Alexa Maxwell, NYCB Soloist — On Injury, Musicality, and Life at NYCB | Pushing Over the Box

When Alexa Maxwell arrived at New York City Ballet as a brand new apprentice, she expected a few weeks to find her footing. Instead, on her very first day, she was emergency-cast in Nutcracker and told she was performing that night — in her SAB uniform, while every company member around her was in sweatpants and sneakers.

In this episode of Pushing Over the Box, Jasmine Jain sits down with Alexa Maxwell, soloist at New York City Ballet and a graduate of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and the School of American Ballet. They discuss what it felt like to be thrown into the deep end from day one, how a serious patellar tendon injury and two surgeries changed everything she knew about taking care of herself, and what she'd tell her younger self about perfectionism and comparison.

TIMESTAMPS:

[08:42] Being Cast on Her First Night at NYCB

[11:54] The Role That Changed How People Saw Her

[18:09] The Injury That Changed Everything

ABOUT THE GUEST: Alexa Maxwell is a soloist at New York City Ballet. She trained at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and the School of American Ballet before joining NYCB, where she is known for her musicality and expressive presence on stage. She also teaches at the CPYB summer intensive and is currently a student at Fordham University.

ABOUT PUSHING OVER THE BOX: Pushing Over the Box is a ballet podcast about the dancer's mindset, hosted by young dancer Jasmine Jain. Through interviews with leading ballet professionals, the podcast explores discipline, artistry, injury, resilience, and what it takes to pursue excellence.

CONNECT:

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/pushingoverthebox/⁠

Website: ⁠https://pushingoverthebox.com⁠

Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1zHqK394AYtUjYxbB9FNZ1⁠

Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pushing-over-the-box/id1847970742⁠

Topics discussed: NYCB soloist interview, ballet injury recovery, ballet musicality, School of American Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, ballet apprenticeship, advice for young dancers

Guest: Alexa Maxwell — Soloist, New York City Ballet

Pushing Over the Box is a ballet podcast about the dancer's mindset. Listen at pushingoverthebox.com