Dena Abergel
Interview and article by Pauline Golbin

NYCB Dancers Dena Abergel and Pauline Golbin

My first interview is with my longtime colleague and one of my closest friends Dena Shifra Abergel. A few years separated our studies at the School of American Ballet; but for the past 14 years we have grown up together and shared our greatest triumphs and disappointments as members of New York City Ballet. Our time together has created an everlasting bond that we will forever treasure. One of the greatest gifts of dancing in this company is the amazing people with whom you get to share your life. It is an extraordinary experience to work on a daily basis as part of a team in the pursuit of excellence in your art. Teamwork is the only way that New York City Ballet can put a repertoire of 50 different ballets together during a nine-week season. I am grateful to work among so many extraordinary artists who are beautiful to behold, agile of mind and spirit, and graceful in their steely determination and dedication. Each dancer has a unique experience to share. During this Spring Season I look forward to sharing with you a glimpse of the path that brought some of them to NYCB's door.

My interview with Dena took place on an American Airlines shuttle flight from New York City’s La Guardia airport to Washington D.C's Dulles airport. We had just finished our 14-week 2005 New York Winter Season and were on our way to The John F. Kennedy Center for one final week of dancing. Sitting in our seats with our Fairway Market snacks and bottled water, I launched into my first interview and proceeded to learn new things about my friend of 15 years.

One thing is clear, Dena Abergel loves to move. When you see her on stage or in rehearsal it is her generous, sweeping movement that draws your attention first and her exuberance that holds it. As far back as she can remember she was dancing around the house in Englewood, New Jersey where she grew up. Creative movement classes in the basement ultimately moved upstairs to private dance lessons in the dining room for Dena and her younger sister. She had a ballet barre in her room and remembers dressing up with braids and big hair bows like the featured little girl in the book, How to Be A Dancer In The Royal Ballet School, emulating all the demonstrated positions.

By the time Dena attended the Joffrey Ballet summer course when she was 11 her trajectory was set. As she says, "I loved it. I had dance classes from nine o’clock in the morning until 6:00pm at night, I wanted to dance for the rest of my life!" I was curious to know who were her idols and what were her favorite ballets when she was an aspiring pre-teen. Whereas I had a shrine for signed point shoes, photographs, and dance videos, Dena insists she didn't idolize anyone. The first performance she saw did not make an impression on her. Dena was less interested in watching other people move. She was overwhelmed by the feeling of dancing herself.

Coppélia Choreography by George Balanchine and Alexandra Danilova, after Petipa (1884) © The George Balanchine Trust Photograph © Paul Kolnik

Dena first attended the School of American Ballet when she was 13 because, she says, "I wanted to go to the best school." She cites two teachers as being especially important in her development. Suki Schorer is one, for her encouragement of movement quality and musicality. "She taught me how to move." The other was the late Stanley Williams whom Dena cites as being the highlight of her student training. "He was a huge influence in my dancing and my confidence." Her training at SAB was the turning point and marked the moment when Dena knew she wanted to dance Balanchine ballets. A big moment came when, as a student, she danced two lead roles for the Annual School of American Ballet Workshop performances--the Corcoran Cadets lead in Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes and a pas de deux from August Bournonville’s Kermesse In Bruges which was set by Stanley Williams. As she recalls, "I had never had so much fun in my whole life."

Today, 14 years later, Dena is a senior corps dancer with a typical NYCB mixed repertoire of classical “tutu” ballets, neoclassical “leotard” ballets, and exciting new choreography. The role of Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Balanchine) is one of her favorite featured roles as it gives her the opportunity to both dance and be a dramatic character. By nature she is a “romantic” and loves the idea of playing a "lover." Another Balanchine ballet Dena holds dear is Serenade. In 2003 NYCB traveled to Russia to for a week of performances to conclude the 300th Anniversary celebration of St. Petersburg. Dena speaks for all the dancers when she describes the experience of dancing Serenade at the Maryinsky Theatre with conductor Valery Gergiev on the podium as "emotionally transcendent and unforgettable." For all of us, it was the greatest honor to represent Balanchine in his home town and in the very theater that sparked his passion and imagination.

