Andre Silva, a 40-year-old principal dancer at Texas Ballet Theater in Fort Worth, grew up around dance in Brasília, Brazil. He said his mother was teaching a jazz class near the time he was born, and he called ballet part of his destiny.
Silva moved to the United States at 14. At 17, he auditioned for Texas Ballet Theater, and then-artistic director Ben Stevenson offered him a corps de ballet contract. Silva said he has been with the company for 16 years. He now teaches and choreographs as well as performs.
Silva said audiences often see ballet as light and easy, but he described it as both athletic and artistic. "We're athletes and artists," he said. He said dancers must control the force of landing so the landing looks effortless.