Kathryn Morgan on Ballet Competitions & Pressure to Be Instafamous

Get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive panel discussions by joining our  Patreon In this episode, we're joined by former New York City Ballet and Miami City Ballet soloist Kathryn Morgan for an honest conversation about what really goes on inside ballet competitions. She talks about how scoring and judging works, why she believes the real evaluation at YAGP finals comes from the scholarship classes rather than the stage, and how social media has reshaped what young dancers think a ballet career looks like. We also posed some of the questions parents keep asking us, including whether independent dancers are treated differently than school-affiliated ones, what people mean by "connected schools," and how much influence a school's relationship with a competition really carries. Kathryn answers honestly, including moments where she's clearly thinking it through in real time rather than giving a rehearsed take, and she's upfront about where she does and doesn't have a clear answer.  As competition season is about to get into full swing, this conversation is worth a listen. Links: Pick Up a Year-Round Training Corrections Journal Read Our Ballet School Summer & Year-Round Reviews Support Ballet Help Desk Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk Facebook: BalletHelpDesk TikTok: @BalletHelpDesk Music from #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/ian-aisling/new-future License code: MGAW5PAHYEYDQZCI