Isabella Boylston
How does it feel to dance when you’re pregnant?
I am 25 weeks, which I guess is 6 months. I found out I was pregnant the day after we opened the fall season in October. It was such a roller coaster because I was already so stressed about the season, and then I was so excited about my pregnancy, but also super anxious about it going well.
I continued to dance until I was 3 months. I performed Nutcracker when I was 12 weeks pregnant, which was incredibly difficult, just dealing with feeling weird, the hormones. I didn’t have a ton of nausea, thankfully. I was dancing with one of my favorite partners, James. He’s one of my best friends, and I felt so safe doing a little pas de trois with him, and my parents came to see the show.
Now I’m not rehearsing or performing anymore, but I’m still dancing 3 days a week, just taking class, and it feels great. I feel better when I move.
What did you eat for breakfast?
I will definitely eat leftovers for breakfast. I had Han Dynasty Chinese food — dumplings with chili oil, black bean chicken, and bok choy over rice — then I fried an egg and put it on top.
I wake up at 7 and get back in bed with my coffee and my cat. Snuggling with my cat in the morning is non-negotiable. I need at least 30 minutes to drink coffee and pet my cat.
What do you do when you’re feeling blue?
My inclination is to be alone and wallow and spiral and scroll anything to make myself feel worse.
But what I’ve learned to do is always call a friend. It makes me feel so much better. Any problem can be solved by feeling love and support from your friends.
What book are you reading right now?
I run ballerina book club. I’m reading a book called The Doorman. It’s a thriller and very New York. It’s set in a building called the Bohemia, but it’s clearly the Dakota.
What was your pre-show ritual?
I always like to eat pasta 4 hours before the show. Then I’ll take a 30-minute nap if I can. Sometimes it’s like a torture nap — you’re trying to sleep but your heart’s racing.
Then I’ll wake up, drink coffee, get my hair and makeup done. I love to have 30 minutes on stage alone before the audience gets there, listen to music, think through how I want to portray the character, and feel the vibes of the opera house.
I know you love to hike. Where should we go?
Some of my favorite hiking is where I’m from in Idaho, in Stanley. The landscapes in the West are unparalleled.
What are you doing for your baby moon?
I’ve always wanted to do national parks with my husband. We’re going to Arches, Canyonlands, Monument Valley, and Sedona, then ending in Tucson for my dad’s 70th birthday. I’m so excited. Those landscapes in the West are unmatched.
What podcasts are you listening to?
I love a history podcast called Noble Blood. She picks a historical figure with a dramatic life and tells their story. I usually listen at night or when I’m doing chores or playing with my cat.
How many times do you practice before one performance? How do you remember all the choreography?
A million. It’s total muscle memory. You just know it.
Sometimes I won’t remember the steps, then I’ll hear the music and my body can do it without thinking. It’s one of the coolest things about ballet — you can turn off your brain and get into a flow state with the music.
I am 25 weeks, which I guess is 6 months. I found out I was pregnant the day after we opened the fall season in October. It was such a roller coaster because I was already so stressed about the season, and then I was so excited about my pregnancy, but also super anxious about it going well.
I continued to dance until I was 3 months. I performed Nutcracker when I was 12 weeks pregnant, which was incredibly difficult, just dealing with feeling weird, the hormones. I didn’t have a ton of nausea, thankfully. I was dancing with one of my favorite partners, James. He’s one of my best friends, and I felt so safe doing a little pas de trois with him, and my parents came to see the show.
Now I’m not rehearsing or performing anymore, but I’m still dancing 3 days a week, just taking class, and it feels great. I feel better when I move.
What did you eat for breakfast?
I will definitely eat leftovers for breakfast. I had Han Dynasty Chinese food — dumplings with chili oil, black bean chicken, and bok choy over rice — then I fried an egg and put it on top.
I wake up at 7 and get back in bed with my coffee and my cat. Snuggling with my cat in the morning is non-negotiable. I need at least 30 minutes to drink coffee and pet my cat.
What do you do when you’re feeling blue?
My inclination is to be alone and wallow and spiral and scroll anything to make myself feel worse.
But what I’ve learned to do is always call a friend. It makes me feel so much better. Any problem can be solved by feeling love and support from your friends.
What book are you reading right now?
I run ballerina book club. I’m reading a book called The Doorman. It’s a thriller and very New York. It’s set in a building called the Bohemia, but it’s clearly the Dakota.
What was your pre-show ritual?
I always like to eat pasta 4 hours before the show. Then I’ll take a 30-minute nap if I can. Sometimes it’s like a torture nap — you’re trying to sleep but your heart’s racing.
Then I’ll wake up, drink coffee, get my hair and makeup done. I love to have 30 minutes on stage alone before the audience gets there, listen to music, think through how I want to portray the character, and feel the vibes of the opera house.
I know you love to hike. Where should we go?
Some of my favorite hiking is where I’m from in Idaho, in Stanley. The landscapes in the West are unparalleled.
What are you doing for your baby moon?
I’ve always wanted to do national parks with my husband. We’re going to Arches, Canyonlands, Monument Valley, and Sedona, then ending in Tucson for my dad’s 70th birthday. I’m so excited. Those landscapes in the West are unmatched.
What podcasts are you listening to?
I love a history podcast called Noble Blood. She picks a historical figure with a dramatic life and tells their story. I usually listen at night or when I’m doing chores or playing with my cat.
How many times do you practice before one performance? How do you remember all the choreography?
A million. It’s total muscle memory. You just know it.
Sometimes I won’t remember the steps, then I’ll hear the music and my body can do it without thinking. It’s one of the coolest things about ballet — you can turn off your brain and get into a flow state with the music.