St. Paul Ballerinas, Boxers Collaborate In Performance

ST. PAUL (AP) - Ballerinas and boxers are mixing it up in St. Paul in an unlikely alliance of strength and endurance conditioning.
Reports say that four boxers have been dancing with the St. Paul Ballet in ``To Billy,'' a performance about a boxer who decides to become a ballet dancer.
The partnership began after the St. Paul Ballet moved into a new studio next door to the Element Boxing Gym three years ago.
The ballet's artistic director, Zoe Henrot, realized the boxers' strength and endurance conditioning could benefit her dancers. Henrot asked Element's owner and trainer, Dalton Outlaw, if the dancers could take some lessons. He said yes,  as long as the boxers could take some ballet classes.