Dancer Bianca Carnovale, A.K.A. The Ballet Busker, has been performing ballet on the streets and wowing crowds from her hometown of Sydney all the way to New York! Carnovale began performing on the streets, as so many performers did, during Covid when there were no jobs to be had. She had just finished up a 2-year training program at Ballet Academy East in NYC when everything shut down. Unable to support herself in New York, she moved back home and took a day job in hospitality. But Carnovale knew she couldn’t stop dancing. So in her spare time, the dancer began performing on the streets near the Sydney Opera House. She got an immediate and grateful response from those who were lucky enough to see her work. The young woman realized that in addition to satisfying her need to dance, she was exposing people who maybe didn’t have the money for a theater ticket to the wonders of ballet.

Eventually, Carnovale earned enough to quit her day jobs, and her social media presence grew, so did her income. I’m always a little skeptical of so-called influencers, but in this young dancer’s case, I think she’s actually really doing some good. She’s clearly inspiring a whole new generation of dancers (her volunteers range from 2-90).

You can follow the incandescent Bianca Carnovale on the Ballet Busker’s YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook group.