Meet the 2024 NEXT STEP Artist: Lily Wills
In this blog, you’ll learn more about PNB Company dancer Lily Wills and her new work for NEXT STEP! NEXT STEP provides opportunity, infrastructure, and support to grow tomorrow’s choreographic talent while providing a unique performance opportunity for PNB School’s Professional Division dancers. This year, Professional Division students will perform original work from company dancers Lily Wills, […]
Announcing Jessica Lang as PNB’s Next Resident Choreographer
PNB is excited to announce Jessica Lang will be PNB’s next Resident Choreographer. Lang’s journey with PNB began in 2015 with The Calling, and a prolific partnership quickly formed. In 2016, Lang partnered with PNB to create Her Door to the Sky, which was commissioned in part by Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and performed by the company internationally. Lang returned […]
A Day in the Life of a Professional Division Student: Rehearsing Swan Lake
This past month, all of PNB has been busy preparing for Swan Lake. Joining the Company dancers in rehearsals are some of PNB School’s Professional Division (PD) students, who are advanced students elevating their training to the next level. The PD Program is designed to help students transition from student to professional dancer by perfecting their […]
Q&A with Principal Dancer Lucien Postlewaite
I am most looking forward to our exciting rep. I absolutely love working with choreographers to create new works (which we have a few of this season) and I’m very excited about the return of Giselle, the chance to dance Crystal Pite’s The Seasons’ Canon, and Balanchine’s Duo Concertant. Roméo in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette. Getting to share […]
Q&A with Principal Dancer Elizabeth Murphy
Little mortal jump was the ballet that made me fall in love with contemporary works. I feel fortunate to have been pushed outside my comfort zone and discover a whole new world of dance that has continued to bless and enriched my career. Being a hard worker doesn’t mean you have to be hard on yourself. […]
Ezra Thomson on Why New Works Matter
PNB soloist Ezra Thomson is no stranger to New Works. His resume includes originating roles in works by Alejandro Cerrudo, Edwaard Liang, Robin Mineko Williams, Donald Byrd, several current PNB dancers and more. More recently, Ezra took on the role of stager for Jessica Lang’s Let Me Mingle Tears With Thee. Keep scrolling to read more […]
Building a World Premiere with Jessica Lang
PNB’s New Works Initiative has funded more than 130 world premieres since 2005. The Initiative covers the cost of world renowned choreographers, commissions of new music, costumes, set, lights, and more. PNB is performing another world premiere at BOUNDLESS choreographed by audience favorite Jessica Lang: Let Me Mingle Tears With Thee. We asked her about choreography, costumes, music, and all […]
10 Fast Facts About Giselle’s Costumes
Pacific Northwest Ballet is bustling with activity as our costume shop, dancers, administrative staff, and more rush to perfect every element of Giselle, our next repertoire. For the third time ever, Giselle will be performed as part of PNB’s 50th anniversary season. Peter Boal first staged Giselle for PNB in 2011. In 2014, Jérôme Kaplan (who PNB fans will recognize […]
Q&A with Dave Jensen, Summer Residence Director
My stock description is “I run the dorm for PNB’s 5-week summer intensive program for about 200 teenage advanced ballet students from all over the world.” I’m in charge of the planning, hiring, training, and day-to-day operations of the summer residence program – basically all aspects of student life except when they’re in the studio. […]
Remembering Designer Ming Cho Lee
This October, the scenic design world, Harvard students, and ballet, theater, and opera audiences everywhere lost an exceptional artist: Ming Cho Lee. While Mr. Lee’s work was renowned around the world, Seattle audiences had the opportunity to delight in his masterpieces through his longtime collaboration with Founding Artistic Director Kent Stowell. We asked Kent to share with […]