Gelsey Kirkland - former SAB student, NYCB principal, turned ABT principal by way of Baryshnikov, and former partner of Baryshnikov in the televised performance of The Nutcracker - has founded her own ballet academy and is presenting a new version of The Nutcracker.
I tried to buy tickets to the last show and it's SOLD OUT!
Here is a great inside look at her new studio and company. The great thing is that dancers can earn college credits through Pace.
Here is an article of Gelsey memorializing her former teacher and legend in his own right, David Howard (he even donated Ballets Russes posters to her studio).
I used to take Gelsey's class at Steps and I loved it. It was a great mix of the best parts of different techniques - the grandness of Russian ballet, the strength and quickness of Balanchine, and some kinesiology.
One class regular used to call David's class "truth" and Gelsey's class "beauty." I couldn't describe it any better. David's classwork was pared down, seemingly simple then you really had to work hard to execute it cleanly. Gelsey's class was like you had to be a floating flower on top and then a steel tiger on the bottom; you always felt like you were creating beauty.