Who says no one cares about ballet? These Gen Z YouTubers are making it cool
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“Everyone is at least a dormant ballet nerd,” declares 22-year-old Eden Lim, while sitting for an interview in the suburban Dallas studio where she and her sister, Jordan, 24, film and edit their popular YouTube channel “Ballet Reign.”Judging from the near-universal backlash to Timothée Chalamet’s recent bad-mouthing of ballet, Eden’s summation of the central tenet of their show may be true.With 67,000 subscribers in 166 countries and growing, the Lim sisters are mixing Gen Z humor and exuberance with astounding erudition to bring ballet to a new generation and fire up older, longtime fans.For the record:11:37 a.m.
March 30, 2026For the record: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Jordan Lim was accepted into a professional dance company.It was Eden Lim who received that acceptance.
With episode titles such as “Addictive Ballet Moments to Alter your Brain Chemistry” and promises like “This will increase your lifespan and double your morale,” they are on a mission to ensure that ballet not only survives but thrives.Mirthfulness is the Lim sisters’ medium, but their message is serious.During each show, they parse video clips of great performances, often by explaining the history of the piece and giving detailed behind-the-scenes stories.
They dissect the most famous pas de deux with trenchant insight and introduce their audience to the greatest dancers, including Natalia Osipova and Roberto Bolle.With signature, irrepressible enthusiasm, the sisters help viewers see precisely what makes the shows and dancers so extraordinary.A video clip featured in the “Addictive Ballet” episode shows New York City Ballet principal dancer Ashley Bouder launching herself into a jeté so high she seems to leave Earth’s gravity.
In midair she manages to turn herself 180 degrees before being caught by her partner, despite her momentum seeming to drif...