A Sensory Prelude to a Larger Mexican Tale | Kyle Davis & Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan NEXT STEP 2025
By Leah Terada Ballet has always been more than movement; it is memory, mood, metaphor. But in Pas de Deux from an Unnamed Story, choreographers Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan and Kyle Davis invite audiences to go even further. They ask us to taste and smell, to feel, and to remember. Set in 1800s Veracruz, Mexico, this duet, premiering June 13th as part […]
Which Jerome Robbins Ballet are You?
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 […]
5 Reasons Why Roméo et Juliette is a Must-See
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. Keep reading to learn why this ballet is a must-see. In Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette, […]
A Dancer’s Perspective – Kyle Davis on The Sleeping Beauty
Dear PNB Family and Friends, On the eve of Pacific Northwest Ballet opening our new production of The Sleeping Beauty, I am feeling reflective. Over the course of my seventeen seasons with PNB I have seen so many exquisite artists step onto the McCaw Hall stage to perform iconic roles in this everlasting classic. My first Sleeping Beauty with […]
A Day in the Life of a Professional Division Student: Operating Puppets in The Sleeping Beauty
PNB’s world-premiere production of The Sleeping Beauty is a reimagining of the classic tale. The performance is full of innovative and exciting elements, like Preston Singletary’s Indigenous Northwest Coast-influenced set designs, Paul Tazewell’s stunning costumes, and puppets designed by Basil Twist! The Sleeping Beauty is PNB’s largest production ever, and PNB School’s Professional Division students (PDs) are operating many of these […]
10 Fast Facts about The Sleeping Beauty Costumes
With 184 roles and 80 costume designs, The Sleeping Beauty is PNB’s largest production ever. Work on the production began in October 2023, 15 months in advance of opening night. Over 90 artisans, craftspeople, drapers, stitchers, first hands, dyers, and milliners have contributed to the costume build, including costume designer Paul Tazewell, who also designed costumes for the […]
5 Reasons Why The Nutcracker is a Holiday Favorite
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker© at Pacific Northwest Ballet is the Northwest’s favorite festive tradition! But what makes this ballet so beloved? Read on to learn five reasons why The Nutcracker is a holiday favorite! The Nutcracker, written in 1891, was composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s final ballet. The score was immediately popular, praised for its charming melodies and rich details. Tchaikovsky himself was especially delighted with his use of the celesta, a newly invented keyboard instrument; you […]
Which Balanchine Ballet Are You? Quiz
PNB’s current program, ALL BALANCHINE, highlights the range and creativity George Balanchine brought to all of his work. The three featured ballets (Prodigal Son, Square Dance, and Stravinsky Violin Concerto) are selected from different periods of Balanchine’s career to showcase his full breadth and depth as a choreographer. But if you were a Balanchine ballet, […]
Artistic Director’s Notebook: Square Dance, Prodigal Son, Stravinsky Violin Concerto
Dear Friends, George Balanchine spent his life making dances, first in his native Georgia, then Russia, Paris, Monte Carlo, Denmark, and finally New York. Balanchine is often regarded as the great neo-classic innovator with works like The Four Temperaments, Agon, and Stravinsky Violin Concerto. In ballets like Coppélia, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Prodigal Son, he showed us he was a storyteller too. […]
5 Reasons Why PNB’s The Nutcracker Tickets Are More Affordable Than People Think
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® is the Northwest’s favorite festive tradition – and it can only stay that way if people can enjoy it! Here at Pacific Northwest Ballet, we make sure Nutcracker tickets are affordable. Keep scrolling to learn how you can see The Nutcracker for less! Tickets to Pacific Northwest Ballet’s The Nutcracker start at just $35.00! Plus, we offer seats on the main floor for $77.00. No matter the […]