‘Strictly Ballet’ Season Two stars fresh talent

After Teen Vogue wrapped up its first season of its special web series Strictly Ballet last spring, bunheads shed a tear. However, dancers can now rejoice because the first few episodes of Strictly Ballet Season Two have been released!

For the new season, the series leaves the prestigious School of American Ballet in New York and heads south – all the way down to Miami City Ballet in bright and sunny Florida.

In the first episode, Teen Vogue introduces this series’ lucky chosen dancers: Margarita Armas, Valeriia Chaykina, Mayumi Enokoibara, Gustavo Pachecco, Ella Titus and Carlos Valdés. An ethically diverse group, the dancers hail from all over, with Carlos from Cuba, Valeriia from St. Petersburg, and Mayumi and Gustavo from Brazil.

This introductory episode shows the determination each of these dancers have to make it to the top. Working with major forces in their field – like Ella and Mayumi rehearsing with the company’s Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez and Gustavo and Carlos training with teacher Olivier Pardina – they slowly reveal their personal stories.

In the second episode, we glimpse the competitive side of ballet training, with the dancers having to constantly train and perform at the top of their game to earn a coveted contract with the company. Even though they’re friends, they’re also competitors vying for the same positions.

To see these aspiring dancers in action, watch episodes at http://video.teenvogue.com/series/strictly-ballet. The complete first season is also available for viewing here.

Photo by Henry Leutwyler, courtesy of Teen Vogue.