PNB Blog
Director’s Notebook: Worlds to Come
Turning 50 never felt so good. PNB’s celebratory season has brought us so many treasured moments, with a few more just around the corner. What is your 50th anniversary highlight?
Ballet Book Rec: Peter Boal’s New Book Illusions of Camelot: A Memoir
If you’re looking for something to add to your summer reading list, we recommend Illusions of Camelot: A Memoir, Peter Boal’s new book. Although not exactly a beach read, it is certainly a barre read perfect for any ballet fan!
PNB by the Decades: 1980s at PNB, the Origins of Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake and Nutcracker
PNB took tremendous leaps toward establishing itself as an acclaimed ballet company in the 1980s. PNB’s original productions of Swan Lake and the Nutcracker, which both premiered in the ‘80s, were pivotal steps in this dance toward success. As PNB celebrates our 50th Anniversary, step back in time with us to our twentieth year and the very beginnings of some of our favorite productions!
Q&A with Corps Member Connor Horton
What is the most rewarding part of being a dancer? Seeing all the small pieces from weeks of work come together, and being a part of the finished product is such a great feeling.
PNB announces the passing of former Principal Dancer Deborah Hadley (1951 – 2023)
With great sadness and on behalf of her family, Pacific Northwest Ballet announces the sudden passing of Deborah Hadley, PNB’s original prima ballerina. Hadley joined PNB in 1979 and reigned as a Principal Dancer for 13 years.
Q&A with Corps Member Melisa Guilliams
What significance does being part of PNB during the 50th Anniversary have to you? I had the pleasure of growing up in Seattle, so I remember coming to watch dancers at PNB for its 40th anniversary season. It feels so surreal to now dance for this company alongside dancers I looked up to ten years ago.
Q&A with Corps Member Ashton Edwards
If you could replay one special performance, what would it be? It would definitely have to be opening night of The Nutcracker last year. I remember waiting patiently in the wings, watching my friends scurry across the stage as the first snow fell at McCaw Hall.
Q&A with Corps Member Luther DeMyer
What are your favorite Seattle haunts? It has been amazing discovering all of the great restaurants, bars, and coffee shops that Seattle has to offer, since moving here. Some of my favorites include, Kedai Makan, Momiji, Toulouse Petit, Sal y Limon, Streamline Tavern, Bathtub Gin, and Evoke Espresso.
Q&A with Corps Member Abby Jayne DeAngelo
Do you have talents or passions outside of dance? I have studied music since I was a young girl and I play the piano and the harp. Music is a huge part of who I am and partially why I love dancing so much. George Balanchine famously said “see the music, hear the dance,” and I resonate with this very much, as dance and music are heavily intertwined in my daily life.