Bright stars illuminate the outlines of their constellations. Similarly, Gelsey Kirkland's brilliance has drawn attention to a whole new generation of American-born dancers. In their early 20s, they are poised at the turning point between skill and mastery. Though the rigors of training typically lend a certain sameness to ballet performers' lives, the new U.S. dancers show a surprising diversity. Six of the most promising:
Ann Marie De Angelo, 24. Soloist, Jeffrey Ballet. A fiery, flamboyant crowd pleaser and a prodigious leaper, California-bred De Angelo revels in bravura solos. Trained in San Francisco by veterans of the Kirov Ballet, she wants to dance classical story ballets like Giselle, "an ultimate goal for me." Her height (5 ft. 1 in.) has caused some shortsighted ballet masters to overlook her. Says De Angelo: "I've never felt short."
Heather Watts, 24. Corps de ballet, New York City Ballet. Watts is a lithe wire of a woman who radiates both sensuality and wit onstage. She has approached her career rather casually; Balanchine persuaded her to quit smoking by restructuring a solo just for her. She lives now with Peter Martins, who created his first ballet, Calcium Light Night, for her. A lady with magnetism.
Kevin McKenzie, 24. Soloist, Jeffrey Ballet. Unlike most young male dancers, the tall (6 ft. 1 in.), lanky McKenzie started out with a fluid, adagio style, which usually comes only after long experience. His languid grace reflects an easygoing personality: "If dancing becomes so serious that it can make or break my psyche, then it's no more fun." He literally stumbled into ballet. Coaxed by a third-grade classmate into a tap class, he found he could not keep his balance; his father, a Vermont meat-packing company owner, suggested that he try ballet as a remedy. Even after achieving success in showpieces like Balanchine's Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, McKenzie is modest: "If I had to compare myself to Baryshnikov, I'd give up and take up carpentry." But not too modest. His aim? "To become the next Kevin McKenzie."
Sean Lavery, 21. Soloist, New York City Ballet. At 6 ft. 1 in. and 165 lbs., he is strong enough to "partner" ballerinas through the most strenuous works. "It can be like pumping iron," he says, "if your timing is off. You can put her up there like a barbell, but it doesn't look good." Lavery has also shone on his own. His long legs and short torso emphasize his speed, a quality prized by Balanchine, who has cast Sean in his new fast-paced work, Kammermusik No. 2. Born in Pennsylvania, Lavery started training as a Junior Olympics swimmer at age eight, got hooked on ballet at ten, and never looked back: "I am not bothered by what I have given up. I don't miss anything else."