Three poignant choreographies trace the development of abstract ballet to the present day, all in an elegiac tone. Through their blending of music and movement, these works demonstrate the rich tradition that informs ballet today.
George Balanchine brought 19th-century classical ballet into the modern era. His focus on music revitalised the art form and established a new form of ‘American ballet’. Serenade was his first abstract work, and it epitomizes his choreographic style. Originally intended as an in-studio exercise, Balanchine incorporated real events from rehearsals into the choreography: a dancer falling, or arriving too late. Serenade showcases Balanchine’s choreography at its finest: poetic, clear, and timeless.
Jiří Kylián’s modern movement language has made a lasting mark on the dance world. Petite Mort, French for ‘little death’, evokes the immediacy of the sexual act against the passage of time. Set to the elegiac strains of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s piano concertos, dancers hover between sensuality and existential anticipation, literally poised ‘on a knife’s edge.’
David Dawson is among the leading dance makers of our time. His boundary-pushing style drives ballet to the physical limit. Following the success of his first creation for the Stuttgart Ballet in 2024, Dawson describes this new work for the company as an elegy in nine movements. Set to a commissioned score by Kirill Richter, the work deals with memory, loss, and renewal – giving form to the transient, and exploring the threshold between holding on and letting go.
The performance of “Serenade”, a Balanchine® Ballet, is presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style® and Balanchine Technique® Service standards established and provided by the Trust.
George Balanchine brought 19th-century classical ballet into the modern era. His focus on music revitalised the art form and established a new form of ‘American ballet’. Serenade was his first abstract work, and it epitomizes his choreographic style. Originally intended as an in-studio exercise, Balanchine incorporated real events from rehearsals into the choreography: a dancer falling, or arriving too late. Serenade showcases Balanchine’s choreography at its finest: poetic, clear, and timeless.
Jiří Kylián’s modern movement language has made a lasting mark on the dance world. Petite Mort, French for ‘little death’, evokes the immediacy of the sexual act against the passage of time. Set to the elegiac strains of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s piano concertos, dancers hover between sensuality and existential anticipation, literally poised ‘on a knife’s edge.’
David Dawson is among the leading dance makers of our time. His boundary-pushing style drives ballet to the physical limit. Following the success of his first creation for the Stuttgart Ballet in 2024, Dawson describes this new work for the company as an elegy in nine movements. Set to a commissioned score by Kirill Richter, the work deals with memory, loss, and renewal – giving form to the transient, and exploring the threshold between holding on and letting go.
The performance of “Serenade”, a Balanchine® Ballet, is presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style® and Balanchine Technique® Service standards established and provided by the Trust.
