The Rosin Box heats up this week with a lively conversation shared by hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz and their guests, Principal Dancers Gilbert Bolden III and Sara Mearns. They talk about acting and emotions onstage, including their favorite roles, techniques and practices, and hilarious memories. Whether conveying the characters in a narrative ballet or achieving the appropriate expressiveness in an abstract work, the dancers describe the need for extensive preparation—and life experience—to achieve an instinctual, organic performance. As Sara relates, the "half a second" when she crosses the barrier from backstage and into the lights is the moment when the character or emotion manifests. (54:08) Edited by Emilie Silvestri

Music: "Je ne t'aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records