Today's interview comes LIVE from Lincoln Center Plaza in NYC with Kaitlyn Gilliland.

Kaitlyn's journey in Ballet began before birth. She was born into a most prestigious legacy of ballerinas. Her grandmother is renowned choreographer and founder of Minnesota Dance Theater and and "Loyce Houlton's Nutcracker Fantasy" which just celebrated its 50th anniversary and is Minnesota's longest running Nutcracker. Kaitlyn's mother, Lise Houlton danced with American Ballet Theater and Stuttgart Ballet and took over the leadership of MDT in 1995. Kaitlyn began her training at the Minnesota Dance Theatre before moving to New York at age 16 to train with the School of American Ballet. She attended full-time for one year and in 2004 received the school’s Mae L. Wien Award for outstanding promise. From 2006 to 2011, Ms. Gilliland danced with the New York City Ballet, performing corps, soloist, and principal roles. Due to an injury, Kaitlyn retired from NYCB in 2011 and pursuing an equally grueling goal as a pre-med student at Columbia University. Today, she is a graduating senior with a degree in psychology. Along her academic journey, Katilyn re-discovered her passion for dance when she was coaxed into the studio by then budding choreographer Emery LeCrone (also a previous Balancing Pointe guest). After this Kaitlyn began working with the Columbia Ballet Collaborative. Since that moment, Kaitlyn's renewed dance career is skyrocketing.

In fact, Kaitlyn is becoming an icon for freelance dancers worldwide as she is not only making a name for herself; but she is purposefully designing her path along the way ~ a feat few dancers are able to accomplish.

Balancing Pointe website

Kaitlyn Gilliland's website

Dance Magazine: "Why I Dance" by, Kaitlyn Gilliland

New York Times article

Dance Magazine: "On Her Own" by, Joseph Carmen

82 ~ LIVE from Lincoln Center Plaza - Kaitlyn Gilliland

Ballet Uncovered ~ Balancing Pointe Podcast