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This little light o'mine: stage presence--what is it?

Article Excerpt
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It would seem that stage presence--the essence of what compels audiences to watch certain dancers, what keeps them riveted--is an ineffable quality. These eight dancers, each of them known for their stage presence, explore what it is, where it comes from, and if it can be taught. As it turns out, sometimes stage presence isn't so ineffable after all.

Jenifer Ringer

Principal dancer, New York City Ballet

I remember doing a tap recital when I was little and feeling so happy onstage. I couldn't stop smiling because I was having so much fun. And it felt involuntary to me. I don't feel like it's anything I consciously do. It's a response to the situation of being in a performance. The concept of stage presence is to be able to let loose, to be uninhibited. I think sometimes you have to learn to be uninhibited because you are exposing a very emotional, private part of yourself to two thousand people.

This summer in Saratoga I was watching a student performance. The age range was maybe 9 to 17, and in every age group there were one or two girls and boys who were irresistible. They just stood out, and you couldn't help but watch them and feel elated. That's what leads...

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