New York City Ballet

In a new editorial feature up on our site, the dancers of the Divertimento No. 15 finale in our Spring Gala film sound off about the experience of capturing the ballet for a new kind of audience. "We did a bunch of takes with them filming from stage level, which I think will bring a really fresh take to Divertimento No. 15," says Corps de Ballet Member Ashley Hod. "The people watching the film will get to see details and nuances that they might not have been able to see from ...their seats. "Everyone onstage was grinning ear-to-ear from the excitement of being back together, and I know Sofia and Philippe wanted to document as much of that raw emotion as possible." Hear more from our dancers at nycballet.com/disco/stories/spring-gala-divertimento-no-15/ Stream our Sofia Coppola-directed 2021 Spring Gala film, generously supported by CHANEL, through 11:59 PM EDT next Thursday, May 27 at https://youtu.be/cS-_IjGYWv4

#TBT Costume fittings for Vienna Waltzes with George Balanchine, former Principal Dancer Karin von Aroldingen, and current The School of American Ballet Chairman of Faculty Kay Mazzo in black. These designs were Barbara Karinska's last for NYCB, and will be the last to grace this season's digital stage. Join us in closing our digital season with a full performance of Vienna Waltzes tonight at 8 PM EDT, recorded in 2013 and streaming June 3-17 on our YouTube channel: youtu.be/JpqhrYV7W3I

Venture into the enchanted world of A Midsummer Night's Dream during tonight's Ballet Essentials Online for adult dancers of all levels with Corps de Ballet Member Miriam Miller. Ballet Essentials Online begins at 6:30 PM EDTreserve your space at nycballet.com/balletessentialsonline

Follow the fancy footwork of the Explosions Polka, led by Soloists Erica Pereira and Sean Suozzi, in our digital season finale stream of a full-length 2013 performance of Vienna Waltzes premiering tonight at 8 PM EDT. Join us in the ballroom June 3-17 on our YouTube channel: youtu.be/JpqhrYV7W3I

#SundayClippings A Don McDonagh review of Jerome Robbins' Dances at a Gathering for The New York Times, published on this day in 1972. San Francisco Ballet Artistic Director Helgi Tómasson opened the ballet as "the man in brown": "Dances at a Gathering is a wonderfully light and lifeaffirming ballet. It has its own internal glow... "Helgi Tómasson was the man in brown who opens the ballet with a reflective glance at the sky, and toward the end touches the earth with a simila...r intensity. The gestures are simple but require great concentration, since they are the only times the dancers indicate an awareness of situation outside of one another's stimulating presence." Principal Dancer Gonzalo Garcia reprises this solo to open our 2021 Spring Gala Film, directed by Sofia Coppola. Stream the film free of charge through Thursday, May 27: https://youtu.be/cS-_IjGYWv4 Photo: Martha Swope, 1977.

"We truly have the best theater. The magic that the jewel box brings is unlike any other; it's our home," says Principal Dancer Sara Mearns. As we plan the Company's safe return to the David H. Koch Theater, we need your support. Become a member of NYCB or make a donation, and your gift will be matched 1:1. Support the Company with a gift that goes twice as far today by visiting nycballet.com/circle-of-friends

We're bringing it home with our final week of Spring virtual workshops for movers of all ages and levels of ability. On Monday, May 17 at 6:30 PM EDT, join Corps de Ballet Member Miriam Miller for Ballet Essentials Online, an open level repertory-based movement workshop for adults, inspired this week by George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Register at nycballet.com/balletessentialsonline On Wednesday, May 19 at 6:30 PM EDT, join Principal Dancer Joseph Gordon for S...ignature Steps, a virtual Balanchine technique class geared towards experienced dancers, focusing on musicality this week. Register at nycballet.com/signaturesteps On Thursday, May 20 at 6 PM EDT, join Corps de Ballet Members Claire and Emma Von Enck for an Access Workshop for teens and adults with disabilities. This week's free repertory-based movement workshop is inspired by the whimsical A Midsummer Night's Dream. Register at nycballet.com/accessworkshops On Saturday, May 22 at 11 AM EDT, join Corps de Ballet Member Mary Elizabeth Sell for Ballet Breaks, a ballet-based workshop tailored to children ages 3 to 8, with movement inspired by George Balanchine's festive Stars and Stripes. Register at nycballet.com/balletbreaks And on Saturday, May 22 at 11 AM EDT, join Corps de Ballet Member Gilbert Bolden III for an Access Workshop tailored to children with disabilities. This weekend's free movement workshop is also inspired by Stars and Stripes. Register at nycballet.com/childrensaccessworkshops Advance registration is required for all programsreserve your spaces and learn more at nycballet.com/virtualpublicprograms Photo: Rosalie O'Connor

