Her ascent to the rank of principal dancer was a momentous feat. In this exclusive, famed ballerina Stella Abrera recounts the triumphs and struggles of her journey to the top.

Stella Abrera has certainly come a long way since putting on her first pair of ballet slippers. Together with her family, she left the Philippines when she was only four years old. A year later, she was enrolled in classes at the Pasadena Dance Theatre near her family’s former home in California upon the recommendation of her older sister, who was also into dance. Though the nature of her father’s work had them moving from one place to another, Abrera’s parents ensured that their daughter’s dance lessons would continue. “I was a major bunhead—a big ballet nerd, so to speak,” Abrera says. “I was exposed to other forms of dance, but I took to ballet because I enjoyed it the most.” Her years in California were spent training with Le Studio and the West Coast Ballet Theatre, and her years in Australia had her studying the Royal Academy of Dance method at the Halliday Dance Centre in Sydney. 

When Abrera was 16, Ross Stretton, then the assistant director of the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), invited her to audition after adjudicating one of her examinations. “I didn’t hear back from them for a couple of months,” she says. “Eventually, the artistic director—Kevin McKenzie—told me I was in and asked me to be ready in a week’s time.” It truly was a golden opportunity for the young dancer, who had long dreamt of becoming a part of a prestigious dance company. Her apprenticeship lasted about five months; she moved up to become a member of the corps de ballet, which was a status she held for five years. “Just like in any other work place, I had to learn the ropes,” she adds. “I had to put in my time and pay my dues. I had to grab and make the most of each and every opportunity.” 

Abrera had to juggle plenty of responsibilities while transitioning from corps de ballet to soloist. She says, “It’s tough because I had to set a proper example for everyone while taking on the added workload of being a potential soloist. The challenge posed on me at that time was having to prove myself worthy of the rank. The hardest part, though, was having to sustain that worth.” Promoted to soloist in 2001, Abrera’s talents were highlighted in roles such as Calliope in Apollo, Emilia in Othello, Gamzatti in La Bayadere, and Myrta in Giselle, among many others. In addition to this, she w as also able to explore many different parts of the world, as travelling opportunities played a big part in the ABT experience. For a girl whose lifelong goal was to dance professionally, the upward trajectory into the limelight was a dream come true. 

Tough Times

“Things were going really well for me, especially in my first three years as a soloist,” she shares. “I was getting more principal roles and gaining even more experience along the way. Unfortunately, after one particularly tough rehearsal, I suffered an injury.” The injury started out as pain in her kneecap , but her muscles gradually began to lose strength. Walking became a challenge, and she would have to take time off and lie down to recover. Doctors and physical therapists were mystified by the nature of the injury; no one could offer any sound diagnosis. It was a very frustrating time for the dancer, who was at the peak of her career and could not afford an injury that would put her out of commission. Eventually, her doctors reached some form of a diagnosis: a slipped disc and a compr essed spinal nerve in the lower back. “When you injure these parts of your body, the muscles around them stop working,” she explains. “This was why even my regular movements were met with great difficulty.” 

The injury became her ultimate game changer. “It was the longest 18 months of my life,” Abrera admits. “I was able to come back for about six months, then went into relapse for another six. It was a truly difficult time, but I had to keep my head up and stay motivated.” Reluctantly, she gave up her performances one by one, holding on until the bitter end to the opportunity to play her dream role of Giselle. Her husband of 18 years, Sascha Radetsky, served as her refuge. “He was very supportive throughout the entire ordeal,” she shares. “He would push me and comfort me because he knew what I was going through, due to having dealt with injuries himself. It was actually a devastating point in both our lives; he had just l ost his father—and I my coach—to cancer.” Rather than aspiring for a new lead role, recovering from the injury became Abrera’s new challenge. Performing as she normally would took a backseat to simply being able to use her legs again. To the dancer, it felt as if there would be no end to her ordeal of countless visits to different doctors and a slew of physical therapy sessions.

The situation was even more difficult the second time around. “My relapse made me feel even more frustrated,” Abrera says. “Despite all that we were able to accomplish, I still had not been able to figure out how to approach the situation.”

Find out more about Abrera’s ordeal and how she had a triumphant comeback to the ballet world in the latest Art issue of Philippine Tatler, available in all leading newsstands and bookstores. Download it on your digital device via Magzter, Zinio, and Pressreader.

Words by MJ Jose | Photography by Joseph Chen | Art Director: Andy Basile | Stylists: Tiffany Briseno and Kim White of Wilhelmina | Shot on location in New York