Known for her powerhouse dancing, Tyler Donatelli has been a fixture at Houston Ballet since joining its second company in 2013. Originally from Huntington Beach, California, Donatelli has steadily risen through Houston Ballet’s ranks, with a promotion to principal in December. Here, she shares her advice for competition jitters, how she’s handled career challenges, her bucket-list role, and more.
You’ve been at Houston Ballet since the very beginning of your career. Why have you stayed, and what does it mean now to be promoted to principal after the years you’ve put in?
I’ve just felt an incredible amount of support from Houston Ballet, since day one. I want to show them that I appreciate that and value the work that they’re giving me. Building connections throughout my time here has really enriched my life, personally and professionally. Sharing my promotion with those who’ve watched me grow up here makes everything feel more special.
You competed a lot as a young dancer. What would be your advice for someone stressed out about their competition performance?
I found that when I presented myself as I am—and didn’t try to be the person with the most pirouettes, the best extension, the best feet, the highest jump—I enjoyed competitions more and made more of an impact. Instead of thinking “I have to make it to this company” or “I have to get a full scholarship,” I’d think “Let’s go out there and see where life will take me.” That’s when I danced the best.
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To whom or to what would you attribute your success?
I have to give credit to my first teacher, Salwa Rizkalla. She really drove those lessons of being dedicated and humble and having a good work ethic. I attribute my mentality to her. My teachers at Houston Ballet, like Sabrina Lenzi and Claudio Muñoz, leveled up my dancing to a professional level and helped me understand what I needed to do to withstand company life. And my Gyrotonic teacher, Beth Everitt, has helped me find the ease in ballet. She’s taught me a lot about my anatomy and how to understand my body and use it in a way that benefits me.
What do you enjoy more, performing onstage or working in the studio?
It’s changed over time. When I was young, I just loved to go onstage and fly by the seat of my pants, but I’ve really come to appreciate the studio work as I’ve gotten older. I have more thoughtful conversations in my head about what I’m doing and test out different approaches. Still, there’s something so magical about the stage.
What would you say is the hallmark of your dancing?
I think my love for ballet really shines onstage. While technique is something I strive for every day, I try to let all that melt away before I perform and be generous to the audience.
Have you ever had a worst nightmare onstage?
My second year in the company, we were performing Nutcracker. There are a lot of roles, and I got mixed up on a day I thought I wasn’t doing snow corps. I was in another costume, watching snow on the side of the stage, and noticed a hole. I thought, “Oh, someone’s missing”—and then realized it was me! A staff member came running back and asked if I was hurt. I said, “No, I just forgot.” I cried at the time, but looking back now, it’s kind of funny.
What was a challenge during your training or career, and how did you deal with it?
I’ve always struggled with turnout. I heard it all the time growing up. That’s why I started Gyro, which has really helped me camouflage my lack of turnout.
I’ve also struggled mentally with feeling like I’m not improving or kind of lost in where I need to go. I started therapy during COVID to be really honest with myself about how I’m feeling about everything. Working with a therapist to build confidence is something that I continue to do.
What is the least glamorous part about being a dancer to you?
The schedule. It’s really grueling. In order to do my best, I need to wake up and do the same thing every day. I need to eat the right way, I need to warm up before class the same way, and then do a cooldown after work while I’m watching TV. It’s just really regimented.
What ballet has been the hardest for you?
Balanchine’s Theme and Variations. It’s so hard. I like to be powerful and push myself, but the first two variations are really draining. And then you have to do a seven-minute pas de deux and the coda. I’m physically wrecked at the end of it.
What role is still on your bucket list?
Kitri. I think it would come naturally and be so fun. I got to cover Kitri the last time we did Don Quixote, so I would love to have a go at it.
If you weren’t a dancer, what would you be?
I really love interior decorating and interior design. I love decorating my house and trying new paint colors and looking at new furniture. I have a real inclination for designing a house, as well.
What is your biggest indulgence?
Watching reality TV. Anything on Bravo, like “Southern Charm” or “Real Housewives.” I know it’s trashy, but there’s something about analyzing everyone’s personality and what they’re going to do next that takes my mind off of things and kind of makes me laugh.
If you could take anything with you to a desert island, what would that be?
Normatec boots, all the way. I use those things every single day.
Do you have a pre-performance routine?
We have a three-hour break before performances, so I’ll go home, make myself a peanut-butter sandwich, and sit on the balcony with my dogs. I’ll try to meditate and get my mind off the show. I then head to the theater, about an hour and 10 minutes before, and do my hair first and then my makeup. Then I pick out my pointe shoes—I’ll have two to three options—put my costume on at half-hour, and warm up for the next 30 minutes on the side of the stage. I do my physical therapy exercises and especially focus on my ankle, which I’ve rolled over on before.
Do you have advice for dancers who are thinking about becoming professionals?
There are going to be ups and downs. Things will feel amazing one year, and then you’ll question yourself another year. It’s really about how you ride it all out and knowing that if you really love ballet, you’ll find a way to get through it and that it will be worthwhile in the end.
The post Onstage, Tyler Donatelli Lets Her Love for Ballet Shine appeared first on Pointe Magazine.