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AMANDA MCKERROW AND JOHN GARDNER TO JOIN AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE
AS GUEST RÉPÉTITEURS FOR 2022 SEASON

NEW YORK, NY (January 19, 2022) — Former American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer Amanda McKerrow and former ABT Soloist John Gardner will join the Company as Guest Répétiteurs through the end of the 2022 Metropolitan Opera House season, it was announced today by ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

“Together, Amanda and John represent more than 40 years of ABT history,” said McKenzie. “Their long tenure and coaching experience will be a tremendous resource to our dancers. We are grateful to have them join us during this busy time of renewal and transition.”

John Gardner has distinguished himself in two major dance companies, American Ballet Theatre and White Oak Dance Project. He joined American Ballet Theatre in 1978 and was promoted to the rank of Soloist in 1984. Gardner’s diverse repertoire at ABT included numerous soloist and principal roles which afforded him the opportunity to work with many of the master choreographers of the 20th century. Gardner was invited to join the White Oak Dance project in 1991, dancing many new and pre-existing works by choreographers such as Mark Morris, Lar Lubovitch, Paul Taylor, and David Gordon, as well as works by many other icons of modern dance including Merce Cunningham and Martha Graham. He currently serves as Répétiteur for the Antony Tudor Ballet Trust and as Director of the Antony Tudor Dance Studies. Together with his wife Amanda McKerrow, he stages many of the Tudor ballets around the world. During the course of his career, Gardner has achieved an excellent reputation as a Master Teacher and coach on both the professional and student levels, and for the last 20 years, has enjoyed teaching and directing workshops and intensives, while staging numerous works for ballet companies and universities in the United States and abroad.

Most recently McKerrow and Gardner staged Tudor’s Pillar of Fire and Clark Tippet’s Some Assembly Required for ABT’s 2021 Fall season.

About American Ballet Theatre

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE is one of the greatest dance companies in the world. Revered as a national treasure since its founding season in 1940, its mission is to create, present, preserve, and extend the great repertoire of classical dancing for the widest possible audience. Headquartered in New York City, ABT is the only cultural institution of its size and stature to extensively tour, enchanting audiences for eight decades in 50 US states, 45 countries, and over 480 cities worldwide. ABT’s repertoire includes full-length classics from the nineteenth century, the finest works from the early twentieth century, and acclaimed contemporary masterpieces. In 2006, by an act of Congress, ABT was designated America’s National Ballet Company®.

Find out more at ABT.org and follow ABT dancers at @abtofficial on Instagram, on Twitter at @ABTBallet, and on Facebook at @AmericanBalletTheatre.

NEW YORK PREMIERES OF A NEW WORK BY ALONZO KING AND ALEXEI RATMANSKY’S
OF LOVE AND RAGE TO HIGHLIGHT
AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S SUMMER SEASON
AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE, JUNE 13–JULY 16, 2022

SEASON TO INCLUDE 75TH ANNIVERSARY PERFORMANCES OF GEORGE BALANCHINE’S
THEME AND VARIATIONS

OPENING NIGHT GALA PERFORMANCE TO FEATURE THREE LEAD CASTS IN DON QUIXOTE

Scene from Of Love and Rage. Photo: Gene Schiavone.

American Ballet Theatre will return to the Metropolitan Opera House for the first time in three years for its Summer season, June 13–July 16, 2022. The season will be highlighted by the New York

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ABT 2022 SUMMER SEASON AT THE MET ANNOUNCED – Page 2

Premieres of a new work by Alonzo King and Alexei Ratmansky’s Of Love and Rage. ABT’s Summer season was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Principal Dancers for the 2022 Metropolitan Opera House season include Joo Won Ahn,
Aran Bell, Isabella Boylston, Skylar Brandt, Herman Cornejo, Thomas Forster, Gillian Murphy,
Calvin Royal III, Hee Seo, Christine Shevchenko, Cory Stearns, Devon Teuscher, Cassandra Trenary, and James Whiteside.

New York Premieres

The New York Premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s Of Love and Rage is set for Monday evening, June 20, 2022 with Catherine Hurlin and Aran Bell in the leading roles. Based on the first century historical romance novel Callirhoe by Chariton, Of Love and Rage tells the story of star-crossed lovers Callirhoe and Chaereas in ancient Greece. The two-act ballet is set to music by Aram Khachaturian, arranged by Philip Feeney, with sets and costumes by Jean-Marc Puissant and lighting by Duane Schuler.Of Love and Rage, Ratmansky’s 17th work for American Ballet Theatre, was given its World Premiere on March 5, 2020 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California. The ballet will be given eight performances at the Metropolitan Opera House through Saturday, June 25.

