, what are they getting?
I will say when Natalie Portman won the Academy Award, we all got a really nice check inthe mail.
(53:41):
I think that's
probably where a lot of the, you know, the actors are gonna get paid well for their work,but then when you're the residuals for things, that's probably gotta be like, yeah, you
wanna make a good work, but if your work has like standing power, that's where you'regonna keep it coming.
(54:02):
So.
So everyone go out and support ballet dancers by watching Black Swan.
yes, yes please.
So what do you think overall the movie did for the reputation of ballet?
I don't know, do think it gave some, know, made ballet dancers look a little crazy.
(54:25):
But also I think made it, it gave that respect in a way of like, wow, they really workhard, you know, like they do a lot.
They put in a lot for what they do and they really love what they do.
And I think too, it definitely upped the profile for Swan Lake.
(54:47):
I think people knew of Swan Lake before, but now it's like, yeah, Swan Lake.
yeah, that's like Black Swan.
And I think at any time, Swan Lake was already a big pleaser to the audiences.
But I think even more now, that ballet is just, it just sells out every time, anywhere.
(55:10):
Yeah, it does.
It's so beautiful.
yeah, when the movie came out, yeah, absolutely.
When the movie came out, I mean, the thing I remember because I don't know, Abby was likefive, right?
She was really young.
So,
and she was just doing comp dancing at that point.
(55:31):
So ballet was not on our radar at all.
The only thing I really remember is both Mila and Natalie coming out saying, ballet is thehardest thing I've ever done.
And I bowed down to ballet dancers because I did it for four months and I thought I wasgonna die.
And so.
yes, Yeah, so that's what saying.
I think it gave more respect to ballet, whereas some of the other, like if you're gonnacompare it to center stage, which is more just kind of like, it's fun, like it made it
(56:01):
look hard and stuff, but that genre of movie was less serious.
I mean, Turning Point is, I love Turning Point, but I think that's not as...
up there in this generation of movies and things.
So uh I think the staying power of it is there because of the acting that was availablewith it.
(56:28):
That's incredible what they all did with their storylines.
Why do you think media, and I don't know if you have any answers, really struggles to tellballet stories a little more realistically?
Why do you think they really struggle to make it seem like all the girls are terrible,everyone has an eating disorder, and all the guys are gay, right?
(56:53):
And then it's like, or yeah, right?
And like, I think...
They it's so siloed and they make it so, you know, they really struggle to tell like amuch more complex nuanced story What why do you think they really struggle with that
because I mean they like to talk about that
(57:13):
Yeah, I think it's probably just to make some drama, know, make some kind it's like, it'slike they eat, those are the easiest things to do, you know, it's like, well, they're thin
because they're always dancing and they're in a tutu.
So like, yeah, they obviously like don't eat and then like guys are wearing tights andstuff, you know, or, or the girls are in leotards.
(57:35):
So they're easy access and you're touching each other, you know, it's just, I just feellike it's just, it's easy access to.
make up some kind of drama.
Whereas, you know, I guess if you're just being a normal dancer and just doing your jobs,they're like, no, that's not that exciting.
No, I mean, I like I'm a big 30 for 30 fan on ESPN.
(57:57):
Have you ever seen that series?
It's like they do documentaries on different athletes.
My fantasy is that ESPN would do a series of 30 for 30s on ballet dancers, because I thinkthat would be really cool to kind of go behind the scenes.
and then like, and what, how, like the other things that dancers do, like, you know,people going to, you know, getting their master's degree on the side or like, oh, a dancer
(58:20):
who's a mom or a dad and you know, all the other things, a teacher doing all the otherthings at night.
Like there's, there is so much more than, you know, those go-to stories.
But I think for all of that, because it's been generalized now,
In a lot of the media, it's like now that's what's expected in a way, you know, which isnot fair.
(58:46):
handled that?
Because that was going to be the next big thing, and then boom, they canceled it.
Yeah.
I know.
I mean, I enjoyed it.
I watched it.
I thought it was fun because I had friends in it and stuff.
I thought the dancing was great.
That was really nice, again, to have real dancing in there with real, know, was so fun tosee Chris Wheldon play himself.
(59:10):
That was wonderful to have all of that.
But yeah, I don't know.
was like, well, was that not, that wasn't enough?
It wasn't enough.
drama or whatever, like they had to can it.
I don't know.
I mean, I thought that it was pretty good.
Yeah, I was excited for it to continue.
(59:30):
mean, I think some of the criticism that I had heard is the main characters were just kindof unlikable and they wished like the dancing, the dancers were brought forward a little
more and that the main characters were made a little bit more approachable and likable.
But I was just excited that ballet was gonna get kind of its next shot at the spotlight.
(59:54):
um
it being so like cringy.
They meant like the artistic directors were not likable.
Cause I think that's kind of realistic.
to saying that's usually like a common thing, you know?
Yeah, I mean, but yeah, I know it would have been nice to have more of the like, yeah, thedance.
(01:00:22):
I'm super curious about Black Swan, uh and Jenny, you can edit this out if you want to,was that when uh Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millipied were starting their thing?
Yes, so the T is, he was actually, uh he was with Isabella Boylston at the time.
(01:00:43):
And before, like when I was in the company, um he had been with Saskia, but yeah, he waswith Isabella, they were dating, and then yeah, during this movie, that is when they
started kind of, yeah.
And then he got all big into like other movie things and he ended up,
actually coming, he choreographed a piece for Pennsylvania Ballet, like soon after that.
(01:01:08):
And they would drive from New York every day and she would like sit in her car.
Like she wouldn't come in the building.
She's just like, yeah, it's like when she was in it.
Yeah, yeah, edit this part out.
Yeah, she would, I don't know if she would just like sit in the car the whole time he waschoreographing.
