03/28/2026
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NEW EPISODE
Fran is back on and he came with opinions. This week we got into the Timothee Chalamet ballet controversy and Fran did not hold back.
"That's what you get for listening to an actor about anything other than acting."
But the conversation quickly went somewhere much more interesting. We got into the symbolism behind the classics, what Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo & Juliet and Swan Lake are really saying, and why Fran thinks these stories still matter, despite increasing calls for ballet to evolve.
We also got into the tension that every ballet company is navigating right now. New work is important. But Swan Lake sells out theaters. So how do you balance artistic ambition with keeping the lights on?
New episode of on the Ballet Help Desk Podcast is live now. Link in the comments.