Remembering the Unknown; “Tomorrow” in Pieces | Samuel Portillo NEXT STEP 2025

By Leah Terada

On June 13th, company dancer Samuel Portillo will debut a brand-new work as part of this year’s NEXT STEP program.

Titled Tomorrow, the piece will be Sam’s first choreographic work, and its premiere will be a creative milestone he’s been thoughtfully preparing for over the past year. What began as a spark of curiosity to create has since grown into a full-fledged exploration of movement, memory, and identity. Since August, Sam has been steadily developing his choreographic voice, building not just steps, but a process of creation.

Early in the season, Sam expressed to me how fluid his perspective on the work was:

“Every time I looked around, I wasn’t sure what I was looking for,” he says. “But I was hoping that maybe my searching would tell me more about myself, and more about what this piece needed to be.”

That search became part of the work itself. Through editing and rewatching rehearsal clips, the piece began to materialize in front of Sam; narratively, but emotionally and atmospherically as well. His layered approach to creating became reflective of the piece’s internal structure: a story told through fragmented, shifting perspectives, much like the experience of recalling one’s own memories; slightly different at each recall.

Told from the viewpoint of a single dancer, Tomorrow opens in the mundane rhythms of present-day life, then flashes back to a young and perhaps more malleable version of the self; shaped by the people, places, and moments that came before. As the piece continues, our protagonist appears to step outside himself, watching eight other dancers revisit his experiences, conflicts, and achievements. The ballet raises questions we all ask: How did I get here? And how will what I’ve lived shape who I become tomorrow?

Sam drew inspiration from the popular TV show The Bear, particularly its nonlinear storytelling and visual aesthetic. The show’s contrast between sterile, anxious blues in the kitchen and the warm, familial tones of the dining room inspired his own lighting and costume decisions for Tomorrow. Much like The Bear, Tomorrow carries an emotional tone that feels neutral, but hums underneath with a building unrest. That emotional tension is driven forward by Sam’s music choice of Nine Inch Nails’ “Together.”

Most of Sam’s conceptualizing happens in his apartment, on the couch next to his favorite window. He arrives at the studio with a few puzzle pieces; just enough creative material to guide movement and physical conversation. Watching how the Professional Division dancers adapt his movement cues to their own bodies and listen to their artistic instincts has become one of his greatest sources of inspiration. It seems as if he prefers to pose questions to his dancers rather than issue answers.

“I’m looking for dancers to feel grounded and articulate,” Sam says. “To feel the security of their feet on the floor as well as the precision in their footwork.”

That groundedness doesn’t come from choreography alone. It comes from the presence, responsiveness, and trust of all the dancers in the room. As a thoughtful performer himself, Sam knows the value of showing up fully, and he asks the same of the nine dancers in his piece. He wants them to make decisions in the moment that keep them connected to the floor, to the stage, and to each other.

In just a few weeks, audiences will have the chance to experience Tomorrow live at McCaw Hall, alongside four other premieres by PNB company dancers. Sam’s debut will be the beginning of an exciting choreographic journey, one built by questions, reflections, and the quiet thrill of discovering a new creative voice in real time.

The NEXT STEP program is bound to be an unforgettable evening celebrating the rising creative voices of today and the talented dancers of tomorrow. Get your tickets today!