Answers with Melissa Barak

Answer 1

When did your love for dance begin?

I don't quite remember an exact time or instance that Ballet struck me as something I wanted to do. I was always dancing to music around the house so my mother decided to get me into ballet classes. I've done ballet ever since.

Answer 2

When did you know you wanted to make a career out of dance?

When I was eight years old, my mother enrolled me at the Westside School of Ballet in Santa Monica, a pre-professional school where the ballet training was taken very seriously. There I was exposed to other talented dancers older than me, which gave me the motivation and inspiration to pursue it. We also had annual Nutcracker and Spring performances that I just loved being part of. I started performing for paying audiences when I was eight years old, and from the get-go I loved it.

Answer 3

Your passion eventually took you to New York to study at the School of American Ballet. What did this experience teach you?

Being at SAB taught me one big thing: that I certainly was not the only young talented dancer out there. At Westside, I was sort of the budding ballerina that my teachers took under their wing. At SAB, my whole class was filled with amazing talent, which intimidated me. I wasn't mentally prepared for that. It was my first taste of what real competition was like.

Answer 4

How did your schooling at the School of American Ballet shape you as the dancer you are today?

I absolutely love the foot and leg work of the Balanchine technique. At SAB, we learned how to use our feet through a pointe shoe and how to move quickly with our legs. In order to express oneself on stage, one has to keep up technically with the choreography being executed. SAB instilled that approach in me.

Answer 5

What was the biggest challenge you had to face before you really made it in your dance career?

My personal challenge was trying not to compare myself to others in every possible way. It was difficult for me to look at other dancers' physical and technical ability, talent, and career trajectory without feeling that what I had achieved wasn't enough.

Answer 6

After studying at the School of American Ballet, you earned a spot in the New York City Ballet. What was the audition process like?

There was no formal audition for NYCB. As a student at the school, every day is pretty much an audition. The teachers keep an eye on your progress, commitment, and work ethic. NYCB's director, Peter Martins, remains very much in the know. I guess a big audition moment for many SAB students is the end of the year workshop performance, but I had been told I was getting a contract before then.

Answer 7

When did you first start exploring your choreographic talents?

It was for SAB's first student choreography workshop in the Fall of 1997. I had always choreographed in my head, but never on actual bodies. I applied for the chance at being part of the workshop and was one of six students chosen.

Answer 8

At the age of 21 you were commissioned for an original work for the New York City Ballet, making you the youngest choreographer in New York City Ballet history. What did it feel like to achieve this amazing feat?

It was surreal, it was scary, and it was overwhelming. The fact that I'm able to say I made NYCB history in some way is incredibly cool; however, I did not feel confident enough in my abilities or choreographic voice yet to really be "out there" in such a prominent way. Many choreographic careers usually begin a bit more behind-the-scenes. Mine virtually started on one of the biggest stages in the world.

Answer 9

Did more doors open for you after your work for the New York City Ballet was recognized? How so?

Not really. I was so young, and I got into ballet because I loved to dance and perform. I knew I could choreograph until I was an old lady, but dancing you must do while your body is able. After the company performed my second work, I decided to just focus on being a dancer. My heart was still with performing and I found it difficult to juggle both at once.

Answer 10

What's the one work that you're most proud of thus far in your career?

That's a tough question to answer actually. I'm proud of many pieces I've made for different reasons, but being proud doesn't necessarily mean I love the piece. I guess one that comes to mind is the last piece I created with NYCB. I was given the music, which didn't resonate with me at all. I found it incredibly challenging to choreograph to and make some sense of. Regardless, I took on the challenge and made it an even bigger challenge by adding spoken word. Haha. It may not go down as one of my better choreographic moments, but I'm proud for taking such a risk. That whole experience, from the conceptual process to the not-so-nice reviews, made me realize that I can be brave when I need to be.