Unity Phelan went from Princeton Ballet School to School of American Ballet in 9th grade, 2009. Three years later, age 16, she made it into City Ballet as an apprentice and at 18 is a member of the corps being given her first principal role.

Today she returned to her home turf to teach master classes. In the class I am watching — many of the students are just one or two years younger but their feet are decades slower. Feather thin, steel strong, Unity’s feet scissor space into neat bits. ‘Turn out your face so you are ready to perform’ she says as she challenges these young woman with company class combinations.

Then they go across the floor, buoyed by a new exuberance (and the pianist) and those who were having trouble at the barre — fling themselves into the air with Balanchinian abandon.

A delight to watch but the chief delight was watching Unity move and imagining her airborne on the Koch theater stage.

Unity with school director Mary Pat Robertson.