Dear Winger readers, since retiring from New York City Ballet I’ve been enjoying my home life, and coaching some young dancers. I’m thrilled to tell you that an artist that in some small way I may have helped inspire will be having a big performance this coming week. But she’s not a dancer!
In 1991, when I was in Saratoga Springs for New York City Ballet’s summer season, our neighbors in the condo we rented had a 6 year old daughter, Ashley. We got to know Ashley and her parents and later that summer when I was asked to present the trophy for the Ballerina Stakes Race I brought Ashley along. That’s her in the white hat in the photo.
Every summer we spent time with Ashley and her folks. Ashley developed a passion for softball but made an important decision about her lifestyle early on. She told her Dad that she wanted to “live like Kyra” which meant sleeping until 10 am, (this was before I had children) hanging out in the theater much of the day and having dinner at midnight. Ashley didn’t have any particular interest in dance, but she did like the lifestyle…
Somewhere during her childhood Ashley took up the cello. There was a difficult point when she had to make a choice between cello and softball… and cello won.
The picture below is Ashley today…
Ashley apparently made the right choice. 17 years later she is finishing the Yale School of Music graduate program and making her Carnegie Hall debut. Her concert is in Weill Recital Hall on February 9th at 8:30 pm.
I’d like to think that over the course of my career I might have inspired some people to take up dance, or become better dancers. I never expected that in some small way I might have inspired a cellist… and hopefully in ways other than her interest in sleeping late!
You can hear Ashley, or see her in performance video clips at her website, www.AshleyBathgate.net..
Thanks Wingers,
Kyra Nichols (aka Mrs. Gray)
SanderO
Ms Nichols,
What a terrific story. How proud everyone around this cellist must be. Sometimes artists inspire others not necessarily to perform in the arts, but to open their eyes, hearts and minds to the arts. Those are the people in the audience who you reach when you perform and you might never know them, but there are many. Many performance artists, musicians, dancers and actors feel compelled to do what they do for themselves, their soul and the commitment to art, but hopefully many are doing it for the audience. I don’t know what my life would be without seeing ballet, hearing and seeing opera, music or viewing great art, architecture and so on. For me a life without these would not be worth living and therefore performers like you and Ashley are like blood in our veins. I am sure you must understand this, but I just wanted to give you a shout out for all the work you people do so that we can live.
Enjoy your retirement! You will be missed but not forgotten.
Feb 04, 2008 @ 01:06
Anna
What a wonderful story. Many congratulations to Ashley on her big debut!
And I know I’m not the only one who is looking forward to more of your posts!
Feb 04, 2008 @ 16:27
Barbara
Well said, SanderO and I whole-heartedly concur!
Feb 04, 2008 @ 18:20
Laura
Thank you for the post, Kyra! Looking forward to many more.
Feb 04, 2008 @ 19:37
carla korbes
Kyra,
welcome to the winger. Your first post was VERY inspiring. Thank you for this incredible story. I also want to thank you for all the times you inspired me in NYCB. And all the times that you encouraged me in class. I remember once in class you telling that my fouettes were looking very good because I was really using my plie…I know it sounds silly, but I really apprecited that moment. It felt to me that someone was watching and it made me want to work harder in class. So thank you for that.
I aslo want to tell you that I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to attend your retirment performance. You were devine and inspiring once again.
Thank you for being Kyra.
much love,
Carla korbes
Feb 04, 2008 @ 22:18
Emily
What a wonderful story, Kyra!
I had the good fortune to see you perform Peter Martins’ Swan Lake when it first opened in 1999. Your partner was Philip Neal. The performance brought tears to my eyes, as all good Swan Lakes do! But my mother and I watched you at the New York State Theater that night and we thought “I doesn’t get any better than this.”
Congrats on your retirement! Enjoy it!
Feb 05, 2008 @ 00:11
veronica moretti niebuhr
Welcome to the Winger! What a beautiful story. It is amazing the ways that we can touch other peoples lives. You have touched so many! What an honor to have you as part of the Winger.
Feb 06, 2008 @ 14:06
michelle
Your influence is far-reaching! My daughter is a friend of Hugo Fiorato , and he always encouraged her to go to the ballet, and study the musical connection to it. Your performances so inspired her… she is currently a ballet major at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and may also be performing at Carnegie Hall this spring. Thank you for your immense and ongoing contribution.
Feb 06, 2008 @ 22:38
jim
KYRA:
I loved you so much as a dancer at NYCB all those years that I sicken to think that i will never see the beautiful you onstage again at State Thaetre.
I love Princeton( I have a sisiter-in-law there.), so maybe I’ll see you sometime strolling downtown.
That would be a THRILL.
LOVE, JIM
Mar 26, 2008 @ 16:34