In celebration of the recent publication of The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Dance, the Royal Academy of Dance will host a virtual panel of 21st-century choreographers, including NYCB's Resident Choreographer Justin Peck, on Monday, June 7 at 2 PM EDT. The online discussion will explore the past, present, and future of the art form. Register for the Zoom event here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_S1-BSYgySMyxyydQ7x-_aA

Pointe caught up with the artists and organizers of the Kaatsbaan 2021 Spring Festival, which will include performances from Principal Dancers Gonzalo García, Maria Kowroski, Ask la Cour, and Taylor Stanley. "It will be my first time dancing Pavane," Kowroski tells Pointe of the Balanchine/Ravel piece, created for Patricia McBride, that she will debut in during the festival. "It's a solo I have wanted to cross off my bucket list for a long time." Hear from more of the creatives involved and learn how to enjoy the festival digitally:

"I wasn't doubting that we would be returning to the theater, and in a way, this is encouraging proof of that," says Resident Choreographer Justin Peck in our interview with him about creating a new ballet for our 2021 Spring Gala Film, which he conceived in collaboration with director Sofia Coppola. "I think the film speaks to the Company's return to the theater in a poignant way that lives within the feeling of the situation." Peck is joined by Principal Dancer Anthony Huxl...ey in the interview, on whom he choreographed his latest work, Solo, to the Adagio movement of Samuel Barber's String Quartet, Op. 1. Head to our site to read the full interview, for an inside look at the creation of the world premiere ballet and 2021 Spring Gala film: https://www.nycballet.com//an-interview-with-justin-peck-/ The 2021 Spring Gala film, made with the generous support of CHANEL, is available to stream free of charge through Thursday, May 27 at 8 PM EDT on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/cS-_IjGYWv4

The unparalleled repertory of works choreographed by George Balanchine is the cornerstone of New York City Ballet. You can honor his life's work with a gift to the Company today, on the day he was born. Gifts will be matched 1:1 in Mr. B's memory. To support NYCB with a gift that goes twice as far, visit nycballet.com/donate or text NYCBALLET to 44321.

#TBT For the 1981 Tschaikovsky Festival, Balanchine choreographed an entirely new production of Mozartiana, having made a ballet to the eponymous Tschaikovsky-Mozart suite for the Ballets Russes in 1933. These 1981 Martha Swope images depict Balanchine in rehearsal with Mozartiana's originating soloists, Suzanne Farrell and Ib Andersen, Ms. Farrell bowing after the ballet's premiere, and young The School of American Ballet students from the opening Preghiera section waiting in the wings. Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan has a special connection to Mozartiana"I never felt so connected to my physical instrument, or to being so in the moment," she says of dancing the lead role. Read more about her experience on our Instagram, featuring archival imagery of Wendy Whelan in Mozartiana: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKFAu9VF6Lb/

Tomorrow marks the anniversary of our founding choreographer George Balanchine's birth. Ensure that his legacy continues to inspire future generations with a gift to NYCB that will be matched 1:1. To support the Company, visit nycballet.com/donate or text NYCBALLET to 44321.

