My feet — toes gripping, heels rooted — push back against the floor to lengthen the muscles of my thighs and calves ... otherwise pristine pink leather ballet slipper. I am not dancing.

While I was conscious that my legs might feel too tired, I actually found they felt strong and fuelled up (perhaps thanks to the muscle memory of my past ballet muscles). At this point ...

All the stretching, flexing, and strengthening positions can ... You can practically see the muscles in her calves straining as she tests the limits of her body by balancing precariously on ...

“No fouettés today — save them for tonight,” directed Phelan’s coach at New York City Ballet, Kathleen Tracey. Dancer and coach agreed: preserving Phelan’s precious leg muscles took ...