THE MAGAZINE
A Tale of Autumn
Ever felt inspired by autumn? Good. So were Osslund, Tchaikovsky, and Rohmer, among many others. Read this article to find out how the season appears in art, music, and film, and why its briefness makes artists notice things they ignore the rest of the year.
A Life in Dance: Back to School Book Recommendations
As the school year begins, reading lists shift from summer novels to the books that shape a creative life. In this article, TWoA highlights three essential titles—Allegra Kent’s memoir, Twyla Tharp’s creative guide, and The Swans of Harlem—each revealing what it really takes to build a career in dance and the arts.
The Art of Conversation: From the Private Salon to the Public Art Cafe
What began as aristocratic salons now lives on in bookstores, cafés, and pop-up lectures. TWoA charts the art café’s transformation—and why we still crave spaces built on talk and ideas.
Happy World Ice-Cream Day: Rachmaninoff’s Cherry Malted Milk Float
Rachmaninoff, stern onstage and sweet-toothed in private, adored one thing above all: a cherry malted milk float. For World Ice-Cream Day, TWoA dives into the dessert that softened a musical giant—and why this fizzy American treat meant more to him than anyone knew.
Bites of Luxury: From the Renaissance to the Kardashians
In art, life, and social media, food does more than tempt: it signals status. TWoA looks at how lobsters, lemons, Erewhon smoothies, and untouched piles of fruit became a visual shorthand for luxury—and why this is a trend that keeps resurfacing. Read on.
Grounds for Rebellion: Bach’s Coffee Cantata
“If I can’t drink my bowl of coffee three times daily…” Bach’s Coffee Cantata begins as a lighthearted story about a girl and her devotion to caffeine—but beneath it runs a quiet feminist rebellion taking shape in 1730s Leipzig.
Artful Anchovies: The Art History Behind the Tinned Fish Revival
Canned seafood has transformed from cheap staple to a vibrant luxury that is quickly becoming a bespoke influence on the culinary and aesthetic world. There is another element that has been snatching the attention of small businesses, social media users, and consumers: the artwork that the fish comes wrapped in.
It’s Movie Night: Dancer Edition
Curling up and watching a movie during the cold winter months is one of the best ways to unwind. For those who wish to continue to learn and indulge in dance while recuperating from stressors like Nutcracker performances or final exams, check out some of these beautiful dance films.
Into the Woods: Feeling the Benefits of Forest Bathing in Art
In our modern urban (and increasingly technological) lives, it is all too easy to feel overwhelmed. Wellbeing gurus suggest getting out, feeling our feet in the dirt, and bathing in the vibrations of nature. But a trip to the woods is not always feasible. So how about we try a form of forest bathing at home? Through art perhaps.
Merry Christmas!
TWoA asked four of the artists portrayed in some of our most popular interviews about their favourite seasonal activities. Curl up with a hot drink and enjoy the spirit of this season with Eunike Tanzil, Sumina Studer, Isabella McGuire Mayes and Seokyoung Hong.
Silent Stories: The Language of Style from the Old Masters to Bridgerton
To understand art (or Bridgerton!), you may as well start with the clothing. From the Old Masters to the TV screen, style reveals unspoken stories, offering a peek into characters’ interiority.
Choosing the Right Variation for a Ballet Competition
Are you planning to compete at a ballet competition this school year? Choosing the right variation is a key condition for success. What principles should guide your choice? TWoA talked to Inna Bayer, artistic director of Bayer Ballet Academy, and one of her students, Crystal Huang, prize winner at the Prix de Lausanne 2024, the Youth America Grand Prix 2024, 2024 YoungArts (Dance/Ballet) and of the Grand Prix at the 2024 South Africa International Ballet Competition.
Spencer Rubin’s Guide to New York
Spencer Rubin is an oboe student at The Juilliard School in New York. He has earned numerous grand prize and first place awards in national and international competitions and has performed as a soloist with orchestras. He grew up on Long Island, just outside Manhattan. TWoA talked to Spencer about his favourite things to do in the Big Apple.
Considering Practice, Remembering Fun
Bravery requires fear: “I wish I could tell you whether the rest of the recital went well or not, but honestly I wasn’t even listening to myself, I was just thinking: Don’t fuck up. Don’t fuck up, or you’ll have wasted all of their time. Don’t fuck up, or they’ll all wonder why you were asked to play in the first place. Don’t fuck up, or they’ll find out that you’re the worst organist in Cambridge. “
Yuka Iwai 岩井優花, Principal Soloist, K-Ballet Tokyo: How to Prepare for an Unexpected Debut
Yuka Iwai is a principal soloist with K-Ballet Tokyo. Two weeks before K-Ballet’s recent revival of Giselle, she found out that she would step in for an injured dancer and dance Giselle at the production’s opening night. TWoA talked to Yuka about the special challenge of learning a principal role in two weeks.
Will Social Media Shape the Future of Classical Music?
Who doesn’t enjoy a good scroll through some classical music content on social media? But the role of social media in the world of classical music goes beyond entertainment. Social media might help create a vision of classical music suited to modern society, and reaching a diverse audience that reflects this society.
Eating the Opera: The Recipes Behind Three of Italy’s Most Celebrated Composers
Good music isn’t made on an empty stomach. Discover the stories behind the culinary pastimes of three of the most celebrated composers of the 19th century, Gioachino Rossini, Giacomo Puccini, and Giuseppe Verdi through three recipes they left behind.
Arguing for Instagram: How Algorithmic Addiction Can Advance the Dancer
It starts with one harmless minute on your phone, right? Just a few minutes on Instagram, one more video on YouTube, and soon enough hours have passed and nothing you originally set out to accomplish has been done. But you can learn to turn this form of procrastination into a vital tool for your own artistic education.
Sumina Studer, Violinist and Music Entrepreneur: London’s Hidden Music and Art Spots
Award-winning violinist and music entrepreneur Sumina Studer is a true citizen of the world who has captured the hearts of millions on her various social media platforms. She has now made London her home. TWoA talked to Sumina about her favourite music and art spaces in London, and about social media in the arts and de-pressurising classical music.
Inspiring Words at the 2024 Prix de Lausanne
From 29 January 2024 until 4 February 2024, dance students and ballet lovers all over the world got to experience the Prix de Lausanne in daily live streams. Apart from the dancing, one of this year’s highlight were the inspiring words spoken at the awards ceremony by two former prima ballerinas, President of the Jury Darcey Bussell and Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Alessandra Ferri.