The CW’s ballet reality show Breaking Pointe returns tonight at 9 p.m. ET/PT, and while some familiar faces are back for the new season, new dancers and a new production stir up drama at Ballet West.
Artistic Director Adam Sklute is back to lead the company in their largest and most demanding production to date, “Cinderella.” As the dancers audition for the life-changing roles of Cinderella and Price Charming, who ends up playing what characters might surprise you.
“I play two very different parts, let’s put it that way,” Principal dancer Christopher Ruud said. “Let’s just say that I get in touch with my feminine side.”
Besides the drama of who will take on which roles, this season also sees some dancers having trouble learning a new style of ballet, relationships form and end, and one dancer might dance their last performance ever because of a serious injury.
“I broke my foot in about five places. Ballet’s a violent activity sometimes, and it was a really traumatic experience for me,” First Soloist Ronnie Underwood revealed. “It was in the middle of a show — one of my last jumps of the evening just dusted my foot. I pushed through as best as I could to not let people see that I was hurt. This is a live art form and bad things happen, so you cope and try to make it through. I have to take baby steps and ease myself back into dancing. It’s a real serious Season 2 for me.” Viewers will see Underwood’s struggle to get back to dancing, if his injury even allows him to ever dance again.
Returning this season are Principal Christiana Bennett, First Soloist Underwood and Demi-Soloists Allison DeBona, Rex Tilton and Beckanne Sisk, as well Ruud in his new role as Artistic Director of Ballet West II (a two-year training program for young dancers aspiring to dance professionally in the main company). But who are the new dancers joining them?
The newest “Breaking Pointe” cast members are Corps Artist Joshua Whitehead, Guest Dancer Silver Barkes and Ballet West II Dancers Zachary Prentice and Ian Tanzer. Let the dance drama commence!
