A new ballet company is providing a space for former serious dancers who continue to love ballet but do not aspire to professional careers. Founded by Emily Gramly and Quynh Thai, the troupe seeks to fill a gap often left by traditional ballet programs, which tend to focus heavily on training for professional performance.

The company emerged from a shared experience between Gramly and Thai, who met in a drop-in class at the Mark Morris Dance Center in New York. Recognizing a common need among dancers who had paused or ended their rigorous training, they envisioned a community where dancers could return to ballet on their own terms, without the pressure of auditions or professional aspirations.

Instead of conventional auditions, the company asks prospective dancers to submit two essays reflecting on their ballet histories and personal experiences with the art form. This emphasis on storytelling reflects the founders’ belief that the emotional journeys of dancers are as important as their technical skills. “Hearing their stories was so much more important than judging their dancing,” Thai said.

Many dancers in the company recount leaving ballet under difficult circumstances. Ballet’s demanding standards can contribute to feelings of rejection and body image struggles. Sabrina Appleby, a company member, described overcoming an eating disorder and finding a healthier, more empowering way to engage with ballet. “I don’t think I’ve ever done ballet at this level in a healthy body where I feel strong,” she said.

The company is currently all female, a choice informed by the founders’ focus on women’s experiences within ballet. They hope to maintain this focus, citing the unique challenges and identities female dancers bring to the art form.

The troupe’s inaugural season features three world premieres by choreographers Tiffany Mangulabnan, Juri Onuki, and Donna Salgado. Mangulabnan’s piece, “Deux Amours,” draws inspiration from Josephine Baker’s song about her connections to both America and Paris, reflecting themes of cultural identity and personal conflict. Rehearsals for the new works have fostered openness and emotional reflection among the dancers, many of whom find resonance in shared experiences of leaving and returning to ballet.

Thea van Warmerdam Patterson, a University of California, Berkeley lecturer and former dancer, noted that ballet is often portrayed as intensely career-focused, which can discourage serious students who do not wish to pursue the profession. By creating a space that values ballet as a lifelong passion rather than only a pathway to professional status, the company offers a new model for how former dancers can continue to engage with the art form in meaningful, healthy ways.