Life

Global At her highest pointe

Newly promoted to after 20 years with , Filipina-American Stella Abrera reflects on hard work and its rewards, performing through injuries, her humanitarian efforts and how, unwittingly, her success has inspired other dancers of Asian lineage

It’s the middle of the afternoon in says. “Living in New York and being on markedly different each time they step Paris and Stella Abrera is taking a my own for the first time – let’s just say into the room and take their place at well-deserved breather. The American that many fun adventures took place!” the barre. For them, seeing someone Ballet Theatre (ABT) principal dancer is Entering the working world and being like Abrera ascend to such a prominent in the thick of a slate of performances on her own at the tender age of 17 position at one of the world’s top at the Opéra Bastille. She’s tackling the forced Abrera to grow up quickly, but ballet companies denoted significant touchstone role of Aurora in Sleeping it was also thrilling. progress, and was also empowering. Beauty – one of her most intense Following five seasons as a member Indeed, it was after Abrera started challenges to date. “This is a beast of of the corps de ballet, Abrera was getting “really sweet, beautiful a role,” Abrera says, her measured and appointed a soloist in 2001. And after sentiments” from young Asian and musical lilt barely betraying traces of 14 years of honing her skills, she was Asian-American ballet dancers that she the grind that undoubtedly goes into a finally promoted to the company’s top felt comfortable assuming the mantle run like this. “It’s got to be one of the ranks in August 2015. The instant her of a role model. “To have people most difficult roles in any ballerina’s promotion was announced, accolades reach out and say they feel like their arsenal.” Next, she’ll return to New started streaming in, with media skin color affects what’s happening York for ABT’s fall season at Lincoln outlets like Forbes, The Wall Street to them in the ballet world – I’m open Center before the company’s annual Journal and Buzzfeed lauding her as to being educated about that,” says holiday production of . the first Filipina-American ballerina to Abrera, who counts ballet greats like This rounds off a whirlwind year for the make principal dancer at ABT. While Amanda McKerrow, Julie Kent, Susan dancer, one in which she’s performed attention was paid to Abrera’s tireless Jaffe and Alessandra Ferri as role with ABT in Manaus, Brazil, as well as training, impeccable artistry and models and mentors. “I realized that I her hometown of Los Angeles. exquisite grace, her ethnicity – and have a responsibility here, and it’s very But all of this is nothing new. As that she was thriving in an industry important and humbling.” the child of a civil engineer, Abrera whose track record with diversity is Despite not feeling that her race spent much of her childhood bouncing sketchy at best – was the one thing was ever a hindrance, Abrera has had across cities, countries and continents that the media seemed to latch on to. to overcome her fair share of setbacks. for years at a time – including San When we ask Abrera what it felt In 2010, just as she was entering her Diego and Sydney – returning to like to be the first of “her kind” to step prime, she suffered a serious back LA between stops. Her family was into this distinguished role, she takes a injury. This, coupled with a sciatic stationed in Manila when she was long pause before speaking. “Actually, nerve problem, kept her out of action born. Through it all, her time in the it’s been quite eye-opening. The for 18 months. To Abrera, it felt like a studio remained a grounding force, distinction initially caught me quite lifetime. “Injuries are the hardest part and the young Abrera, buoyed by off-guard. My being Filipina-American of our job,” she says. “They’re almost the support of her parents, took her was the last thing on my mind as I was inevitable, whether it’s just a bruised early dance training seriously. “Ballet working up the ranks at ABT, so I didn’t toenail or a major back injury, because was definitely where I felt most at quite know how to handle it,” she says. we ask our bodies to do extreme home,” she recalls. “Even when I was It was as if an identity that she’d never things.” Abrera likens the rigorous going through the transition of being paid much attention to was suddenly training, conditioning and rehearsal the new kid at school, it was always thrust upon her – one that people process that ballet dancers undertake nice to have my daily ballet classes to focused on, and defined her by, when to the physical challenges faced by reinforce that calming feeling.” recognizing her achievement. other athletes, albeit with a “veil Being accustomed to a life in motion But while Abrera admits she’s been of beauty, artistry and glamor over also helped Abrera when she moved fortunate that her race has had little the blood, sweat and pain of it all” cross-country to New York to join ABT bearing on her career, she’s aware that adds an extra dimension to the in 1996. “I’ve always been an outgoing, that many young ballerinas whose discipline’s raw physicality. independent spirit, so I was mainly skin color, body type or general Her recovery period marked an focused on how exciting it was to be appearance veer away from their extremely trying time for the dancer, in my dream ballet company,” Abrera profession’s exacting standard feel who had to go through an arduous