In the age of physical distancing, dancing on one's own has become the status quo for most dancers. Remote performers may find inspiration in this The New York Times piece about Grete Wiesenthal, a Viennese dancer who, over a century ago, pioneered the practice of solo waltzing, opening the social step into a performative one in her abstraction. Could she have lent inspiration for the renowned female waltzing solo in Balanchine's Vienna Waltzes? Read this fascinating deep-dive here: https://www.nytimes.com//grete-wiesenthal-solo-waltz-vienn

On Monday, January 25, Jacob Jonas The Company will launch Films.Dance, a series of 15 short dance films shot during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, featuring over 150 dance artists from 52 cities in 25 countries. Artists involved include NYCB dancers Gonzalo Garcia, Jovani Furlan, Emily Kikta, Sara Mearns, and Peter Walker, along with GALLIM founder Andrea Miller and Jamar Roberts, who recently premiered dance films during our New Works Festival. Visit the Films.Dance site for a full list of performers and information on streaming the series free of charge at www.films.dance

Don't miss your chance to bring NYCB to your school this year! Applications for our virtual school residency programs, Ballet Tales and Project Ballet, are open until February 1. Ballet Tales for grades 1-2 encourages students to explore dance as a form of communication through the integration of writing and movement activities. Students focus on the importance of elements such as character, setting, and plot in order to gain a greater understanding of how storytelling throu...gh dance can transcend the components of text, movement, and music. Learn more about Ballet Tales and apply here: nycballet.com/ballettales Project Ballet for grades 3-5 engages students through ten movement-based workshops inspired by NYCB’s dynamic choreography, and invites them to learn about inspiration as a vehicle for creating art. By examining works by Founding Choreographers George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, and Resident Choreographer Justin Peck, students will be challenged to think critically, act creatively, and engage collaboratively as they learn how to choreograph their own dances. Learn more about Project Ballet and apply here: nycballet.com/projectballet We are ready to dance with your elementary school students, with programs running March through June. Apply by February 1 to bring the gift of dance to your classroom.

I’m on a step stool, half in a bush, photographing a New York City Ballet principal through an open window, thinking, ‘How did I get here?’ writes photojournalist Kim Raff of this photo of Principal Dancer Megan Fairchild training at her Utah family home in April, with daughter Tullie at her side. The image poignantly captured the shared experience of dancers across the globe early in the pandemic, and made The New York Times' Favorite Photos of 2020. Browse the full, exhaustive curation here: https://www.nytimes.com//24/arts/best-photos-arts-2020.html

Rotten Tomatoes curated a list of 30 Essential Dance Movies. What better time to cozy up and check them all off? From ballet to break dancing, this edit spans decades and has something for everyone. Look out for a slew of former and current NYCB family members, like Mikhail Baryshnikov in The Turning Point and Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford (and many other familiar faces) in Center Stage:

It's never too early to start exposing your little ones to the performing arts. If their reading journey has begun, check out this The New York Times curation of dance picture books that includes Principal Dancer Ashley Bouder "Welcome to Ballet School," perfect for little dancers ages 4-7: https://www.nytimes.com//misty-copeland-setor-fiadzigbey-b. And for those with children ages 8-12, try Katarina Ballerina, a new series co-authored by Principal Dancer Tiler Peck and fellow performer Kyle Harris about a young dancer in New York City with big ballet dreams: https://www.simonandschuster.com//Katarina-B/9781534452763.

Register now for NYCB's third week of wintertime virtual public programs: Monday, December 14 at 6 PM EST: Ballet Essentials Online with Corps de Ballet Member Ashley Hod, a ballet class for adult beginners, with exercises inspired by choreography from George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. Wednesday, December 16 at 6:30 PM EST: Signature Steps, a class geared towards intermediate-, advanced-, and professional-level dancers, focusing on the singular artistry of Balanchine dance...rs. Saturday, December 19 at 11 AM EST: Get your little ones moving with Ballet Breaks workshops, tailor-made for children aged 3-8 years. Corps de Ballet Member Baily Jones will lead a warm-up and movement sequences inspired by Mother Ginger's Polichinelles. Our free Nutcracker-inspired Virtual Access Workshops continue this week as well, designed especially for people with disabilities. Thursday, December 17 at 6 PM EST, Soloist Unity Phelan teaches a workshop for teens and adults, and Saturday, December 19 at 12 PM EST, Corps de Ballet Member Christina Clark leads a workshop for children inspired by the Hot Chocolate variation. To register for this week's events and see what other programs we have in store this season, including two special Nutcracker Magic Pass packages featuring access to all four Ballet Breaks events with lots of extra Nutcracker goodies, visit nycballet.com/virtualpublicprograms.

