Nothing is preventing ballerina Alicia Mae Holloway from reaching new heights.

      Welcome to En Pointe, a quarterly series that explores the connection between beauty and dance through the insights of emerging, multidisciplinary dance talents. Prepare for an intimate glimpse into the daily lives, aspirations, and beauty must-haves of the most promising young performers in the industry. It has been fifteen years since I last wore my pointe shoes, yet Tchaikovsky scores, Balanchine choreography, and the thrill of quick costume changes in the theater still occupy a significant part of my mind. When I'm not rushing between appointments or typing away, I find myself surrounded by dancers—whether it's watching the art from the audience or occasional class participation. Recently, while following my favorite artists on social media, I noticed a common trend: many professional dancers are crafting distinctive careers for themselves. While this may not seem revolutionary, it's important to recognize that in the past, they would have been expected to prioritize dance above all else. Today, they are not only aligning themselves with dance companies and choreographers that inspire them but are also exploring other captivating career avenues. Recently, I had the chance to chat with Alicia Mae Holloway, a dancer who has navigated away from the "traditional" ballet world by reconnecting with aspects of herself that had gone unexplored throughout much of her young adulthood. Below, Holloway shares her journey to becoming the unique, multifaceted artist and content creator she is now.

      Meet Alicia Mae Holloway: Ballerina, Model, Actress, and Content Creator

      Alicia Mae Holloway is well-acquainted with change, gracefully handling numerous transitions throughout her 15-year career, and she is just 28. Her love for dance ignited at the tender age of 3 in Virginia, where she would dance in the darkened aisles of auditoriums while her cousin performed onstage. She soon began training at a competitive dance school, focusing solely on ballet. By 14, she auditioned and was accepted into the School of American Ballet, which necessitated a life-altering move to New York City. Following her high school graduation, she joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem, a predominantly Black contemporary ballet company, where she performed for seven years. When the pandemic brought uncertainty to the world, she applied for ABC's The Bachelor and participated in the show's 25th season alongside real estate broker and charity founder Matt James. "The Bachelor really opened up many opportunities outside my ballet company, like music videos, commercials, and content creation," she reflects.

      A burgeoning interest in commercial dance and content creation led her to leave DTH. "It was a dream of mine, but the timing was always off. I knew I wanted to pursue it, but it was about finding the right place and time," Holloway explains. After signing with a modeling agency, she started posting TikTok videos three to five times daily, some of which went viral—most notably those about her dance career, experiences on The Bachelor, and her adoption story—gaining her a substantial following. Now, she is undergoing yet another transition, this time towards acting.

      Becoming a Multi-Hyphenate Artist

      The life of a professional ballet dancer might seem mysterious to those unfamiliar with the art form. Many dancers start young, shaping their bodies and minds to become the best versions of themselves for the stage. The next step often involves relentless auditions for performance roles and the companies that could launch their careers. Holloway's shift from her company role to commercial dance underscores that while ballet maintains its deeply "traditional" roots, the essence of being a ballerina is evolving.

      Holloway reflects on what being a modern ballerina entails and speculates about her uniquely crafted career path's potential in the future. "Back then, it was about being a jazz dancer, a ballerina, modern dancer, or tap dancer. There was this notion you had to fit into one dance style," she explains. "I really honed into ballet but discovered that my background enabled me to excel in various settings during summer programs and auditions." Transitioning to a multidisciplinary approach helped Holloway evolve from her competitive dance roots to ballet while continuing to expand her skills in other areas.

      With her recent foray into acting, she attributes her diverse dance background as a key factor in her success. "I just completed filming a movie, and if I hadn't learned jazz, contemporary, or Acro dance, I wouldn't have booked that job," Holloway asserts. "Being a well-rounded and versatile dancer is crucial these days." Although she has broadened her dance career to include various interests and talents, she acknowledges that she didn't always have a supportive environment to pursue her dreams. "I didn't grow up with a narrative that encouraged me to do this. The only voices that supported me were my parents," she reveals. "I encountered people along my journey advising me to be more practical—suggesting I could teach dance, but that Broadway was out of reach." As someone who challenges conventional boundaries in dance,