Interview | Gillian Murphy

Are you still working with Gaynor Minden?
Yes, I’ve been wearing their shoes for so long, and when they approached me about being a part of their ad campaign and whatnot, I was happy to do it. I wear them because they don’t make any noise, which to me is absolutely key, because the music is paramount.

Has anybody ever told you to wear something else for aesthetic reasons?
There was an article that came out a number of years ago, and there was this whole controversy over different kinds of pointe shoes, and someone made a comment about Gaynor Mindens not looking good on me. To each his own. I’m happy with them and they work well for me, so I’m gonna stick with them.

You’re dancing The Brahms-Haydn Variations on opening night here in Chicago. What do you think of Twyla Tharp’s choreography?
I love her work—I’ve done a number of her pieces: Push Comes to Shove, In the Upper Room, Rabbit And Rogue. They’re such driven and athletic roles. Brahms-Haydn is a little more classical than those ballets. It’s a great piece, though, and a great showcase for the entire company. There are different couples that come in and out, that have their moments, but we all come together at the end.

Gillian Murphy joins the rest of American Ballet Theatre in celebrating the company’s 70th anniversary at the Civic Opera House Wednesday 14 through Sunday 18, and appears as Odette/Odile opposite José Manuel Carreño in Swan Lake Friday 16.