darling, put on some lipstick, and let’s see how it goes

Abrera after rehearsal at A.B.T. Photographs by Brenda Ann Kenneally. Courtesy of the New York TImes Magazine.

from the ny times magazine’s “a star is made” about ballerina stella abrera:

Another mentor of Abrera’s, Georgina Parkinson, also danced through her 40s. Parkinson was a wild and fabulous figure in London during her time as a principal ballerina for the Royal Ballet. She was a ballet mistress at A.B.T. when Abrera joined the company. “She took me under her wing,” Abrera said. “She was hilarious. We would be doing some hard phrase, again and again, trying to make it work, and she’d say, ‘Darling, put on some lipstick, and let’s see how it goes.’ ” Abrera explained that it meant something like try to feel differently about yourself, try to lighten up. It could change how you approach the step. It wasn’t really about appearance; it was about a feeling, about getting some distance.