As a young ballet dancer, Adriana Pierce lived with two separate selves: the dedicated dancer in rehearsals and the queer woman exploring her identity outside the studio. This dichotomy was not just a personal struggle but a reflection of the broader challenges faced by LGBTQ individuals in the rigidly gendered world of ballet.
“I regret how I felt in ballet spaces during that time, because I had to leave so much of the best parts of me outside. I don’t think ballet got the best parts of me, and that’s a shame,” Pierce said. Pierce is the founder and artistic director of Queer the Ballet, an organization dedicated to promoting LGBTQ representation and visibility in professional ballet.
Nearby, a troupe of queer dancers rehearsed for “Dream of a Common Language,” a new ballet directed by Pierce and inspired by the poetry of Adrienne Rich. The performance, opening on Friday, explores themes of community and identity, echoing Rich’s work from the 1970s.
Pierce’s mission with Queer the Ballet is to create opportunities for queer women, transgender people, and nonbinary professional dancers to collaborate and perform. This is no small feat in the traditional ballet world, which is notorious for its strict gender roles and narrow definitions of femininity and masculinity.
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“Ballet likes to put people in boxes, and gender is a very specific box that ballet likes to define. And it’s women and it’s men, and the women look a certain way, dance a certain way, behave a certain way,” Pierce explained.
The Dance Data Project found that less than 1% of artistic directors globally are gender-expansive, and the numbers are similarly low for choreographers. There is little reliable data on LGBTQ dancers, but the anecdotal evidence points to significant underrepresentation and challenges.
Ayla O’Day, a nonbinary lesbian soloist from Carolina Ballet and a performer in Queer the Ballet’s upcoming show, expressed the need for more gender expansiveness in ballet. “I have to be a dancer, which is a very specific version of myself, and I have to be a queer person, which is a very specific version of myself,” they said. At Queer the Ballet, O’Day feels seen as a queer person first and then as a dancer.
Pierce’s initiative offers LGBTQ artists the chance to choreograph, something often restricted in traditional ballet companies. For the New York performance, Lenai Alexis Wilkerson, formerly of Cincinnati Ballet, is choreographing a section. Wilkerson’s piece explores first love and newly discovered queer identity, drawing inspiration from classic Hollywood musicals.
Wilkerson challenges traditional gender norms in ballet, particularly in partnering, where roles are usually strictly defined. Her work includes Mia Domini from Carolina Ballet and Annia Hidalgo from Milwaukee Ballet, both of whom are embracing new aspects of their identities through this performance.
Domini, who joined Queer the Ballet as part of her coming-out process, said the company provided a safe space for her to accept her queerness. Hidalgo, who will perform steps typically reserved for male dancers, feels that this show allows her to fully express who she is.
Pointe work, traditionally seen as a gender marker, is being redefined by Pierce and her dancers. Pierce emphasizes the importance of strength and the potential for pointe work to be a skill for all dancers, regardless of gender.
The isolation and fear of losing roles or promotions have historically plagued queer dancers. However, initiatives like Queer the Ballet and Ballez, founded by genderqueer lesbian choreographer Katy Pyle, are creating new communities and opportunities for LGBTQ dancers.
Queer the Ballet’s origins trace back to a Zoom call during the pandemic, where dancers like Lauren Flower, the founder of the Instagram account @queerwomendancers, shared their experiences of loneliness and isolation. Flower’s blog, which began in 2020, has become a platform for queer women dancers to connect and support each other.
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Back in the studio, Pierce directs her dancers through the opening scene of “Dream of a Common Language,” an interpretation of Adrienne Rich’s poem “Phantasia for Elvira Shatayev.” This work, describing the courage and love of an all-women’s climbing team, resonates deeply with Pierce. The dancers start as a unified group, lifting each other in a powerful metaphor for their collective journey.
For Pierce and her dancers, the ballet is more than a performance; it’s a statement about identity, community, and the struggle to be seen and understood in a world that often imposes strict limitations. Through Queer the Ballet, Pierce is carving out a space where LGBTQ dancers can bring their whole selves to their art, challenging the traditional norms of the ballet world and opening doors for future generations.