Tomboy Ballerina: My Life from Baseball to American Ballet Theatre and Beyond

Roni Mahler is not your average ballerina. While her formative years were partially spent in a ballet studio under the tutelage of Mademe Maria Yurieva Swoboda, she also frequented Yankee Stadium, where she cheered for her idol, Mickey Mantle. At eighteen, Mahler joined the corps de ballet of the renowned Ballet Russo de Monte Carlo for its final two years before its disbanding in 1962. Afterwards, Mahler was scouted to be a soloist for the National Ballet of Washington, D.C., where she ascended to the rank of Principal Dancer under the guidance of George Balanchine, founder of NYCB. In 1969 she returned to New York City as a soloist with the American Ballet Theatre, where she continued her legacy in principal roles like the high-flying Queen of the Wilis in Giselle.

While Mahler experienced success in her performance career, it was her groundbreaking approach to cross-training that truly set her apart. Her idea to teach ballet to football players led to her role as Artistic Associate of Cleveland Ballet/Ballet San Jose, where she dedicated over three decades to teaching, coaching, and performing. In addition to working with football players, Mahler taught at dance conventions and schools around the world. Written in collaboration with a lifelong friend, her memoir provides an intimate account of her journey from the baseball diamond to the ballet stage and beyond.