Kravis Kicks Off ArtSmart Lunch & Learn

Steven Caras, Megan Fairchild
Photo: CAPEHART

(PRESS RELEASE)_(West Palm Beach, Fla.)  The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts recently kicked off its popular ArtSmart Lunch & Learn educational series on January 22. New York City Ballet principal dancer, Megan Fairchild, shared an in-depth look at her recent book “The Ballerina Mindset: How to Protect Your Mental Health While Striving for Excellence” during the first of three presentations in the Kravis Center’s Gimelstob Ballroom of the Cohen Pavilion.
 
Interviewed by Steven Caras, one of the most prolific dance photographers in the genre’s history, Ms. Fairchild took the audience through her mental health journey while becoming a principal dancer in the New York City Ballet. During her time there, she danced the role of The Sugarplum Fairy in PBS’ Live from Lincoln Center telecast of George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker” and made her Broadway debut in the Tony Award-nominated revival of “On the Town.”
 

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Ms. Fairchild was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and began her dance training at the age of four. She entered the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, in the fall of 2000. In November 2001, Ms. Fairchild became an apprentice with New York City Ballet and in January 2005, she was promoted to principal dancer.
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“A ballet career is a journey - a long process of figuring yourself out as an artist and you can’t do it in one day,” said Ms. Fairchild. “Sometimes that is the expectation for dancers. Being a young principal dancer with high expectations was a lot of pressure. I always tried to relax and have a positive way of thinking to stay in a good place and keep working on myself, as well my craft.”
 
Ms. Fairchild’s vast repertoire includes principal roles in works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon and Justin Peck. Among the numerous ballets in which she has starred are “Allegro Brillante,” “Swan Lake,” “The Sleeping Beauty”, “Duo Concertant,” George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker,” “Stars and Stripes,” “Themes and Variations” and “Tarantella.”
 
The next Lunch & Learn event, “Hamilton: The Man Behind the Musical,” presented by Dr. Robert Watson, historian, professor and political commentator, takes place on February 26. The second ArtSmart Lunch & Learn is sponsored by Patricia and Edward Falkenberg.
 
On March 18, bestselling author Laurence Leamer will take the audience backstage in writing his national bestseller, “Capote’s Women,” which has been made into an eight-part series on FX and Hulu. “FEUD: Capote Vs. The Swans,” premiered on January 31. Mr. Leamer will also talk about his recent book, “Hitchcock’s Blondes,” which has been optioned for a major series.  
 
Tickets for Lunch & Learn presentations are $125 and include lunch prepared by Kravis Events by Lessing’s Hospitality Group. Lunch & Learn offers open seating. Doors to the Harris Pre-Function Hall and Gimelstob Ballroom will not open prior to 11:30 a.m. To purchase tickets for the ArtSmart Lunch & Learn events, visit www.kravis.org/performance-calendar/lunchandlearn/ or call the Box Office at 561-832-7469 (561-832-SHOW).
 
The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts provides exceptional cultural experiences that entertain, inspire, and educate audiences across the entire community. For information, please visit kravis.org.