THE MAGAZINE
Choreographer Spotlight: Justin Peck
Renowned for his energetic footwork and playful musicality, Justin Peck has built a remarkably prolific career as New York City Ballet’s Resident Choreographer. Two decades after beginning his choreographic journey as a student at the School of American Ballet, he has created more than 50 ballets and become one of the defining voices of American dance today.
Interview: Chloe Helimets, 15, Prix de Lausanne 2025 Finalist
Fifteen-year-old Chloe Helimets, a third-generation ballet dancer and two-time YAGP Youth Grand Prix winner, is one of just eighteen Americans selected for the Prix de Lausanne 2025. In this interview, she speaks about growing up in a ballet family, preparing for the world’s most prestigious competition, and learning to balance artistry, pressure, and passion.
Joseph Markey, American Ballet Theatre: On Turning “Crime and Punishment” into a Ballet
Fedor Dostoevsky’s dark psychological novel Crime and Punishment is a masterpiece of world literature. Last autumn, you could find it in the dance bags of many dancers at American Ballet Theatre: choreographer Helen Pickett and co-director James Bonas were turning the book into a ballet for American Ballet Theatre. The company will perform the production at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ins Washington on 12-16 February 2025. TWoA talked to ABT dancer Joseph Markey, who created the part of Luzhin, and who will have his debut as Raskolnikov in Washington.
Sleep, Dreams, Fantasies: Three Very Short Essays on Schumann’s Kinderszenen
While other composers wrote with quill and ink, Schumann composed with pure imagination, letting his wandering stories and daydreams spill onto the page. In this essay, discover how that magic shaped Kinderszenen and turned a simple set of piano miniatures into a world of dreams, memories, and quiet wonder.
Life in La Jolla: Three 20th-Century Modern Architectural Masterpieces
La Jolla’s rugged coastline is home to some of the most striking modern architecture in California—structures shaped as much by the Pacific Ocean as by the vision of the architects who built them. Discover how three 20th-century masterpieces blend art, landscape, and coastal life in a region where nature is both a muse and a force to withstand.
The Wicked Witch of Art History
From Dürer’s demonic hags to Waterhouse’s enchanting sorceresses, the art-historical witch has taken countless forms—grotesque, erotic, symbolic, and empowering. This article traces how a figure once used to fuel fear and misogyny became a complex icon reclaimed by modern women artists and pop culture alike.
Disease, Death, and Disaster: Andy Warhol’s Hidden Legacy
Behind Warhol’s glossy Marilyns and Factory glamour lies a hidden story of illness, fragility, and fear. This article uncovers how disease, trauma, and near-death experiences shaped the artist’s darker works—from car crashes to endangered species—and reveals the vulnerable Andy Warhol he worked so hard to conceal.
“People’s attitudes have changed a lot:” Busking on the London Underground
Once an illegal trade, busking on the London Underground is now a celebrated art form—and 67-year-old penny-whistle player Jonathan has witnessed the whole transformation. Read how public attitudes, the permit scheme, and the magic of fleeting underground encounters have reshaped a busker’s life.
It’s Movie Night: Dancer Edition
Looking for the perfect winter movie night? From Wim Wenders’ luminous Pina to the grit of Russian ballet in Ballerina, these four films reveal the beauty, power, and pain of dancers’ lives on and off the stage.
New Year’s Inspiration: Leon Bakst
Celebrate the New Year with the bold colours, exotic motifs, and trailblazing stage designs of Leon Bakst, the Ballets Russes visionary whose cosmopolitan imagination reshaped modern art, theatre, and fashion—and continues to inspire creatives more than a century later.
Into the Woods: Feeling the Benefits of Forest Bathing in Art
Feeling overwhelmed by city life? Discover how artists from Wang Meng to Friedrich and Morisot turned forests into spaces of refuge, imagination, and calm—and how their paintings can offer a little “forest bathing” from home.
Merry Christmas!
As winter settles in, we asked four artists from our most-loved interviews to share their favourite festive rituals—from family music-making and Christmas markets to jazzy carol transcriptions and the perfect holiday meal—to celebrate the magic of the season.
Finnish Folklore and Legends: How Art Helped Shape Finnish Identity
To understand Finnish art, one must first understand Finland’s long struggle to define itself, and how Traditional Finnish Art grew from a need to forge an identity distinct from Swedish and Russian rule. At the heart of this story lies the illustrated Kalevala, whose vivid myths and imagery helped shape both Finnish art and the very idea of Finnish national identity itself.
Practicing without your instrument? The benefits of mental practice
Practicing without your instrument may seem counterintuitive, but as many great musicians know, mental practice can sharpen technique, deepen interpretation, and reconnect you with the heart of the music in ways a practice room sometimes can’t. Read on for more.
Interview: Rae Yue Pung, pianist
Rae Yue Pung, a 21-year-old Singaporean pianist who has just released her debut album Piano Sonatas, speaks to TWoA about growing up in Singapore’s young classical-music scene, her unconventional path through elite training abroad, and the complex journey from precocious child musician to independent, mature artist.
Alis Huws, Former Royal Harpist: “It's the 21st century. We shouldn't be the ones expecting people to come and find us in a concert hall. I think you have to go to them.”
Former Royal Harpist Alis Huws has played for kings, emperors, and global audiences—but her most meaningful performances often happen far from the spotlight. Raised in Welsh-speaking Wales, where the harp is woven into daily life, Huws reflects on blind medieval bards, royal tradition, and the instrument’s quiet power to heal. From the coronation of King Charles III to dementia care homes and special-needs schools, she makes a compelling case for a 21st-century classical musician: one who doesn’t wait for audiences to come to the concert hall, but brings music directly to the people who need it most.
The Dazzling Spectacle of Frieze: Through the Eyes of an Intern
Ever wondered what it’s like to work at London’s buzzing and fashion-forward Frieze Art Fair? Georgia Dougherty, a student at the Courtauld Institute of Art, takes us behind the scenes of Frieze Masters, where she attended as an intern with James Cohan Gallery, offering a first-hand glimpse into the energy, glamour, and inner workings of one of the art world’s most influential fairs.
Marina Abramović and the Art of Being Present
What does it mean for an artist to become the artwork itself? In her 2010 performance The Artist Is Present, Marina Abramović spent three months seated in New York’s Museum of Modern Art, inviting visitors to sit across from her under three simple conditions: silence, sustained eye contact, and no physical contact.
How Do We Teach About Female Composers?
How do we meaningfully teach the music of women who have long been excluded from the Western canon? Natalie Tero examines the historical, social, and pedagogical challenges surrounding composers such as Fanny Hensel, Clara Schumann, and Amy Beach, asking how their work can be studied and valued beyond narratives of struggle alone.
Interview: Paloma Livellara Vidart, 19, Prix de Lausanne 2024 Prize Winner
How does a 19-year-old dancer navigate the leap from international competition to professional life? Prize-winning ballerina Paloma Livellara Vidart reflects on her journey from Buenos Aires to Monaco and New York, her award-winning performance at the Prix de Lausanne 2024, and her first weeks dancing with American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, sharing thoughtful insights on growth, self-belief, and finding joy in the early stages of a professional career.