Some facts about Wendy Whelan: The 47-year-old is the most senior ballerina at the New York City Ballet. She’s been part of the company for 30 years, 23 of which as a principal dancer. And on Saturday, October 18, Whelan is performing with the NYCB for the last time.
Just because she’s leaving the company, however, doesn’t mean she’s finished dancing. Whelan is still a powerhouse—both artistically and athletically. (For reference, most ballerina careers end in the mid-to-late 30s.) Just watch Whelan’s performance of Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain Pas de Deux in this week’s program, where she effortlessly eases into backbends, performs lifts and graceful falls, and balances in a croisé arabesque on her partner’s leg.
Nevertheless, Whelan is ready to move on to develop her own projects. After all, there is the tour of her contemporary duets, Restless Creature, next year, a collaboration with her husband photographer David Michalek, and the premiere of new work with Royal Ballet principal Edward Watson, to name a few. “The pointe shoes are not going to be right on the shelf that I’m going to reach at,” she says. “They’ll be there; it might come into play here and there, but I’m really starting to dive into a very different world, off the pointe shoes and more into the ground.”
Speaking of covering some ground, we spent an afternoon with Whelan to find out her go-to spots near her Upper West Side apartment, including the massage parlor that works magic—whether you have dancer muscles or not.
Juice Generation
"There are the smoothie kind of juices, the healing kind, and the healthy kind. I love the Joyful Almond for the yummy kind. I get a Lemon Lozange or Cold Warrior if I’m not feeling great, the Citrus Super C for the healthy kind, and I love the raw foods there. I don’t get greens a lot of the time, so I love their kale salad, and they have these raw desserts that taste delicious."
Juice Generation
117 West 72nd St.
New York, NY 10023
Chinese Bodywork Herbal Reflexology
"An ex-dancer friend of mine recommended this place to us, and it’s amazing. They know how to feel with their hands what your body is doing, and we know who is great for deep tissue, who is good for something lighter, so it’s kind of special. They work magic, and it’s less than a dollar a minute. I try to come at least once a week; they close at 10 PM so you can go in after a show if you need it."
Chinese Bodywork Herbal Reflexology
152-154 West 72 ST,
2nd floor, Room 2B
New York, NY 10023
Grandaisy Bakery
"My husband is from Los Angeles, from Venice Beach, and he used to always ride his bike to get coffee in the morning on Abbot Kinney. So he loved it when this place opened; it's kind of a fill-in for his LA fix, his corner coffee place. I love their sandwiches, and their pizzas are amazing. They’re just the right size, and there’s some kind of special ingredient, some cheese that’s very faint and subtle, but so good. The squash pizza is my favorite.&
Just because she’s leaving the company, however, doesn’t mean she’s finished dancing. Whelan is still a powerhouse—both artistically and athletically. (For reference, most ballerina careers end in the mid-to-late 30s.) Just watch Whelan’s performance of Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain Pas de Deux in this week’s program, where she effortlessly eases into backbends, performs lifts and graceful falls, and balances in a croisé arabesque on her partner’s leg.
Nevertheless, Whelan is ready to move on to develop her own projects. After all, there is the tour of her contemporary duets, Restless Creature, next year, a collaboration with her husband photographer David Michalek, and the premiere of new work with Royal Ballet principal Edward Watson, to name a few. “The pointe shoes are not going to be right on the shelf that I’m going to reach at,” she says. “They’ll be there; it might come into play here and there, but I’m really starting to dive into a very different world, off the pointe shoes and more into the ground.”
Speaking of covering some ground, we spent an afternoon with Whelan to find out her go-to spots near her Upper West Side apartment, including the massage parlor that works magic—whether you have dancer muscles or not.
Juice Generation
"There are the smoothie kind of juices, the healing kind, and the healthy kind. I love the Joyful Almond for the yummy kind. I get a Lemon Lozange or Cold Warrior if I’m not feeling great, the Citrus Super C for the healthy kind, and I love the raw foods there. I don’t get greens a lot of the time, so I love their kale salad, and they have these raw desserts that taste delicious."
Juice Generation
117 West 72nd St.
New York, NY 10023
Chinese Bodywork Herbal Reflexology
"An ex-dancer friend of mine recommended this place to us, and it’s amazing. They know how to feel with their hands what your body is doing, and we know who is great for deep tissue, who is good for something lighter, so it’s kind of special. They work magic, and it’s less than a dollar a minute. I try to come at least once a week; they close at 10 PM so you can go in after a show if you need it."
Chinese Bodywork Herbal Reflexology
152-154 West 72 ST,
2nd floor, Room 2B
New York, NY 10023
Grandaisy Bakery
"My husband is from Los Angeles, from Venice Beach, and he used to always ride his bike to get coffee in the morning on Abbot Kinney. So he loved it when this place opened; it's kind of a fill-in for his LA fix, his corner coffee place. I love their sandwiches, and their pizzas are amazing. They’re just the right size, and there’s some kind of special ingredient, some cheese that’s very faint and subtle, but so good. The squash pizza is my favorite.&