Ballet On Break

As we mark the days until fall performances begin, New York City Ballet dancers take advantage of the remaining off-season time to catch up with old friends (particularly the four-legged variety), dig into favorite hobbies, and generally unwind.

For this final dispatch of our Summer '26 three-part series, we checked in with Corps de Ballet Member Kloe Walker to hear what she prefers to do with the slightly less-busy hours. 

I always love relaxing by getting spa treatments or massages, but I am not one to typically relax by sitting around all day. I enjoy constantly moving or doing something. One of my goals during breaks is to go to new places, like restaurants, stores, cafés, or parks. One of my guilty pleasures is scrolling on social media and sending fun places to my friends for us to try, and our breaks are the perfect time to do so. 

I grew up exposed to different art forms and one that has stuck with me—other than dance—is painting. Whenever I’m not too busy and get the chance, I always try to keep up with painting. It's something that lets me escape, in a way. I am never thinking about anything other than the paint and the canvas when I’m working on a new piece. I can spend hours straight just making art, and it’s something I always turn to when I get the opportunity. 

Of course, I love to visit my family and friends and spend quality time with them, but that also gives me the perfect opportunity to spend a lot of time with my pets. I absolutely love animals and wish I could fit as many as I want in my tiny New York City apartment; unfortunately, that would not be possible. I have a cat of my own and my family has four dogs along with another cat. One of my favorite things to do when I go home to West Virginia is to go on walks with my family and pets and take the dogs to different places and parks. 

I always try to give my body a break from ballet when we have time off, but I still stay consistent with PT exercises and workouts. I love to move my body in different ways during breaks, and one of my favorite ways is playing tennis. I always try to drag my friends or family to come play with me. I can’t say I’m good whatsoever—I’m actually pretty bad at it—but it never stops me from playing all day, and it makes for so many fun memories. It's one of my favorite ways to enjoy being outside in the summer. I love going to the US Open and watching the professionals and hoping that one day I will be able to hit the ball consistently. 

_{Symphonie Espagnole photo © Erin Baiano. Ballet on Break and additional photos courtesy of Kloe Walker.}