Hello everyone,
In place of my director’s notes, I’m offering this interview with PNB’s Resident Choreographer, Jessica Lang. We are thrilled to present ALL LANG, PNB’s final program of the season this May. Included in the program are Her Door to the Sky (2016), Ghost Variations (2020), and ZigZag created for American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in 2021. Enjoy our conversation below! – Peter Boal
Peter Boal: Jessica, welcome back to PNB! You have spent considerable time here this spring between Momotaro, ALL LANG, and your newest work Pages which premieres in Sun Valley next month and then in Seattle in September. How is being a resident choreographer different from doing just one work for a company?
Jessica Lang: Being a resident choreographer allows for a much deeper relationship with the dancers and the organization as a whole. When I return for multiple projects, I’m not starting from zero each time — I’m building on a shared language, trust, and understanding. That continuity opens the door to more risk-taking and nuance. It becomes less about creating a work and more about contributing to an evolving artistic identity together.
PB: Her Door to the Sky is the first piece you made on PNB. It’s inspired by the artist Georgia O’Keeffe. Tell us what moved you to make this work.
JL: Her Door to the Sky was inspired by the world of Georgia O’Keeffe – not just her paintings, but her sense of space, solitude, and strength. I was moved by how she framed the natural world and her ability to find expansiveness within simplicity. The work became an exploration of perspective, both physical and emotional, and how we locate ourselves within vastness.
PB: Ghost Variations was PNB’s first commission after the pandemic. Remind us of the circumstances of choreographing a ballet during a pandemic?
JL: Creating Ghost Variations during the pandemic meant navigating strict limitations around proximity and space which is especially challenging in a form where physical touch is central. We worked in small pods of four with only five people allowed in a studio at once so much of the process required creative problem-solving like rehearsing from different studios on zoom, listening to the piano through open doors, and correcting from the balcony behind plexiglass.
Despite the distance, or perhaps because of it, the experience brought us closer. The cast and creative team formed a deep bond, united by a shared sense of purpose. At a time when the future of the performing arts felt uncertain, continuing to create felt both fragile and triumphant. We were starved for our craft—and for each other—and that urgency shaped the work in a profound way.
PB: Ghost Variations is set to the music of Robert and Clara Schumann. How did their music and relationship influence your creative process?
JL: The music of the Schumanns carries such emotional depth, especially when you consider their personal story. Their relationship was full of love, struggle, and devotion and shaped the emotional landscape of the ballet. Practically speaking, Robert’s Ghost Variations was too short on its own, so I looked for complementary music and turned to Clara’s work. Gradually, the idea emerged to intertwine their music, much like their lives. The final movement features one of Robert’s lieder transposed by Clara for piano and it feels like the ultimate collaboration.
PB: You worked closely with Tony Bennett on several projects for ABT. Talk about him as a collaborator.
JL: Working with Tony Bennett, his family, and his team was an incredible gift. My relationship with him began in 2016 while I was preparing a work for my company. He was generous, kind, and deeply inspiring. I’ll never forget the first time he sat beside me in rehearsal and quietly whispered “beautiful” in response to a movement phrase – I remember thinking, this is really THE Tony Bennett!
He was so supportive of my work, and it felt especially meaningful to collaborate with him later in his life. When I met him, he was already experiencing Alzheimer’s disease, and over time I saw moments of recognition fade. But something remarkable would happen in the theater – he would come alive. He knew who he was there, he understood what he was watching, and it brought him great joy.
There were times he wouldn’t recognize me when we greeted each other, but after watching the dance, something would spark, and he would connect me to the work. He always held my hand afterward. Those moments were incredibly meaningful. I’m so grateful I could share the experience of seeing dance created to his music with Tony, his wife Susan, and his family. It’s something I’ll always carry with me.
PB: I loved how you described his philosophy around “It Don’t Mean a Thing” in regard to his band and how you adopted the same philosophy with the company’s ensemble.
JL: Tony Bennett was always about the team. Even as the artist in the spotlight, he made a point to honor his band, often stepping back during performances to let them shine. I carried that idea into ZigZag. In “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” Tony only sings the opening lines before giving space to the music, and I used that moment to highlight the corps de ballet giving these dancers their own time at center stage.
PB: You made Her Door to the Sky on Elizabeth Murphy and Ghost Variations on Lucien Postlewaite. These two exemplary artists take their final bow with PNB on June 7th. Tell us about the unique partnership that exists between dancer and choreographer.
JL: The relationship between a dancer and choreographer is incredibly special. With artists like Liz and Lucien there’s a deep level of trust and openness. They bring not only technical brilliance but also their humanity into the process. When you create on someone, you’re responding to who they are, not just as dancers, but as people, and that collaboration leaves a lasting imprint on the work forever. I will miss them both tremendously.
PB: Here’s an easy one. Why PNB? What’s special about this place. A tip: careful how you answer – we have some serious PNB fans out there.
JL: Why Pacific Northwest Ballet? Because it’s a place where artistry and integrity truly meet. The dancers are extraordinary, not just in their ability, but in their curiosity and commitment. There’s also a strong sense of community here, both within the company and with the audience. It’s a place that values creation, and that’s incredibly meaningful to me as an artist. And I am so grateful to feel like I belong.
PB: Thank you so much. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have you as a treasured part of the PNB family.