A new work by Alonzo King will have its New York Premiere on Thursday evening, July 7. Set to music by jazz pianist and composer Jason Moran, King’s new work features sets and costumes by Robert Rosenwasser and lighting by Jim French. The new work, King’s first for ABT, will receive its World Premiere on March 15, 2022 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California. King’s new work, part of a mixed repertory program, will be given four performances July 7-9.

Full-Length Works

American Ballet Theatre’s Summer season will include three additional full-length ballets. The season will open on Monday evening, June 13 with a special Gala performance of Don Quixote featuring a different leading cast in each act. Dancing the roles of Kitri and Basilio will be Christine Shevchenko and Cory Stearns in Act I, Hee Seo and James Whiteside in Act II, and Catherine Hurlin and Aran Bell in Act III. Don Quixote is staged by Kevin McKenzie and Susan Jones, with choreography after Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky. The ballet is set to music by Ludwig Minkus and features scenery and costumes by Santo Loquasto, and lighting by Natasha Katz. The McKenzie/Jones staging of the current

production was first performed by ABT on June 12, 1995. Don Quixote will be given eight performances through June 18.

Twelve performances of Swan Lake will begin Monday, June 27 with Devon Teuscher as Odette-Odile and Cory Stearns as Prince Siegfried. Set to music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake is choreographed by Kevin McKenzie after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov and features scenery and costumes by Zack Brown, and lighting by Duane Schuler. This production of Swan Lake premiered on March 24, 2000 at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. with Julie Kent (Odette-Odile) and Angel Corella (Prince Siegfried).

Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet will be given eight performances beginning Monday evening, July 11 with Hee Seo and Cory Stearns in the title roles. Set to the score by Sergei Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet features scenery and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis, and lighting by Thomas Skelton. Romeo and Juliet received its World Premiere by The Royal Ballet in London on
February 9, 1965 and was given its ABT Company Premiere at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 1985 with Leslie Browne and Robert La Fosse in the leading roles.

Returning Repertory

The Summer season will include four performances of mixed repertory, July 7–9. In addition to the New York Premiere of King’s new work, the program will include George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations and Jessica Lang’s ZigZag.

Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, set to a score of the same name by Tchaikovsky from Suite No. 3 for Orchestra, was created for Ballet Theatre in 1947. A neo-classical masterpiece, Theme and Variations features scenery and costumes by Zack Brown, and lighting by Brad Fields. ABT’s 2022 performances of Theme and Variations will mark the 75th Anniversary of this seminal work’s premiere.

Jessica Lang’s ZigZag, set to songs recorded by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, received its World Premiere on October 26, 2021 at the David H. Koch Theater in New York City. The ballet features scenery by Derek McLane, costumes by Wes Gordon, and lighting by Nicole Pearce. A work for 14 dancers, ZigZag is set to 11 American standard songs by Bennett including a duet with Lady Gaga.

ABTKids
ABTKids, American Ballet Theatre’s annual one-hour introduction to ballet for families, is

scheduled for Saturday morning, June 18 at 11:00 A.M. All tickets for ABTKids are $25. Subscriptions On Sale

• All audience members must be fully vaccinated. You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving a second dose in a two-dose vaccine series or two weeks after receiving a single dose vaccine.

• All audience members must provide in-person proof of vaccination against COVID-19, with a vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or by the World Health Organization (WHO), and a valid state or government issued photo ID.

• Beginning January 17, 2022, the Metropolitan Opera House will require proof of a COVID-19 booster shot for all those eligible to receive it.

• Negative COVID-19 tests for audience members, including children, will not be accepted as an alternative to vaccination proof.

ZigZag is co-commissioned by Abu Dhabi Festival.

Commissions and presentations of new works by women choreographers are supported by the ABT Women's Movement. Champion support for the ABT Women's Movement is provided by Jenna Segal. Additional leadership support is provided by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

ABT's Choreographic Innovation and Inspiration and Inclusion programs are generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Additional major support is provided by Mark Casey and Carrie Gaiser Casey, the Ford Foundation, The Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund and through an endowed gift from the Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund.

