One Thousand Pieces: Q & A with Music Librarian Mona Butler

One Thousand Pieces: Q&A with Music Librarian Mona Butler

Mona Butler has been a bassoonist in Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra since the orchestra was founded in 1989, and PNB’s Music Librarian since the position was created in 1996. Marketing Assistant Maris Antolin sat down with Mona in late February […]

2023-09-14T12:31:59-07:00March 18th, 2020|Categories: Life at PNB, Performances, Q&A with Dancers, Choreographers & Staff|Tags: 2019/20 Season, Alejandro Cerrudo, Mona Butler, One Thousand Pieces, Philip Glass, PNB Orchestra|1 Comment

A Message from Peter Boal

Dear Friends,

I have always enjoyed writing these notes to all of you before each program. Ordinarily, I share surprising facts and humorous anecdotes. A week ago, I might have mentioned our orchestra’s mastery of Philip Glass’ score, or the colossal scale of John Otto’s set that takes 45 minutes […]

2023-09-14T12:24:40-07:00March 12th, 2020|Categories: Dance Happens Everywhere, Director's Notebook, Life at PNB, Performances|Tags: 2019/20 Season, Peter Boal|1 Comment

Principal Dancer Benjamin Griffiths to retire at the end of 2019-20 Season

Pacific Northwest Ballet Artistic Director Peter Boal and principal dancer Benjamin Griffiths have announced that Mr. Griffiths will retire at the end of PNB’s current season. Mr. Griffiths joined PNB as a corps de ballet dancer in 2005; he was promoted to soloist in 2008 and principal dancer in 2016. His career will […]

2023-09-14T12:23:56-07:00March 3rd, 2020|Categories: Dancer Announcements, Life at PNB|Tags: 2019/20 Season, Benjamin Griffiths, Retirement Announcement, Season Encore, Second Stage|Comments Off

Soloist Margaret Mullin to leave at the end of 2019-20 Season

Pacific Northwest Ballet soloist Margaret Mullin has announced that she will be leaving the company at the end of the 2019-2020 season, following a 12-year career with PNB. Ms. Mullin joined PNB as an apprentice in 2008, becoming a corps de ballet dancer in 2009. She was promoted to soloist in 2014, and […]

2020-01-16T11:31:24-08:00January 16th, 2020|Categories: Dancer Announcements, Life at PNB|Tags: 2019/20 Season, Ian Horvath, Margaret Mullin, Nel Shelby, Next Step, Retirement Announcement, Season Encore|Comments Off

Meet the 2019 Claras

Clara is a dream role for many young ballerinas. Each year, two students alternate performing Clara in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®.

2022-12-07T14:19:55-08:00November 13th, 2019|Categories: Performances, PNB School, Q&A with Dancers, Choreographers & Staff, The Nutcracker|Tags: 2019/20 Season, Clara, George Balanchine, The Nutcracker|4 Comments

Donald Byrd on Love and Loss

Donald Byrd in the studio with Dylan Wald and Cecilia Iliesiu © Lindsay Thomas.

It is challenging, and nearly impossible, to summarize Donald Byrd in one blog post. He has choreography credits from all around the country across the genres of dance, theater, and opera. His list of […]

2019-11-01T12:06:46-07:00November 1st, 2019|Categories: Life at PNB, Q&A with Dancers, Choreographers & Staff|Tags: 2019/20 Season, Donald Byrd, Locally Sourced, Spectrum Dance Theater|2 Comments

Wash of Gray: A Wealth of Local Artists

Visual Artist Eli Lara creates on location for Wash of Gray © Chloe Collyer

When PNB Company dancer Miles Pertl was asked to create a piece for Locally Sourced, he decided to dive head-first into the theme. His sister, multi-media artist Sydney M. Pertl, was the first artistic […]

2019-10-24T18:01:57-07:00October 24th, 2019|Categories: Life at PNB, Performances, Q&A with Dancers, Choreographers & Staff|Tags: 2019/20 Season, A Wash of Gray, Jharek Bischoff, Locally Sourced, Maxfield Woodring, Miles Pertl, Sydney M. Pertl|Comments Off

A Q&A with F O I L choreographer Eva Stone

Eva Stone rehearses F O I L in the studio with PNB company dancers © Lindsay Thomas

Seattle-based choreographer Eva Stone has been creating dance for more than 30 years. In addition to running her dance company, The Stone Dance Collective, she is on the faculty at Spectrum Dance Theater […]

2019-10-15T14:31:40-07:00October 15th, 2019|Categories: Performances, Q&A with Dancers, Choreographers & Staff|Tags: 2019/20 Season, Eva Stone, F O I L, Locally Sourced, New Voices, New Works|Comments Off

Meet the Artist: Mark Haim

Originally from New York City, Mark Haim has been making dances and teaching dance for 35 years. He is creating a new work for NEXT STEP: OUTSIDE/IN on June 14, featuring PNB Principal dancer Noelani Pantastico and six […]

Originally from New York City, Mark Haim has been making dances and teaching dance for 35 years. He is creating a new work for NEXT STEP: OUTSIDE/IN on June 14, featuring PNB Principal dancer Noelani Pantastico and six […]

2025-04-15T10:23:32-07:00April 30th, 2019|Categories: Next Step 2019, Next Step Choreographers, PNB School, Q&A with Dancers, Choreographers & Staff|Tags: 2018/19 Season, Mark Haim, Next Step, Next Step Outside/In, Noelani Pantastico, This Land is Your Land, Velocity Dance Center|Comments Off

Five years on, Jessika Anspach reflects on Midsummer

A Midsummer (er… springtime?) Night’s Dream

by Jessika Anspach McEliece

The smell of sautéing onions wafted through the air as Classic FM streamed on my husband’s computer in our English flat (what the Brits call an apartment). All of a sudden, a familiar tune, Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony […]

2019-04-16T17:37:04-07:00April 16th, 2019|Categories: Dancers, Life at PNB, Performances|Tags: 2018/19 Season, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Felix Mendelssohn, George Balanchine, Jessika Anspach, Martin Pakledinaz|1 Comment