Katherine Barkman, from Bucks’ County, Pennsylvania, is a professional dancer with The Washington Ballet. Prior to joining The Washington Ballet, she was a principal dancer with Ballet Manila. In 2018, she competed in two prestigious competitions (the Jackson IBC and the Varna IBC) and was awarded the silver medal at both. Katherine also teaches at The Washington School of Ballet, passing on the knowledge and experience she has acquired to the next generation of dancers in training.
1.To get off to an unconventional start, please write a haiku that describes what dancing feels like to you.
To dance is to speak beyond words my heart can sing through movement I grow
2. How did you get into dancing?
I always knew I wanted to be a ballerina. It was an intrinsic calling to move. At age 2, I begged my parents for ballet lessons. I danced my whole childhood, putting on shows in the living room every night for my family. My professional training didn’t start until I was 14 years old and met my coach, Nadia Pavlenko. It was quite late to start learning proper technique, and I had to do a lot of catching up. My daily schedule was a private lesson with Nadia from 11am-5pm, after which I would go home and do high school online. At 18, I received the opportunity to become a principal dancer at Ballet Manila in the Philippines. I made the life-changing decision to move to Manila and chase my dream.
3. Did dancing help you through anything difficult in your life?
Dancing is always my safe haven. This art form is constantly teaching me and transforming me into a better version of myself. The most difficult time for me was leaving home and moving to the Philippines. I was often very lonely there, but ballet became a home in and of itself. It doesn’t matter where I am or what is happening around me. It is the inner sanctuary ballet has inspired me to create within where I find my freedom.
4. What adversities have you had to overcome to continue pursuing your profession?
There is always challenge in this profession. Challenge is the key ingredient for growth. A lot of the challenges I have had to overcome were internal. Old patterns of negative thinking that would hold me back. Self-doubt. Fear of failure. Perfectionism. Needing validation from others. Body image issues. Wanting to be liked and accepted by everyone. These were all major internal battles I had to face in order to pursue my dreams. I still face challenges constantly; the difference now is that challenge doesn’t scare me. It excites me, because I recognize I can only grow stronger and bolder by facing it head on.
5. Tell us your funniest story about the dance world.
I think one of the funniest moments was during my debut as Kitri in Don Quixote. We had a big dress rehearsal the day before the performance. I was only 19 at the time and super nervous. It was the final entrance of the coda in Act III, and I ran onto the stage for the diagonal of piqué turns. As I ran on my legs were so tired that I totally wiped out and slid almost to the center of the stage. I laughed about it and was glad it only happened during the dress rehearsal… until it happened again the next day during the actual performance!!
6. In your time as a dancer, what’s the craziest thing you’ve ever had to do?
I competed at the 2018 Varna IBC. The historic stage in Varna is in a beautiful outdoor theatre! It was Round 2 of the competition, and my performance got delayed due to rain. It was so delayed that I didn’t compete until 4am!!! I had never been so exhausted in my life! But it really made me fearless that I could perform Le Corsaire at such an unruly hour and in the rain!
7. What would you say to someone who is hesitant to go see a ballet performance?
Going to see a ballet is not always about the ballet. It is about the experience of witnessing something so fleeting. When you watch ballet you are experiencing an artistic expression that can never be repeated the same way again. You are watching a miracle onstage.
8. If you had only one sentence to convince someone of the importance of the arts, what would you say?
It is through art we are reminded that even in our humanity we have the ability to create beauty; we are the spark of something Divine.
9. If ballet had a slogan, what would it be? Or if you had a slogan, what would it be?
For both: Grow in grace.
Edited by Adelaide Clauss
Dancers Are 