Between Nostalgia and Now | A look into Lily Wills’ new work for the NEXT STEP 2025 program
PNB dancer Lily Wills creates a new four-movement work for NEXT STEP 2025, set to Chris Cohen’s music. Explore her choreographic process and costume designs.
Legacies in Motion: A Tribute to Lynn Lindsay | Jonathan Batista, NEXT STEP 2025

By Leah Terada On June 13, Pacific Northwest Ballet’s NEXT STEP program will feature a powerful new work, Suddenly, O FIM (The End), by Principal Dancer and choreographer Jonathan Batista. This piece marks a deeply personal choreographic debut, created in honor of Lynn Lindsay– a devoted PNB supporter and a dear friend of Batista’s. Lynn’s presence in Seattle’s […]
Grief, Hope, and the Ethereal
PNB dancer Amanda Morgan choreographs Ether for NEXT STEP 2025, exploring grief, connection, and the ethereal body through movement with 16 student dancers
Meet the 2024 NEXT STEP Artist: Luca Anaya
In this blog, you’ll learn more about PNB dancer Luca Anaya, who recently choreographed his first piece as part of 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 performed original work from company dancers […]
Meet the 2024 NEXT STEP Artist: Amanda Morgan

PNB dancer Amanda Morgan discusses her NEXT STEP choreographic debut with Christopher D’Ariano, exploring themes of conformity, rebellion, and memory.
Meet the 2024 NEXT STEP Artist: Lily Wills

PNB dancer Lily Wills shares her NEXT STEP choreographic process, drawing on the Greek myth of Circe to create an homage to feminine power and resilience.
Meet the 2024 NEXT STEP Artist: Noah Martzall

In this blog, you’ll learn more about PNB Company dancer Noah Martzall and his 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, […]
Meet the 2024 NEXT STEP Artists: Elle Macy/Dylan Wald

In this blog, you’ll learn more about PNB Principal dancers Elle Macy and Dylan Wald and their 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, […]
Meet the 2024 NEXT STEP Artist: Melisa Guilliams

In this blog, you’ll learn more about PNB Company dancer Melisa Guilliams 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, Noah […]
Meet the NEXT STEP Artist: Zsilas Michael Hughes

Zsilas Michael Hughes (they/them/he/she) is from Little Rock, Arkansas. They trained under the kinesthetic conceptual teachings of Arleen Sugano at Rock City Dance Center and on full scholarship at Pacific Northwest Ballet as a Professional Division student. They attended summer courses at Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Dream Big Dance Company, Ballet Arkansas, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, […]