Now regarded as one of the most admired and dedicated teachers of the ballet world, Margaret sat down to tell us more about her love of dance, finding her voice, and her transition from professional dancer to teacher.
How did you first become passionate about ballet?
I first became passionate about ballet as a young child. I was extremely shy, so when my mother took me to my first ballet class at age 6, I found my voice. I could express myself physically through music and movement, and to this day remember how empowered I felt in my very first class. I fell in love with the art form, and never left.
How did you transition to teaching?
My teachers and mentors saw that teaching was something they thought I might take to, so I was always encouraged to teach while I was still a professional dancer. I remember being sent over to the School of American Ballet while I was performing; the experience initially helped give me insight to my own dancing. When I retired from the stage as a professional, I began to accept teaching engagements and just absolutely fell passionately in love with the process of working with students.
What originally drew you to working at Boston Ballet School?
I started as a guest faculty member in 2005 for the Summer Dance Program (SPD), and I was immediately drawn to this school. I saw the potential of really building something exciting in those first couple summers that I spent here. The environment here was one of such respect between the faculty and the administration and the students and the musicians—that was so appealing to me.
What is the most rewarding part of teaching at Boston Ballet School?
The students. To know that you are contributing to a chapter of a student’s journey, whether it’s for five weeks during SDP, five years in the Classical Ballet Program, or five days a week in the Pre-Professional Division, is incredibly rewarding. The goal is to instill a lifelong passion and love for this art form no matter what they do with it. Whether a student becomes professional or not is not most important; most important and most rewarding is how the process of studying ballet changes, empowers, and impacts a person’s life.