Firebird Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust Photograph © Paul Kolnik

Seven years ago Peter Martins, our Ballet Master in Chief, singled Dena out to perform a number of character, non-dancing roles because, in his words, "you can carry yourself and command the stage." Initially she was not comfortable playing the Queen in NYCB productions of Swan Lake (Martins, after Petipa, Ivanov, Balanchine), The Sleeping Beauty (Martins, after Petipa), and Firebird (Balanchine/Robbins). Wearing 40-pound jewel-encrusted costumes and wigs while commanding the attention of your fellow dancers can be overwhelming. But Dena took on the challenge and is now well known for her different interpretations of royalty and Frau Stahlbaum in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™. NYCB Principal Dancer Phillip Neal who frequently dances the role of Prince Sigfried opposite Dena's Queen Mother in Swan Lake describes her as being, "focused and present. She becomes the role. She dances the role of the Queen." Company members love to dance and interact with her character roles in performance because she is as warm and supportive on stage as in life, often offering a wink or swift glance of acknowledgment to show support before a solo or variation.

Chichester Psalms Choreography by Peter Martins Photograph © Paul Kolnik

Dena's commitment to ballet is paralleled by a deep devotion to the Jewish faith. "The discipline of being observant has given me great inner strength and balance in my life." She has managed to make her personal commitment work fairly easily around her performing schedule when the Company is performing at Lincoln Center; however, touring can be a challenge. When the Company was performing in Taiwan in 1997, the tour dates fell on Yom Kippur. Ever resourceful, Dena networked with members of New York’s Jewish community and found a Yom Kippur service being held in a Taipei hotel which she could attend. When the holy day observance had passed, after not eating or drinking for 25 hours, Dena broke the fast with a sandwich she gobbled down in a taxi on the way to the theater, and immediately went on stage to perform Who Cares? As she says, “That was pretty major!" The merger of Dena’s dance life and her religious heritage reached a deeply poignant moment when, in 2004, she danced the lead female role in Peter Martins’ then-new ballet, Chichester Psalms, choreographed to Leonard Bernstein's score of the same name. It was the culmination of the most meaningful guiding forces in her life.

Dena is a role model to the next generation of dancers in the Company. She enjoys sharing her experiences and frequently gives backstage tours and docent talks. Dena is the Dancer Liaison for NYCB’s Family Circle programs for young people and editor of the semi-annual School of American Ballet newsletter which reaches 18,000 former SAB students. Dena is on her way to being certified as a gyrokenises instructor. She is one of the rare dancers who has completed an undergraduate B.A. degree (she is a Fordham University alumna) while pursuing a full-time professional career in dance. Dena does all these endeavors with enthusiasm and joy. I particularly love to dance opposite Dena on stage as we always challenge and inspire each other, I hope to have many more occasions on stage and off.

I had some follow up questions to our initial interview which I asked Dena after one of our New York studio rehearsals for Christopher Wheeldon's new ballet, An American in Paris, which will premiere this Spring. We will be originating the roles of “society ladies” in the ballet which has been a delightful and engaging creative experience. Beyond learning this wonderful new choreography and debuting new roles, we get to wear wonderful, extravagant “chapeaux”—an added bonus as both Dena and I share a love of hats and all kinds of headgear. In some circles around the Theater, Dena is fondly referred to as “Tiara Girl.”

As Dena and I assumed our requisite post-rehearsal stretching positions, I asked the following:

How do you prepare for your day?
First, a bath. Then I talk on the phone with my younger sister Rachel who lives in Israel. I do my yoga stretching with music and have breakfast.

If you were stranded on a desert island what single item would you choose to take with you?
A companion.

How did your parents feel about your career choice?
It was what I wanted. They dropped me off and picked me up and took me for ice cream. It was totally my world, not a family thing.

Did you have a pet growing up?
Yes, a cat named Tim.

What's your dream ballet to perform?
The principal ballerina in Diamonds and the “first waltz” female principal role in Vienna Waltzes.

La Valse Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust Photograph © Paul Kolnik

What's the most memorable thing you saw on stage that was not supposed to happen?
There were two things. Once in Swan Lake we, all the swans, filed out in the wrong places and ended up on the wrong side of the stage and we all had to scramble around the stage to get to our right places! My first year as an apprentice I was in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ and the little prince fell ill on stage. Perry Silvey, our Stage Manager, handed me a mop and told me to go on stage and tidy things up since I was playing the role of the maid in the party scene! But, then things got worse. I was not a very good housekeeper that night and could not clean up much of the stage floor where the “party” scenery had stood. Let’s just say, when the scenery lifted and the snow scene began those “Snowflakes” had to step extra carefully as they executed the choreography that night.

Where will you be in 20 years?
I have no idea!

Do you have a motto or principal you live by?
Live and love passionately.