Солоистка балета из Хьюстона рассказала о любимых ролях, рационе и предсценической подготовке

To get to know Tyler Donatelli a little bit better, we asked her a series of quickfire questions. Read on to hear more about the Houston Ballet principal’s dream roles, favorite snacks, pre-performance routine, and more. What is your favorite part of class? Going across the floor with a turn or a jump! What is your least favorite part of class? Center tendus or fondus. Do you have a favorite spot in barre? I stood facing the mirror, close up, for over 11 years. This year I switched to a side profile. What are your pointe shoe specs? I recently switched to a stock Bloch Flexus. I wanted a shorter wait time on shoes, so I just half-shank them myself! Ballet slippers: leather or canvas? Canvas, for sure. Coffee or tea (and how do you take it)? Matcha lattes all the way. I actually don’t like coffee at all. What is your go-to snack? MadeGood Granola Bites. For a brutal day (often), I always have Honey Stingers to keep my energy up. What is your pre-performance routine? I’m very regimented: Make a sandwich and sit on my balcony with my dogs; get to the theater 90 minutes before the show; do my hair first, then makeup; pick a pair of pointe shoes; put my costume on; and warm up for about 30 to 45 minutes. Who are you listening to now? Jungle and Tame Impala. What are you watching right now? “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” and “Hacks.” What book are you reading right now? Iron Flame, in the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros. What is your favorite ballet to watch? I rarely get to watch ballets from the front, so it’s a treat whenever I get to, no matter the rep. What is your favorite ballet to dance? Anything that takes me out of my mind and connects me to the music. What’s a fun fact that we don’t know about you? I was in a Florence + the Machine music video when I was young. What’s your superpower? Being organized, maybe too much sometimes. What’s your dream mixed rep? This is the hardest question ever. I know I would need a Justin Peck ballet, a Stanton Welch ballet, and some Forsythe or Ratmansky. But then I need some Balanchine in there, too. So hard! What’s your go-to cross-training activity? Gyrotonic is my go-to, but I love hitting the gym every day to refine things I feel I need to work on. The three words that best describe you are…? “Thoughtful,” “disciplined,” and “playful.”