Artistic Director’s Notebook: Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake

Just over twenty years ago, in September 2003, a theater called Marion Oliver McCaw Hall opened in Seattle. Built on the site of the Seattle Opera House, which dated back to the 1962 World’s Fair, the new hall was the realization of years of dreaming, planning, fundraising, and building. With Seattle Symphony’s recent relocation to Benaroya Hall, McCaw Hall was tailored to the needs of its two primary tenants, Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet. After a joint gala celebrating the new digs and the dawn of a new era for each arts organization, PNB offered another unveiling – a completely redesigned version of Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake.

2024-01-29T09:07:04-08:00January 29th, 2024|Categories: Director's Notebook, Performances|Tags: , , , , , , , |Comments Off on Artistic Director’s Notebook: Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake
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Dan Williams, PNB’s Principal Oboist, on Swan Lake

The first notes of Swan Lake's enduring score are played by the oboe. The instrument features prominently throughout the ballet; in fact, those first five notes are inverted to begin the Swan Lake theme. Today on the blog, we sit down with PNB's Principal Oboist Dan Williams to learn more about his perspective on Swan Lake, PNB's Orchestra, and playing the oboe!

2024-01-26T10:43:30-08:00January 25th, 2024|Categories: Q&A with Dancers, Choreographers & Staff|Tags: , , |Comments Off on Dan Williams, PNB’s Principal Oboist, on Swan Lake
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Pacific Northwest Ballet Principal Dancer James Yoichi Moore Announces Retirement

Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer James Yoichi Moore has announced that after a 20-year career with the company, he is retiring at the end of PNB’s 2023-24 season. Moore joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2004 and was promoted to soloist in 2008 and principal in 2013. His two decades with the company will be celebrated at the Season Encore Performance, Sunday, June 9 at McCaw Hall.

2024-06-05T12:38:25-07:00January 23rd, 2024|Categories: Dancer Announcements, Dancers|Tags: , , , |Comments Off on Pacific Northwest Ballet Principal Dancer James Yoichi Moore Announces Retirement
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5 Reasons Why Swan Lake is a Ballet Classic

Swan Lake is one of the most popular ballets of all time. It premiered in Moscow in 1877 and was met with a lukewarm reception. Despite its humble beginnings, this ballet continued to be performed, and in the 21st century, it’s frankly iconic! Read on to learn five reasons why this ballet is a must-see.

2024-01-24T16:56:20-08:00January 16th, 2024|Categories: Performances|Tags: , |Comments Off on 5 Reasons Why Swan Lake is a Ballet Classic
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Swan Lake: A Pop Culture Darling

Over the last century, Swan Lake has become a quintessential ballet pop culture reference. Its iconic score, choreography, and costumes are synonymous with ballet performance and easily recognizable to anyone with even a casual ballet knowledge. While the 2010 film Black Swan may be the first to spring to mind, there are many examples from the last 100 years. Check out this blog to watch just a few!

2024-01-09T10:48:01-08:00January 9th, 2024|Categories: Performances|Tags: , |Comments Off on Swan Lake: A Pop Culture Darling
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Swan Lake Programs Through the Years

When Swan Lake premiered at Pacific Northwest Ballet in 1981, PNB was a small, relatively unknown company. Over 40 years later, Kent Stowell's Swan Lake has been enjoyed by thousands of audience members and is still a PNB favorite. Take a look at PNB's 14 Swan Lake programs through the years, and let us know which one is your number one pick! 

2024-01-03T12:07:38-08:00January 5th, 2024|Categories: Performances|Tags: , , |Comments Off on Swan Lake Programs Through the Years
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Pointe Shoe: Ballet’s Beloved Illusion

Ballet has become synonymous with the pointe shoe—every time a little one dreams of spinning around on a massive stage under glowing lights dressed in a sparkling tutu, their feet are clad in such shoes. PNB's Artistic Director, Peter Boal, says “to be honest, I don’t know where PNB would be without the pointe shoe…. [E]verything balances on the pointe shoe.” Read on to learn more about this fundamental tool of ballet dancers and what PNB dancers have to say about their relationship with pointe shoes!

2023-12-21T12:23:33-08:00December 21st, 2023|Categories: Life at PNB|Tags: , , , , , , |Comments Off on Pointe Shoe: Ballet’s Beloved Illusion
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Nutcracker Grow Ups!

Performing in The Nutcracker is a rite of passage for many young dancers and something they look forward to each December. From Polichinelles to Party Children, see how Pacific Northwest Ballet Company dancers began their lifelong journey of dancing in The Nutcracker!

2023-12-14T10:51:32-08:00December 14th, 2023|Categories: Dancers, Performances, The Nutcracker|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |Comments Off on Nutcracker Grow Ups!
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The Man Behind the Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

George Balanchine once said that Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's music made him fall in love with ballet, and many ballet lovers echo Balanchine’s sentiment. To this day, some of PNB’s most popular ballets (Swan Lake and The Nutcracker) are set to Tchaikovsky’s music. Read on to learn about Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s turbulent life and his iconic ballets!

2025-04-15T11:33:42-07:00December 11th, 2023|Categories: Performances, The Nutcracker|Tags: , , , , |Comments Off on The Man Behind the Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
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Summer Courses – Diving in with Eyes, Ears, and Mind Wide Open

Summer courses. They are such a necessary element in the journey of a ballet dancer, but it can be daunting to know where to start, what to look for, and how to approach them. Here are a few thoughts from former PNB dancer Emma Love Suddarth to equip you with the tools and as the knowledge you need to succeed.

2023-12-11T10:08:13-08:00December 7th, 2023|Categories: PNB School, Summer Course|Tags: , |Comments Off on Summer Courses – Diving in with Eyes, Ears, and Mind Wide Open
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