Special thanks to Denise Littlefield Sobel for her leadership gifts to: ABT's Media Fund, advancing the Company's digital endeavors; and ABT RISE, fueling the Company's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Lead Sponsor support for ABTKids is generously provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies. American Airlines is the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre.
LG is the Global Electronics Partner of ABT.

Bank of America is the Lead Corporate Partner of ABT Studio Company.

ABT is supported, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of The Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

JANET ROLLÉ NAMED CEO AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE

Andrew Barth, Chairman of the Board of Governing Trustees at American Ballet Theatre, has announced the appointment of Janet Rollé to the position of CEO and Executive Director at American Ballet Theatre. Her appointment will become effective January 3, 2022. Rollé joins ABT from Parkwood Entertainment, having served as General Manager since 2016.

As General Manager at Parkwood Entertainment, the media and management company founded by entertainer and entrepreneur Beyoncé, Rollé led all business operations for the company which houses departments in music, film, video, live performances and concert production, artist management, business development, marketing, digital, creative, philanthropy, and publicity. Her role included oversight of strategic partnerships, legal and business affairs, marketing, finance, human resources, archive, and information technology for all Parkwood businesses and artists. She was Associate Producer of Beyoncé’s history-making performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the Emmy Award®-nominated Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé (2019), which documents the Coachella performance, and the OTR II Tour. She was an Executive Producer of the Emmy®-winning film Black Is King.

Rollé previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at CNN Worldwide, leading a staff of 110 and overseeing the promotion of all CNN brands and programming. Rollé was the first Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of BET Networks and has also served in senior positions at AOL, MTV Networks, and HBO. She serves on the board of directors of BuzzFeed, Inc. and Hallmark Cards, Inc. In addition, Rollé was previously a Presidential Appointee and member of the Nominating Committee of the United States Tennis Association.

“After a thorough search, Janet emerged as the right leader to usher in ABT’s next chapter,” said Andrew Barth, Chairman of ABT’s Board of Governing Trustees. “Her extensive experience as a business leader and marketing strategist, combined with her life-long passion for dance, perfectly positions her to lead our organization. She is brimming with ideas to lead ABT into the next decade, all while respecting Ballet Theatre’s history and legacy. I am confident that Janet’s accomplished background in business operations and development, strategic partnerships, and brand management will be a tremendous asset.”

“When my dear Mom, an immigrant from Jamaica, took me to my first dance class at the age of eight at the YMCA in Mount Vernon, New York, she set me on the path that would provide the foundation of my career. Through dance, I learned how to be a professional, the value of discipline and technique, and my love for the creative process. These lessons have always been at the core of my professional life and work. It is therefore a singular privilege to be entrusted by the Board to preserve and extend the legacy of American Ballet Theatre, and to ensure its future prosperity, cultural impact, and relevance. To come full circle and be in a position to give back to the art that has given me so much is a source of unbridled and immense joy,” said Rollé.

“I am honored to welcome Janet on board to lead ABT into the future,” said Kevin McKenzie, ABT Artistic Director. “Over the past several years, our Company has renewed its commitment to strengthening the foundation of what ABT has always stood for – artistic excellence, expanding audience engagement and growth, and cultivating a team of teachers, innovators, and visionaries who will represent ABT for generations to come. Janet’s experience as an executive, with a background in dance, as well as her management of the multi-layered business of one of the most successful recording artists in history, bodes well for ABT’s continued success.”

Rollé received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from the State University of New York at Purchase and an MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business. She was named “10 Who Made Their Mark” and a “Woman to Watch” by Advertising Age magazine. She is the recipient of the Institute for Caribbean Studies Trailblazer Award and the Pat Tobin Media Professional Award from the National Association of Black Journalists. She was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from The University of the West Indies.

For more information on American Ballet Theatre, please visit www.abt.org.

ABT’S PRIDE NIGHTS TO CELEBRATE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY – Page 2

LGBT History Month. Both evening’s performances will feature a special guest appearance by drag artist Lypsinka, followed by a panel discussion of ABT’s LGBT works with the creators of the male duet Touché: choreographer Christopher Rudd, ABT Principal Dancer Calvin Royal III, and ABT corps de ballet member João Menegussi. Sarah Lozoff, intimacy director for Touché, will join the panel on Wednesday, October 27 and ABT Principal Dancer James Whiteside joins on Saturday evening,

October 30.
American Ballet Theatre’s Pride Night celebrations will include performances of Alexei

Ratmansky’s Bernstein in a Bubble, set to Leonard Bernstein’s Divertimento; Rudd’s Touché, set to music by Woodkid and Ennio Morricone and lighting by Brad Fields; Clark Tippet’s Some Assembly Required, staged by Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner and set to music by William Bolcom, with costumes by Gary Lisz and lighting by Jennifer Tipton; and Darrell Grand Moultrie’s Indestructible Light, set to recorded music by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Neal Hefti, Billy Strayhorn, and Chuck Harmony, with costumes by Mark Eric and lighting by Fields.