32 ILLUSTRATIONS: CHERYL OWEN rehab program, not to mention wrestle wrestle to mention not program, rehab workto on and perform” iconic roles that joy atrue are challenged such with epic, “I’m constantly being ground up,” says. she ground region, rebuilding their lives from the that in people Filipino the of fortitude and resiliency the to see major so was “It life. her of moving most the of one as counts she experience an herself, for efforts recovery the see to to Guiuan out flew she rehearsals, from off aweekend During community. York New dance wider the and ABT colleagues by Abrera’s raised were donations these of Much 2013. in Yolanda by Typhoon hit hardest Guiuan, Samar, one of the areas supplies for and funds children in the Philippines, to provide educational for Forward Steps charity, her founded was very heartwarming.” It own. their of one as in me took they York, and New or LA from girl this am, I “Here recalls. she ahomecoming,” of treat people Filipino my visit as a bit the to have fantastic was it so Filipino, Philippines in 2014. is “My heritage performances was the titular role in One ofheart. her most memorable holds the Philippines close to her still she country, birth her away from the years following her full recovery. in well her served that’s perspective of asense her giving resolve, Abrera’s The process ultimately strengthened You’re benched.” stage. on to go able not you’re when depressing quite be can it so to perform, is life a dancer’s of purpose “The says. Abrera to heal,” discipline and patience that it takes the have and thoughtful to be have you when that’s strikes, injury when But should. you as everything, into full-force go you and gung-ho and spry a professional dancer, you’re young, as begin first you “When career. her end could injury her that fear the with Before traveling to Manila, Abrera Abrera to Manila, traveling Before Although Abrera was largely raised , which she debuted with Ballet Ballet with debuted she , which Life 33 Life

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE

Here are some of the sleekest new and upcoming performance venues across our network

“Injuries are almost inevitable, because we ask our bodies to

do extreme things” Dubai Opera The lavish $300m Dubai Opera opened its doors Abrera’s charitable efforts are all says. In addition to weekend brunch, this August. It has a capaci- ty of nearly 2,000, features the more commendable considering her annual summer road trip out west 600 light installations and her punishing schedule with ABT, is another non-negotiable pleasure she was designed by leading especially since her recent elevation refuses to compromise on. architecture firm Atkins and developed by Emaar to principal dancer. During an average Despite her veteran status in Properties. Resembling a six-week rehearsal period, she begins the industry, Abrera’s drive hasn’t traditional sailing vessel, her day with a company ballet class at diminished. In fact, following her it’s the latest jewel of the city’s downtown arts ABT’s spawling studios at Manhattan’s promotion, she’s gained a renewed district. Union Square. At her very busiest, she sense of vigor and dedication. “I’m can find herself rehearsing multiple constantly being challenged with such Taipei Performing Arts Center ballet roles back-to-back – from mid- epic, iconic roles that are a true joy Conceptualized by day until seven in the evening. to work on and perform,” she says. OMA, this venue is built “On the toughest days, you have a “That’s what drives me and feeds me for flexibility. Three geometric theaters jut five-minute break each hour to change to show up every day and work my out of the building’s your clothes, put on a new set of hardest to keep my craft going.” cube-like center, creating pointe shoes, go to the bathroom and One aspect of her job that Abrera a striking and futuristic exterior, while the interior pop a peanut in your mouth, and then finds fascinating is the ephemeral accommodates an array you’re doing a completely different quality of live performance. It’s of imaginative uses. It ballet in a different studio,” she says these fleeting, transient moments of officially opens in June 2017. with a wry laugh. absolute focus, intensity and raw joy But Abrera, who lives with her that have kept her devoted to her craft Abu Dhabi Performing husband and former ABT dancer Sascha more than three decades after slipping Arts Centre Although only slated Radetsky, makes sure she allocates into her first pair of ballet shoes. “It to open in 2020, this time for life’s essentials during her flashes by in the blink of an eye, and dramatic Zaha Hadid brief moments of respite. “My husband there’s nothing that will replicate the creation is already making big waves in recently retired from the company, experience I had, the feelings I felt, the the architecture sphere. so he fully understands my life and vibrations of the music and the rush Located in the Saadiyat how it’s kind of a 24/7 thing. We try of energy within the space as I was Cultural District, and housing five theaters, it’ll to keep Sundays just for us – total performing each step,” she says. “It’s complement Abu Dhabi downtime, just making our pancakes visceral. It’s a tangible feeling. And I outposts of the Louvre and and having that one day together,” she love that.” – Rachel Eva Lim Guggenheim.

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