Award-winning choreographer Rena Butler's choreographic journey began when she saw MTV's Making the Video at the age of ten. Now, she's creating a new work for PNB's DIRECTORS' CHOICE program. We sat down with Rena to talk about her choreographic process, her career, and her latest recs.
Crystal Pite drew on a fascinating combination of inspiration for Emergence, including the structure of a ballet company, insects, and more. Learn more about her creative process for this piece in her own words.
Choreographer Jessica Lang is busy in PNB’s studios putting the finishing touches on Black Wave, her first work as PNB’s resident choreographer. Jessica’s work for PNB is both thought-provoking and emotionally moving, and Black Wave is no different. Click to learn about Jessica’s unique inspirations for this piece.
Pacific Northwest Ballet's New Works Initiative has been an important part of realizing the Company's artistic vision since 2005. Countless choreographers, including Donald Byrd, Edwaard Liang, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Robyn Mineko Williams, Justin Peck, Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, and Twyla Tharp have created new ballets through this initiative. This season, after several successful creations for the company, Jessica Lang becomes PNB's newest Resident Choreographer for the next three seasons. Her work for the company has always been richly layered and deliciously complex. We sat down with Lang to discuss her residency and her new work.
In Pacific Northwest Ballet’s second repertory of the season, we are excited to present The Window, a world premiere work by a choreographer who isn’t yet familiar to PNB audiences. Dani Rowe is a former dancer, the Artistic Director at Oregon Ballet Theater in Portland, and now a choreographer who PNB is lucky to include in our roster of repertory choreographers. Read on to get to know a little bit more about Dani Rowe!
The second repertory of PNB’s 2023/24 season is a true mixed triple bill. We’re more than excited to showcase works by three choreographers with distinct styles. Read on for a few fun facts to get to know returning choreographers Donald Byrd and Alexei Ratmansky, and new-to-PNB-audiences Dani Rowe.
Welcome to PNB’s November program and the place in our season we often mark by presenting new and contemporary work – a very PNB counterpoint to The Nutcracker immersion already taking place in our studios. This program is also an excellent expression of the interconnectedness of the dance world.
When we think of storytelling, we think of words – spoken, signed, sung, or written. Recall a favorite novel or poem. Words illuminate plots and plays bringing them to vivid existence. How does dance tell a tale without words? Classical ballets have relied on two methods of communication – mime and program notes. But storytelling has changed in ballet.
PNB is also a culture of creativity with dancers, musicians, designers, and choreographers working to offer fresh takes on dance. Watch for a season filled with new creations and new ideas. So much of this happens beyond the mainstage.
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!