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.
PNB Company dancer Jonathan Batista shares his inspirations for his upcoming NEXT STEP work.
Composer and pianist Sergei Prokofiev created many remarkable musical works, including the ballets Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, and Prodigal Son. Known for his masterful use of harmony and rhythm, his oeuvre, while innovative, appeals to a broad audience.
"I still marvel at the audacity and honesty of this production. I know some of you are returning to this familiar work while many will see it for the first time. I hope you share my awe and admiration. Know the cast members you see today stand on the shoulders of past casts who continue to shape choreography and individual interpretations. A torch is being passed, and it’s lighting the way to the streets Verona..."
In Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette, we see the story from Friar Laurence’s perspective. This adaptation focuses on the characters and their powerful emotions. Click here to familiarize yourself with the key characters in this ballet!
Krishna Washburn, artistic director for Dark Room Ballet, the co-director of Telephone, blind teacher of audio description for dance, and activist, explains the reason why audio description for dance performance is so important.
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.
PNB’s current program, EMERGENCE, features Jerome Robbins’ iconic ballet Afternoon of a Faun. PNB has several of Robbins’ ballets in our repertoire. Today, we’ve picked three of our favorites for a short quiz: Afternoon of a Faun, Dances at a Gathering, and Fancy Free. If you were a Jerome Robbins’ ballet, which of these would you be? Find out with this quick quiz!
When Crystal Pite suggested [Emergence] for PNB, she explained that her inspiration came from a book on ants, brains, cities, and software... On opening night in 2013, I wondered how audiences would react as a hot flood light interrupted endless silhouettes of writhing dancers, while the descending curtain signaled a statement made. After seconds of stunned silence, a deafening ovation filled the house. In that moment, we were united in wanting more of Crystal Pite’s singular brilliance. Great art has a way of unifying us and allowing us to see humanity in its most expressive, poignant, and powerful ways.
Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette is a beautiful retelling of the classic story. The power of the Shakespeare play is only made more poignant through the power of dance and live music, as young love blooms, grows, and overwhelms before your eyes. Click here to learn why this ballet is a must-see!