So that's why was like, I don't know how much of it was her acting and how much of it washer, I don't know.
(01:01:31):
But.
Yeah, that was all.
And again, edit this part out.
I feel like he was like, he really enjoyed the whole limelight of the movie process.
he, I think he was like, ooh, this is like what I want to do more of this.
And so that was kind of like, you know, that was a way, a way in.
(01:01:55):
Was it off?
Like, did everyone know what was going on?
Kind of, because I mean people were friends with Isabella, so.
Oh yeah.
Cause that I remember, like, I don't know if you remember that cause it was a while ago,but like all of my friends, was like, uh all of a sudden like, he just like came back
after the movie was done taping was like, you're out.
(01:02:18):
Like no explanation, just like kicked her out, all her stuff.
And that was it.
wait, they were living together?
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, it was just like, okay, bye.
And this was before she was like a big deal.
She was just like in the core at ABT.
What an asshole.
(01:02:39):
honestly, okay, we can put this back in.
Do you think, like, why didn't he choose ABT Corp?
I mean, no offense to Pennsylvania Ballet, but like, there are two major companies in NewYork and if he was, and they're right there and they're not in season at that point, and
if he was dating Bella, why didn't they use ABT dancers?
(01:03:02):
Maybe he wanted a more Balanchine aesthetic and you guys are Balanchine.
maybe.
Yeah, I don't know.
I don't know.
I just know that they were like, hey, you want to be in a movie?
said, sure.
Yeah, that is a good point.
That is a good point.
Yeah.
I don't know, just, Andy used ABT costumes, so I don't know, ABT could probably be alittle butt hurt.
(01:03:25):
I mean, a little like, what, hey, sorry, my teenager rubs off on me and I say like things.
Yeah, they might have been.
Yeah, I don't know.
imagine that would be a huge letdown.
Like, wait a minute, we're supposed to be a miracles company.
Why aren't you using us?
I mean...
true.
That is true.
Yeah, because yeah, we do.
Yeah, that's where their costumes.
(01:03:45):
So, know, mean, ballet sliding continues, right?
Hey, maybe we were cheaper for the Pennsylvania instead of New York.
I don't know, but I think this like all goes back to ballet with like just the absence ofcommunication, right?
It's like, it just kind of, you know, they point you in the direction and say, hey, youwant to do this?
(01:04:06):
You're like, oh, okay.
But.
have any idea it was gonna blow up like this?
Like while you were filming it, did you have any sense that like this was gonna be what itwas?
No, no, I mean, that was the thing.
It was like, okay, well, these are big name people, you know, like with Darren and VictorCastell, you know, and Natalie, obviously.
But like, again, I thought like, maybe this will be like, at like, you know, the likeindie film festival or something.
(01:04:34):
Yeah, yeah, we didn't, we really didn't, we didn't know.
Especially because it, like, I don't wanna say it felt unorganized, because I think that'sjust how, like, movies run.
But as a dancer who was in the Agma Company who was very used to things being run likethat, it felt like, what, what do you mean?
Like, we don't know when we're gonna dance right now.
(01:04:56):
And then like, you know, doing like, oh, maybe we could do this or this, you know, it justfelt like, oh, this is, I don't know.
So, yeah.
I I think it's one of those very interesting things that I think there's like, there's nogreat either you really like it or you really don't.
And it seems like you really kind of fell in that take me back to a ballet companywhere...
(01:05:16):
Yeah, but some people, yeah, some people loved it, you know, like Sarah Hay was in thecompany with us and they loved her.
You know, she had like the orange hair, like strikingly beautiful.
And so they were always like, you know, putting her in the front for things and like shereally enjoyed it.
And then that's when she like soon after ended up like moving to LA and she was in thatflesh and bone.
(01:05:39):
She was like the main character in that.
So for some people it really like brought out like a new thing for them.
Yeah, not me.
I think, yeah.
Like you've given us so much of your time.
I'm so glad you came in to talk to us and stroll down memory lane and talk about BlackSwan.
Is there anything you wanted to wrap this conversation with?
(01:06:03):
Like a fun little memory or, I don't know.
I just can't believe it's been 15 years.
It feels like it was like a different like lifetime ago, know, totally like just fun tothink about being back, you know, in the core of Pennsylvania Ballet to where I am now.
(01:06:25):
and...
Oh, thank you.
but like the dancing part?
Have you shown her any of the part and be like, look, your mama's in a movie.
no, haven't.
Actually, I do have like, I have a book somewhere, like one of the crew guys, like hadtaken a bunch of backstage photos and put together some kind of book.
And I don't even know how my mom found it, but she like bought it.
(01:06:48):
And so I should, that would be good.
I know, I know.
It was actually really like, it's a really nice like book, cause it's not just like, youknow, pictured from the movie.
It's like behind the scenes.
So I should show her that.
That would be cool.
But you know, like I, the other day I'm, Carnival of the Animals, John Liscow, like wrotethe book that was for the ballet that Christopher Wilden choreographed uh for New York
(01:07:15):
City Ballet.
And I was in the original production of that.
And so the book, the children's book, there's a picture in the back of it.
And like, I'm in that picture.
And we were at the library the other day, and I was like,
book, there's that book, like we have it.
But I was like, look, there's a book, mama's saying the book in the library, isn't thatcool?
And she was like, we have, I already know that.
Like we already have.
(01:07:35):
And I was like, okay, I just thought that would be cool.
Like, like I'm like in this book that's like in the library, but she didn't care.
Yeah, exactly.
So yeah, who knows who cares.
I don't know, it's kind of healthy.
I was like, you know, but that is so funny.
Lauren, thank you so much for joining us.
(01:07:57):
This has been a delight.
Good to see you too.
Thank you so much.
Okay, let me stop.
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