Celebrated drag artist Lypsinka will appear at each of the Pride Night events. A veteran of Off- Broadway, stage, film and television, Lypsinka has won three Drama-Desk nominations (Lypsinka! A Day in the Life and Lypsinka! The Boxed Set.) She is the alter-ego of John Epperson who has served as a rehearsal and class pianist with ABT over the span of 43 years. In her first appearance with ABT and first return to performing since 2018, Lypsinka will introduce the post-performance portion of ABT’s Pride Nights.

The post-performance discussions, free for each evening’s audience, will be moderated by trans- actress Tommy Dorfman. In addition, a free exhibit of the works of photographer Quil Lemons, curated by Sarah Hoover, will be displayed on the lobby and promenade level of the David H. Koch Theater throughout the Fall season. For tickets and more information, please visit www.abt.org/pride.

ABOUT LGBT HISTORY MONTH

SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS AND AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE ANNOUNCE

THREE-YEAR PARTNERSHIP TO INCLUDE WORLD PREMIERE BY ALONZO KING

AND THE U.S. PREMIERE OF

LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE

BY CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON

American Ballet Theatre Named the Official Dance Company of Segerstrom Center for the Arts

NEW YORK, NY and COSTA MESA, CA – Segerstrom Center for the Arts President Casey Reitz and American Ballet Theatre (ABT) Executive Director Kara Medoff Barnett announced today a three-year partnership combining the resources of America’s National Ballet Company® and one of the nation’s leading presenters of dance. The partnership will commence in December 2021 with three additional years of the co-presented annual productions of Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker and continue with World and West Coast Premieres and engagements each spring through 2024.

“We are proud to designate the renowned American Ballet Theatre as the Official Dance Company of Segerstrom Center for the Arts. This partnership reflects the extended history and long-term commitment between Segerstrom Center for the Arts and ABT, a company that has graced our stage and entertained patrons with exciting and inspiring performances since 1987. The Center is committed to these premieres because we recognize each has been beautifully and uniquely crafted to provide enjoyment to dance audiences throughout Southern California for many years to come.” says Casey Reitz.

Segerstrom Center and ABT have a robust long-standing relationship. At the Center, ABT gave the World Premiere of Mikhail Baryshnikov’s Swan Lake in 1988. In 1999, the ABT production of Le Corsaire was taped for broadcast on PBS’s Dance in America, winning an Emmy Award. In 2003, The Dream was also taped at the Center for broadcast on Dance in America. In 2008, ABT co-commissioned Twyla Tharp’s Rabbit and Rogue with Segerstrom Center for the Arts, which received its World Premiere in New York and its West Coast Premiere at the Center. Other ABT productions at the Center have included the West Coast Premiere of Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie’s production of The Sleeping Beauty in 2007, the World Premiere of a new production of Firebird by ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky, and three additional ballets by Ratmansky including the West Coast premiere of The Nutcracker in 2015, the World Premiere of Whipped Cream in 2017, the West Coast Premiere of Harlequinade in 2019, and the World Premiere and co-commissioned production Of Love and Rage in 2020. Most recently, the Center presented Uniting in Movement, in April of 2021, a unique dance project bringing 18 ABT dancers together for safe collaboration and an exhilarating performance of new works by Jessica Lang, Lauren Lovette, and Darrell Grand Moultrie. Since 2015, ABT has wowed Southern California audiences at Segerstrom Center for the Arts with annual holiday engagements of The Nutcracker for over 63 performances!

“American Ballet Theatre’s mission calls us to preserve the classics and extend the repertoire of classical ballet,” says Kara Medoff Barnett, ABT Executive Director. “As the Official Dance Company of Segerstrom Center, ABT brings both the beloved classics and exciting new works to Southern California audiences. With talented students at the ABT William J. Gillespie School and enthusiastic audiences, Orange County offers ABT’s artists the warmest of welcomes. Segerstrom Center’s leadership recognizes the importance of innovation, inclusion, and invention to the future of the art form.”