#SundayClippings A review in The New York Times of the opening performance of New York City Ballet's 1984 Winter Season, which included Balanchine's Walpurgisnacht Ballet and Symphony in C. "Strong and elegant, Kyra Nichols danced the female lead as the ballerina role it is" in the former, while "clarity was the essence of Maria Calegari's fluid dancing" in the first movement of Symphony in C, "which she seemed to be drawn to as if by some mysterious magnetic force." In the second movement, "Merrill Ashley danced the ballerina role with affecting care and some notably creamy phrasing. She was partnered by an ardent Sean Lavery." Pictured: Joseph Duell and Kyra Nichols in Walpurgisnacht Ballet; Maria Calegari, Merrill Ashley, and Sean Lavery in Symphony in C, by Martha Swope.

When the pandemic curtailed arts performances, dance photographer Julia Lemberger decided to pursue her longtime aspiration of publishing a coloring book based on her photos. "Modern Women: 21st Century Dance" pays homage to over 60 dance artists in its 92 pages, including NYCB Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan. "The dancers had input in the way that they presented themselves, and also the world that we will see them in on the coloring pages," Ms. Lemberger tells Danc...e Magazine. "The backgrounds express something about the dancer, the dance that they're doing, or they create a new idea about the dance." Read more about this engaging and informative activity book, including where to get your copy, here: https://www.dancemagazine.com/dance-coloring-book-264961832

#24DaysOfNutcracker: The angel scrim rises on Marie and Fritz at the doors to the Stahlbaum great room, having fallen asleep while impatiently peeking in on the holiday party preparations. While many versions name their young heroine Clara, George Balanchine's The Nutcracker uses Marie, the original name of the protagonist from E.T.A. Hoffmann's 1816 novella, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. In the original story, Clara was actually one of Marie's favorite dolls. When Ale...xandre Dumas adapted the tale to be more lighthearted in 1844, he renamed the heroine Clara. Dumas' adaptation was the inspiration for the ballet's original libretto, and Tschaikovsky's reference in composing the score, and Clara has therefore become favored in many productions of the Nutcracker. The story continues tomorrow, but you don't have to wait until then. George Balanchine's The Nutcracker is streaming now on Marquee TV. There's 23 more days left to watch this exhilarating performance, filmed just last December: marquee.tv/nycbnutcracker Photo from George Balanchine's The Nutcracker by Martha Swope, 1977.

48 hours left to catch Soloist Indiana Woodward and Principal Dancer Taylor Stanley in an excerpt from Justin Peck's Year of the Rabbit, streaming on the 21st Century Voices program until Tuesday, October 27 at 8 PM EDT. Don't miss the chance to watch selections from seven vanguard-setting works created on City Ballet within the last two decades. Watch here: https://bit.ly/37t2Ojw

Writer and illustrator Edward Gorey was absolutely enamored with George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. Did you know that over two seasons, he attended 78 timesincluding an astounding 39 consecutive performances in one season? We're looking back on a conversation between NYCB and Gorey's biographer, Mark Dery, that takes an in-depth look at the eccentric artist's balletomania. Read the full interview here: https://www.nycballet.com//an-interview-with-mark-dery-ed/. How many times will you be watching George Balanchine's The Nutcracker this year? See if you can out-do Edward Gorey with our Marquee TV stream of a dazzling 2019 performance: marquee.tv/nycbnutcracker.

