Spring Awakening Sleeping Beauty Q & A with Houston Ballet’s Company Dancers

Houston Ballet presents “THE SLEEPING BEAUTY” at the Wortham Theater Center MARCH 13 – 23, 2025 Get your tickets 🎟️

Today we are honored to have a podcast conversation and Q & A with 2 Houston ballet company dancers to share their experience and journey of dance and performance with Houston Ballet! Watch our episode on Spotify Podcasts and YouTube or listen to the audio option on Apple Podcasts.

Getting to interview fellow professional ballet dancers is a gift, especially for someone like me who grew up attending the School of American Ballet having performed at Lincoln Center with The New York City Ballet as a teen. Ballet is truly a magically intricate artistic journey and I am excited to collaborate with prominent ballet companies around the world to help inspire the artistic revival of arts & culture across all societies!

Let’s return to the appreciation of beautiful dancers, seasonal ballet performances, exquisite costumes & fairytale stories, all infused with divine music for all generational audiences to enjoy live on the stage!

If you’re in the Houston area, come get your tickets for the Spring Season March 13-23 2025, and take part in the magnificent production of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ Ballet!

From Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s beautifully awe-inspiring score, alongside the amazing Houston Ballet artists and inspiring Choreographer & Artistic Director Emeritus Ben Stevenson O.B.E. and Costume designer Desmond Heeley as he sets the stage with luxurious sets, brilliant garments, tutus, and the rest of the costumes, come celebrate the story of love triumphing over evil as Princess Aurora awakens from her deep sleep after being cursed by Carabosse to a world 100 years into the future ready to accept the power of healing through love, time, and connection, all thanks to the Lilac Fairy’s discretion. Blossom into Spring with Houston Ballet this month!

Question # 1: Tell us a little about your journey with dance

Neal Burks: I started dancing ballet at 8 years old back in Jacksonville at Florida Ballet. I was at an elementary school of the arts and we had to choose either dance, theater, music, etc. and I started with piano. So I started with the music side of things. And around Nutcracker time there were auditions at Florida Ballet and my dance teacher suggested I go and got in so I did the Nutcracker and loved it. Then I started taking classes on the side after school which kept elevating and then eventually moved to Tampa to train further with Next Generation Ballet and then I transitioned to school online. Then I came to Houston Ballet Academy in 2017 and here we are!

*This reminded me of my own experience with learning piano with the amazing piano teacher Jeffrey Middleton who taught me and all the ballet students piano at the School of American Ballet, which was such a gift of music in addition to the art of ballet!

Allison Whitley: I was 3 but that was baby ballerina classes. I probably decided I wanted to do ballet at 10 or 11.

Question # 2: What do you love about dancing with Houston Ballet?

Neal: I love the rep, the diversity in the repertoire that we do. I love the teachers, the staff, the facilities, the studios are great. Everyone is so amazing and the environment is so uplifting. I feel like there’s such a community and family side of things working here. We’re lucky enough to have live pianists and each and every one of them are amazing.

Allison: I think the community is great. A lot of people have this idea of us being so against each other but it’s not like that at all here. We’re all so supportive. People come from the outside and they see we’re such a clapping company. We’re always clapping for each other and someone can fall flat on their face and we’re like ‘yeah! You did your best. Go for it. You really went for it!’ There’s not many places that can say that. There’s a lot of competitiveness everywhere so I think Houston Ballet is really great!

Question # 3: What productions are coming up with Houston Ballet?

Neal: Next we are working on our mixed rep In the Night and then right after that The Sleeping Beauty full length. In the Night Features 3 programs: Jerome Robbins In The Night, Stanton Welch’s Meninus, and Celts by Lila York.

Allison: Sleeping Beauty is coming up and we have lots of really challenging solos we’re working on. What I like most about this one is everybody kind of gets their moment, so it’s really fun and supportive in the company. Everybody’s super happy and cheering everybody on and you really feel the support in the room. I think that’s the best part of this production. And I’ve been working on Temperament Fairy, Generosity Fairy, Pas de Chat. Those are my big 3 ones that I’m working on and I’m doing Nymphs in Act 2 and Lilac Fairy Attendance and Friends in Act 1.

Question # 4: What are your goals for the future?

Neal: I feel like goal-wise is to make sure I keep working and become the best version of myself that I can be. I don’t like to put strict goals on myself because it can limit your mindset. I like to be very open but I also do have a path and vision of where I’d like to go in the future. I like having a growth mindset and taking it a day at a time because anything can change!

Allison: A general goal for dance for me is just touching people in the audience and connecting with people. I think that’s all we can ask for as performers. A bigger goal of mine for the future is to be more in leadership in the Houston Company one day.

Question # 5: What is your favorite ballet step?

Neal: For me it’s definitely a double tour. I love jumping and there are so many different ways you can do it!

Allison: I’ve always liked to turn. I like fouettés and pirouettes. Those are my favorite, or at least what comes most naturally to me.

Question # 6: Any pre-performance rituals?

Allison: I know some people shut down when they’re nervous but I’m definitely a person who likes to talk and be super active! So I don’t know if I annoy people in the dressing room but I’m like running around and I want music playing and people look at me like I’m nuts but that’s just my way of getting the nerves out a little bit and calming down.

Question # 7: Where can people buy tickets and learn more about Houston Ballet?

Neal: The website is HoustonBallet.org and you can also visit our box office at the Wordham Theater and connect to our social media:

Instagram: @HoustonBallet

YouTube: @HoustonBallet

TikTok: @HoustonBallet

Allison Whitley, Corps de Ballet

Allison joined Houston Ballet as an Apprentice from Houston Ballet Academy after two seasons in Houston Ballet II and one season in the professional division. She was promoted to Corps de Ballet in July 2024. Whitley trained at The Dallas Conservatory before attending Houston Ballet Academy’s Summer Intensive Program. @allydancer_123 on Instagram

Neal Burks, Corps de Ballet

A Jacksonville, FL native, Neal trained at The Florida Ballet, Next Generation Ballet, and Houston Ballet Academy before joining Houston Ballet in 2021. Some of his most cherished roles include Petruchio in Romeo and Juliet and Trumpet in The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra—a role that marked a full-circle moment from his early days at Houston Ballet Academy to performing on the Wortham stage with the Company. @nburks12 on Instagram

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Article Written by: Ari Bliss, join us for our upcoming weekly ballet barre and variation classes via zoom, first class free 🥰

Ari Bliss is the host of the Growth, Grace, and Gratitude Podcast. She is a pre-med/psychology graduate, a professional ballerina, lifestyle columnist, and author who grew up performing ballet at Lincoln Center with The New York City Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and at Madison Square Garden. Her poem book "Long Distance Love" is out! Her unique upbringing has inspired her to open up the conversation with experts in their field for the purpose of growing in self-development. Covering themes in dance, spirituality & astrology, relationships & dating, mental health & career from everyone’s favorite Astrologer Valerie Mesa to ADHD Mental Health Coach Brooke Schnittman. We appreciate all our diverse guests that are motivational in their approach to lending their expertise in offering practical daily mental health guidance for our listeners. We celebrated over 75 inspiring guests. We look forward to continuing the conversation to inspire all generations towards achieving authentic happiness and success! Connect with us for daily inspired content & conversation on:

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