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

PNB by the Decades: The 2000’s Launch a New Era at PNB

The 2000s began a new era of Pacific Northwest Ballet history with the retirement of Kent Stowell and Francia Russell and the hiring of Peter Boal as artistic director. In many ways, the PNB that audiences know and love today took shape during the 2000s. Read on to learn about this influential decade!

2023-08-16T16:29:58-07:00May 11th, 2023|Categories: Choreographers, Life at PNB|Tags: , , , , , |Comments Off on PNB by the Decades: The 2000’s Launch a New Era at PNB

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!

2023-08-16T16:24:07-07:00November 10th, 2022|Categories: Choreographers, Dancers, Life at PNB|Tags: , , , , , |Comments Off on PNB by the Decades: 1980s at PNB, the Origins of Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake and Nutcracker

PNB School Faculty Spotlight: Meg Potter

This month’s PNB School Spotlight features PNB School Assistant Principal Meg Potter!

Meg Potter is originally from Metuchen, NJ, and trained on scholarship at the Joffrey Ballet School in NYC. She danced with Joffrey II Dancers, then joined American Ballet Theatre under the direction of Mikhail Baryshnikov.  After relocating to the […]

Artistic Director’s Notebook: Carmina Burana + Agon

Artistic Director’s Notebook: Carmina Burana + Agon

Lindsi Dec and PNB Company dancers in Carmina Burana © Angela Sterling.

You never forget the opening moment of Kent Stowell’s Carmina Burana. Even wildly enthusiastic applause can’t drown out the 70 voices of the Pacific Lutheran University Choral […]

Our Favorite Balanchine Quotes for His 115th Birthday

Our Favorite Balanchine Quotes for His 115th Birthday

Everyone knows George Balanchine the choreographer, and George Balanchine the founder of New York City Ballet. How about Balanchine the wordsmith?

An iconic figure in 20th century dance, the Russian-born son of a composer shaped our current vision of […]

2022-11-02T11:59:40-07:00January 17th, 2019|Categories: Choreographers, Life at PNB|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |Comments Off on Our Favorite Balanchine Quotes for His 115th Birthday

Former DanceChance student stages PNB’s latest premiere

We’re so lucky to welcome artists from all over the world to PNB’s studios to stage ballets. Each ballet requires a stager, the artist who teaches the steps, timing, and intention of a ballet on behalf of the choreographer.

For our upcoming mixed bill EMERGENCE, RAkU choreographer Yuri […]

2018-04-10T00:57:38-07:00April 10th, 2018|Categories: Choreographers, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Accessibility (I.D.E.A.), PNB School|Tags: , , , , , , |Comments Off on Former DanceChance student stages PNB’s latest premiere

Artistic Director’s Notebook: Swan Lake

Artistic Director’s Notebook: Swan Lake

by Artistic Director Peter Boal

 

Ask anyone to name two ballets they have seen. I’m willing to bet Nutcracker would come first, Swan Lake second. We agree. Swan Lake is the second-most-attended ballet in Pacific Northwest Ballet’s history.

 

If Nutcracker […]

2023-10-10T11:57:41-07:00February 2nd, 2018|Categories: Director's Notebook, Performances|Tags: , , , , , , , , |Comments Off on Artistic Director’s Notebook: Swan Lake
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