Missing our stream of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker already? Lean into the nostalgia with BuzzFeed's retrospective of archival Nutcracker images from the Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, accompanied by the production's fascinating history and some little-known factoids: https://www.buzzfeednews.com//nutcracker-ballet-photos-arc.

#SundayClippings: Posters for the 1988 American Music Festival, which City Ballet presented to celebrate its 40th anniversary. These four were designed (in order of display) by Jasper Johns, Bruce Nauman, Roy Lichtenstein, and Keith Haring. Among the many ballets presented in the three week-long American Music Festival, five were world premieres set on newly-commissioned scores. Our New Works Festival also consists of five world premieres, with a new ballet on film streamed ...each night from Tuesday, October 27 to Saturday, October 31. Tune in at 8 PM this Tuesday for the kick-off, beginning with a new work choreographed by @sidra.bell. Director Ezra Hurwitz and cinematographer Jon Chema collaborated with Bell and the choreographers of the following three works@PamTanowitzDance, Andrea Miller, and Jamar Robertson the four films premiering through Friday night. Saturday's film, directed and choreographed by Justin Peck with cinematography by Jody Lee Lipes, features a new version of @ChrisThile's "Thank You, New York" created for this purpose. We'll be streaming the New Works Festival right here on Facebook. For more information, visit our site: nycballet.com/newworksfestival.

Welcome to the #24DaysOfNutcrackerA day-by-day waltz through the story of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, for each of the 24 days of our Marquee TV streaming season. As the lights go down, Tschaikovsky's overture, an allegro giusto in B-flat major consisting of 182 bars, cascades over the theater. Rouben Ter-Arutunian's scrim depicting an angel and shooting star, underscored by the familiar melody, ring in the unmistakable magic of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. Head to Marquee TV to enjoy the performance from last December available to stream now through January 3: marquee.tv/nycbnutcracker.

It's almost hereGeorge Balanchine's The Nutcracker will be available to stream beginning at 7 PM EST tonight, exclusively on Marquee TV. Transform your living room into the Land of the Sweets this season with a performance filmed just last December. Enjoy this ubiquitous holiday experience from now until January 3, 2021: marquee.tv/nycbnutcracker. FYI: You can also give this stream as a gift: marquee.tv/giftcards.

Reserve your spot now for our final Digital Fall public programs: On Monday, October 26 at 6:30 PM EDT, NYCB dancer Brittany Pollack leads this last Ballet Essentials Online Workshop for teens and adults of all levels, inspired by Justin Peck's Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes. To register, visit nycballet.com/virtualpublicprograms.

Magic and merriment abound in this program for the whole family featuring ballets created by NYCB's Co-Founding Choreographers George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. Introduced by Principal Dancer Daniel Ulbricht. This program will be available until October 31, 2020 at 2 PM EDT. Fanfare (Opening)...Continue reading

The New Works Festival premieres in just 3 days, on Tuesday, October 27. For five nights, NYCB presents a newly-commissioned dance, filmed on the Lincoln Center campus and around New York City, each followed by a panel with participating artists, at 8 PM EDT here on Facebook. Creating a new ballet repertory has been one of the hallmarks of NYCB since its inception in 1948, and with these five remarkable choreographers we will continue to build and expand that extraordinary b...ody of work, says NYCB Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan. The first four films, directed by Ezra Hurwitz with cinematography by Jon Chema, capture works commissioned from @sidra.bell, @PamTanowitzDance, Andrea Miller, and Jamar Roberts, all choreographed and recorded around the Lincoln Center plaza. The final film, directed and choreographed by Justin Peck with cinematography by Jody Lee Lipes and featuring a new version of @ChrisThile's "Thank You, New York" made specifically for this occasion, utilizes locations throughout NYC. Catch these stunning new works celebrating the artistry and resilience of their choreographers, the filmmakers, the Company, and New York City. More info at nycballet.com/newworksfestival.

