He's the "hefty yet delicate" "master of female technique" "making multiple pirouettes look like child's play." Meet Robert Carter, known to audiences the world over as Olga Supphozova . . .

In The New York Observer, the renowned critic, Robert Gottleib, writes: ". . . the company's ballerina assoluta (is) Olga Supphozova (Robert Carter in real life). As has always been the case with entertainments like this, a series of duets, trios and ensemble pieces builds to the Queen's big solo -- all those flashy pirouettes and fouettés at which Olga S., as always, triumphs. Carter is an extraordinary dancer -- hefty yet delicate, with an enchanting Toni Morrison smile. He's not only a brilliant technician, he has the artistry of a major dancer: Every movement and gesture is full, and felt. Watching this performance is like being given a surprise look back into a world that's gone forever yet still has value. It's a happy reminder of what ballet was once like -- and of what we're missing today in terms of sheer competence and vitality."

In The New Yorker, Joan Acocella says: "Carter's pride shows on the stage. His grand jetés in "Sylphides," and also his fabulous, showy gargouillades (the shaking-out-the-legs step) in the "Humpbacked Horse," fairly flame in the air . . . he has greater mastery of the female technique than most females I've seen."

And, Susan Reiter in Newsday says: "Who can resist the fierce bravura of Olga Supphozova (aka Robert Carter), the troupe's feisty platinum blonde, who attacked three major roles on opening night with an air of gleeful wonder, making multiple pirouettes look like child's play?"

Finis: You know those are reviews to die for, Bobby. Congratulations! What led you to join the Trocks?

Robert: I began dancing when I was about eight years old. When I was ten, the Trocks came to Charleston, South Carolina and seeing male dancers on pointe solidified my interests. I already had had a fascination with pointe shoes, as the girls would give me their old pairs, which I began trying on. My teacher caught me dancing on pointe in an empty studio, and then had me take pointe class in addition to regular classes.

Finis: Well, no wonder it all looks so easy for you on pointe. You had an early start. The first time I saw you in class, you tossed off a bunch of very impressive turns, and Olga is known for her dazzling multiple fouetté turns. This is no easy feat for female dancers, and for you it's a piece of cake. When did you first start doing pirouettes on pointe?

Robert: After about a year of pointe classes, when I was eleven. I was always a natural turner, so I wasn't ever scared. I didn't have a problem trying things. However, when I got into the Trocks and put on a tutu, it took a while to get used to the tight bodice. Because I sweat so much when I dance, I shaved my head, but soon found out that wouldn't work, because without any hair to pin my wig to, it flew off my head when I turned. So, I let my hair grow, and that solved the problem. The wig stays on, I sweat.

Finis: But, as the critics say, you do it with such "gleeful wonder." How were your first days with the Trocks?

Finis: Yes, before your time, Tory Dobrin, your Artistic Director, studied with me and he was very discreet about being the only male in class on pointe. He wore black socks over his pointe shoes and I don't think many students noticed. Or would have cared, if they did. So what did you dance when you first got in with the Trocks?

Robert: The way things go with us, when a new dancer comes in, generally the rule of thumb is that he goes into the corps of Swan Lake. When I joined, Tory had hired a lot of people, so I kind of stood in the background and learned Swan but didn't dance it. My first ballet was Go for Barocco. Within my first year, I was learning lead roles, because I could do a lot of the harder stuff, like Pacquita, Stars, and Swan Lake. However, I still know and can do corps spots. But generally, I do principal roles.

Finis: Is their ranking in the company?

Robert: No. There is, but there isn't. Because we're so small, we need everybody all the time. So, everybody at one moment or another gets his chance to shine. We shift around, which makes it a lot easier on us, especially with the strenuous parts.

Finis: Ah yes, the Trocks are also famous for your names. I was wondering how you got them.

Robert: Tory has a list a mile long of names he's been dreaming up, and he names us.

Finis: Does everyone play a male and female role?

Robert: Yes, we all have male and female characters. It is required that everyone dance on pointe. We all have to do both male and female roles. But, of course, no one joins this company to be a boy! However, each dancer gets his moment in the spotlight, on pointe.

Finis: I think that's what struck me most of all when I saw your performance recently; you all seem to bring out the essence of each role much more than female dancers I've seen. It's as though the females take their femaleness for granted, and do the steps by the book, and you guys really have to work to bring it out, and that honest and sincere effort becomes something so pure. After I saw you all do Sylphides, I told Tory it was the first time I had ever enjoyed that ballet. You made the choreography live. I was truly moved. How do you feel about switching from male roles to female?

Robert: I personally like it, because I have fun and it's a real kick in the pants for me to do the female stuff. One of the things I never get tired of hearing, from certain respected ballerinas, is that they admire my technique. However I'm always working on both kinds of roles.

