by Georgette Gouveia

February 1, 2012

Do you like this?

No doubt the love of country living stems from Andrew and Megan being Westerners. Denver-born Andrew grew up in central California, while Megan was raised in the suburbs of her native Salt Lake City. After early training out West, they were both accepted into the prestigious City Ballet-affiliated School of American Ballet.

Like many successful couples, they are alike in values but complementary in temperament. She is petite, intense and serious. He is rangy, laidback and humorous. The difference in temperament made for a slow romantic start. Being from Utah, Megan says, she is “more modest” than many Big Apple denizens. She wasn’t about to lose her heart readily to any devil-may-care Californian.

But, Andrew says, “I enjoyed the challenge.” Spoken like the Prince Charming in any number of fairy-tale ballets. And like Prince Charming, Andrew proved himself worthy of the fair princess.

“He grew on me,” Megan says.

Their happy ever after has actually been almost 10 years and counting.

“Our relationship hasn’t changed,” Megan says, “not that it isn’t special that we got married.”

As they chat in a conference room at the Koch (pronounced “coke”) Theater, it is clear that they are very much in love, gazing at and conversing with each other as they answer questions.

That kind of intimate support is a boon in the dance world, where competition is keen and the work day can stretch easily to 12 hours, beginning with morning class, followed by any number of rehearsals and ending with a performance. (Megan and Andrew have a dog walker for the late nights.)

The couple says they don’t have to explain the pressures and pains of being a dancer to each other. They already understand and appreciate the complementary roles that men and women play in dance.

On the other hand, dancing with your offstage partner can get tricky, even though they tend to perform the same works with different partners.

“We do a lot of guest appearances together,” Andrew says. “It wasn’t always easy. You don’t have the normal separation you have with other colleagues. You don’t feel the need to spare the other’s feelings.”

On the other hand, they can’t say to their other onstage partners, “Oh, Megan likes this” or “Andrew does it this way.”

In ballet, you have to love the one you’re dancing with, even when you’re not dancing with the one you really love.

Highlights of the New York City Ballet’s winter season (through Feb. 26) include the return of Peter Martins' full-length “Romeo + Juliet” and the first-ever All Wheeldon program Feb. 4, consisting of three ballets choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. Tickets ($29 to $149) can be purchased in person at the David H. Koch Theater box office (located on the Lincoln Center Plaza at 63rd Street and Columbus Avenue), by phone at (212) 496-0600 or online at nycballet.com.

by Georgette Gouveia

February 1, 2012

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