Novelist Rebecca Dinerstein Knight discovered a new fearlessness of expression in Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan's #WednesdayWithWendy Instagram Live class. She wrote about how the class factored heavily into her quarantine sanity maintenance for ELLE: "Taking Wendy Whelan’s class is a reward typically reserved for those who have committed themselves to the most advanced pursuit of this craft; now, it's a service keeping dancers of all levels, around the world, san...e and upright." Read the full essay below. As a bonus, you can also check out Principal Dancer Russell Janzen's review of Dinerstein's novel Hex here: https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/book/hex-a-novel

#NYCDANCEUNITES for the power of art to make a difference. Early voting begins today in New York State though November 1. Do you have a voting plan? Whichever method is best for you whether that's mailing in or dropping off your absentee ballot or hitting the polls in person during early voting or on Election Day, November 3 get your plan together and VOTE. ... Go to Dance/USA’s #DANCE2VOTE Toolkit for the latest information on the 2020 election: danceusa.org/election-2020-toolkit-dance2vote

ABCs of NYCB: U is for Principal Dancer Daniel Ulbricht, who originated a featured role in Justin Peck's Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes, excerpted on the 21st Century Voices program. In this Anatomy of a Dance, the imagery Mr. Ulbricht uses to discuss the choreography conveys a mood that is discernible even in the absence of a plot. You can stream Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes along with selections from six other ballets made on NYCB on the 21st Century Voices program until next Tuesday, October 27 at 8 PM EDT, right here on Facebook: https://bit.ly/37qUvoA

Drumroll, please: The first movement of Jerome Robbins' Fanfare will open the Family Friendly: Short Stories program, premiering at 2 PM EDT today. Tune in for a playful program that the whole family can enjoy, right here on Facebook. For more information on the Digital Fall, visit us at nycballet.com/digitalfall.

New York City Ballet will return to the stage for its 2021-22 Season, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, September 21, 2021. Though we are devastated to be canceling our 2020-21 winter and spring performance seasons, our primary focus during the ongoing health crisis is the safety of our artists, staff, and audiences. In the meantime, we will continue to maintain an online presence through performance streams, interactive workshops, and other original content, and will announce p...lans for future digital offerings in the coming months. Highlights of the 2021-22 season will include six world premiere ballets, including new works by Sidra Bell and Andrea Miller in Fall 2021, set to debut at the annual Fall Fashion Gala; new works by Justin Peck and Jamar Roberts in Winter 2022; and new works by Silas Farley and Pam Tanowitz in Spring 2022, which will also include a 50th anniversary celebration of the Stravinsky Festival. The 2021-22 Season will also include three farewell performances celebrating the accomplished careers of Principal Dancers Ask la Cour, Gonzalo Garcia, and Maria Kowroski. NYCB is also thrilled to announce that Chun Wai Chan, formerly a Principal Dancer with the Houston Ballet, will join NYCB as a Soloist next year. And, last but not least, we are pleased to share that George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker will be back onstage in 2021 for our annual holiday engagement. Stay tuned for additional details on the upcoming digital offerings and our 2021-22 return to the stage when our subscriptions go on sale in mid-November. Thank you for your continued support of NYCB; we can’t wait to see you again.

Kisses from Soloist Erica Pereira! Ballet fans of all ages will enjoy The Steadfast Tin Soldier, George Balanchine's interpretation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. Don't miss out tomorrow at 2 PM EDT; we're streaming the entire ballet on the Family Friendly: Short Stories program, available to watch right here on Facebook. For more Digital Fall programming information, visit nycballet.com/digitalfall.

The Joyce Theater is making its annual Choreographers & Cocktails benefit virtual for the first time this year, presenting seven performances of Molissa Fenley's intense 35-minute solo State of Darkness, set to Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. Principal Dancer Sara Mearns will perform the solo this Sunday, November 1 at 5 PM EDT to close the series, which will also feature a panel with the performers, Ms. Fenley, and former NYCB Principal Dancer Peter Boal, Artistic Director of Pacific Northwest Ballet. For the full performance schedule and ticketing information visit joyce.org/stateofdarkness.