Finis: Well, in most companies, the males don't dance on pointe, and the females certainly never do the virtuoso male solos. You guys have to do both. And some of you are relatively late starters in ballet, not to mention then learning to work on pointe. You all are a special breed.

Robert: I think that is part of the magic of the company. We all love dance so much. Some people look down on us, saying that what we do is sacrilege to the great ballets. But we aspire to the highest standards. The amount of work and dedication we put into can be much more than what others do.

Finis: I often say in class, "You look like what you do." I think that's what Robert Gottleib was referring to, when he said your "every movement and gesture is full, and felt."

Robert: Yes, many times people who have just been to see performances of the major companies will come up to us and tell us that they prefer to see what we are doing...

Finis: Does Olga have a special persona?

Robert: As I put on Olga's make up and prepare for the performance, I begin to enter a different world. When I'm dancing a role that Olga is interpreting, I develop a different mind set. I see Olga as being fastidiously delicate and pretty. I am a forceful dancer, but I love working on being pretty. I enjoy putting on my makeup, and it starts to change my energy, it prepares me to become Olga on stage. It is a very important time for me.

Finis: It's a very important time for every performer. Sadly, many performers today don't have a clue about preparing for the performance. They just are always themselves, dull as dishwater and without an ounce of magic.

Robert: But it's the whole package, isn't it? I take open classes and often see a lot of dancers who are appearing with major companies, and I can't help but think that there's something lost. A lot of dancing looks very mechanical these days. To me, it's more than just being able to lift your leg up high. There has to be a total involvement of the whole body and mind and spirit.

Finis: I agree. What roles does Yuri dance? Does he have special characteristics?

Robert: Yuri does Basilio in Don Q, also Le Corsaire. But lately, Yuri's been on leave. I've mainly been doing Olga. It's rare that I do the male roles. I usually either open or close the evening in the lead ballerina role. A lot of the pas de deux minimize the male roles, it's mainly about the female roles, so there's not much purpose in my dancing Yuri.

Finis: What are your favorite roles?

Robert: I love Odile in Black Swan, and Pacquita, and Grand Pas Classique.

Finis: Grand Pas has that extremely difficult sequence of fondu développés that turn into a pirouette as you travel across the stage. Few ballerinas can get through that.

Robert: But I can do those relevés. In fact, Grand Pas was my first pas deux.

Finis: I should have guessed. What has been your worst stage experience?

Robert: The most devastating thing that ever happened to me occurred after we had been dancing in Portugal, and Berlin, and right after that, we were to be shooting a DVD in redone Pacquita costumes. I was really looking forward to wearing a new tutu, and performance-wise, I'd been on a roll.

So, I came out for the coda, and while I was doing the fouettés, I sprained my ankle. For that moment in time, I went into shock on stage. I knew something had happened, but not what. I didn't hear music…….everything was in slow motion. I couldn't do anything. I just kind of stood in the center, and waited till the music finished, and then walked off stage. My ankle had swollen to the size of my fist. I didn't know what to do. My ankle was iced, and I went into healing. I was off for a full week, and then I was able to dance for the DVD.

Finis: Well, I just saw that DVD, and you'd never know you had sprained your ankle. What has been your best stage experience?

Robert: Performing in a Dance Festival in Sicily. Maya Plisetskaya, the legendary Russian ballerina, was the guest of honor, and danced, but we were the main focus. We opened with the beginning of Pacquita, and then others danced, and then we finished with the Coda. Maya was in the wings, cheering me on as I did the fouettés. She said she loved our Pacquita, and that we were better than the usual female cast.

Finis: That's a lifetime compliment! What do you see in your future?

Robert: I'm still dancing. My body isn't telling me it's time to go, and I'm kind of spoiled with this job. I have no inclination to go elsewhere. But in the future I would like to begin to teach, because I love dancing, and I think I will be able to share what I know with my students. I also think that perhaps I would like to be connected with running our Company.

Finis: Is the Trocks a Union Company?

Robert: No, we are not. If we belonged to a Union there would be a lot of rules that would curtail our activities. We wouldn't be able to work as much as we do. It might be good for us as dancers, but not for the company itself.

Finis: But are you paid well enough to not have to a side job?

Robert: Yes, and at the rate we're going, we really couldn't do any more work than we're already doing. Our company, along with Pilobulus and a couple of other, is always working .

Finis: Your audience keeps expanding, doesn't it?

Robert: Yes, it does, and that's another great thing about us. We're not geared toward just the ballet-ballet audience. We're geared towards children as well. Our main focus is to make sure we put out a quality product, and it's always classy.

Finis: So, are you living your childhood dream?

Robert: I will have to say yes. When I was introduced to dance, my mother had never even seen ballet, and didn't know a thing about it. But she wanted my sisters and I to have a cultural life, so she let us dance. From day one, I couldn't wait to get back to class.

Finis: Any advice to young dancers?

Robert: Live your dream. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't. It's always possible.

Finis: And you are living proof of that. Bravo!