The three-year partnership between American Ballet Theatre and Segerstrom Center for the Arts will include three Premiere works. Beginning March 2022, ABT and the Center will present a mixed repertory program to include a World Premiere by Alonzo King and West Coast Premieres of Ratmansky’s Bernstein in a Bubble and Lang’s ZigZag, featuring songs recorded by Tony Bennett.

In March 2023, American Ballet Theatre will give the North American Premiere of Like Water for Chocolate at the Center. From the award-winning team of choreographer Christopher Wheeldon

and composer Joby Talbot, with costumes by Bob Crowley, this co-production with the Royal Ballet is inspired by Laura Esquivel’s bestselling novel of the same name. The evening-length production tells the story of Tita, a young Mexican woman whose restrictive upbringing prevents her from marrying until her mother dies. Overwhelmed by a sense of duty and family tradition, Tita’s only form of expression is through cooking, but her life takes an unexpected turn when she falls in love with her wealthy neighbor Pedro. Their forbidden passion has far-reaching— and devastating—consequences. Laura Esquivel comments, “Having Christopher and his team transform my story into a ballet is truly magical for me. It was a great pleasure to have them visit Mexico for extensive research and to develop the scenario together. I am amazed at how Christopher can translate deep emotions into movement, and I can’t wait to see this wonderful creative adventure unfold.”

ABT and the Center’s partnership in 2024 will include a third World Premiere. Details to follow at a later date.

“I am so pleased to continue our long relationship with Segerstrom Center for the Arts, a place I consider a second home to ABT,” said Kevin McKenzie, ABT Artistic Director. “This partnership will allow ABT to expand our programming and experiment with new ways of telling stories. In our first collaboration with renowned dance maker Alonzo King, ABT dancers will stretch their wings with King’s unique form of expression and brand of movement. I am excited to see the results. And from page to stage, Christopher Wheeldon will bring Laura Esquivel’s celebratednovel Like Water for Chocolate to life for its U.S. Premiere at Segerstrom Center.”

The Segerstrom Center for the Arts also houses the ABT Gillespie Ballet School. The school

offers unrivaled training, performing opportunities, Master Classes, lectures by visiting artists, and the highest quality of classical ballet training through the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum. Forty students are featured annually in ABT’s production of The Nutcracker; and have performed alongside ABT dancers in the World Premiere productions of The Sleeping Beauty (2015), Whipped Cream (2017), and the West Coast premiere of ABT’s Harlequinade (2019).

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE
American Ballet Theatre is one of the great dance companies in the world. Revered as a

national treasure since its founding season in 1940, its mission is to create, present, and extend the great repertoire of classical dancing for the widest possible audience. Headquartered in New York City, ABT is the only cultural institution of its size and stature to extensively tour, engaging and inspiring audiences for eight decades in 50 US states, 45 countries, and over 480 cities worldwide. ABT’s extraordinary dancers hail from 14 countries and 24 US states. ABT’s repertoire includes full-length classics from the nineteenth century, the finest works from the early twentieth century, and diverse and dynamic contemporary work by the leading choreographers of today. In 2006, by an act of Congress, ABT was designated America's National Ballet Company®.

SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Segerstrom Center for the Arts is an acclaimed arts institution as well as a beautiful multi-disciplinary cultural campus. It is committed to supporting artistic excellence, offering unsurpassed experiences and to engaging the entire community in new and exciting ways through the unique power of live performance as well as a diverse array of inspiring arts-based education and community engagement programs. Previously called the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Segerstrom Center is Orange County’s largest non-profit arts organization. In addition to its six performance venues, Segerstrom Center is also home to the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School and Studio 😧 Arts School for All (previously named School of Dance and Music for Children with Disabilities).

The Center presents a broad range of programming for audiences of all ages, featuring international ballet and dance companies, national tours of top Broadway shows, jazz and cabaret, contemporary artists, classical music performed by renowned chamber orchestras and ensembles, family-friendly programming, and free performances on its plaza, such as outdoor movie screenings, concerts, community, and cultural festivals.

Segerstrom Center is a leader among the nation’s performing arts centers for providing education programs designed to inspire young people through the arts. The Center’s programs reach hundreds of thousands of students each year in five Southern California counties. The CDI supports flagship artistic programming and a wide range of projects that celebrate innovation, nurture creativity, and engage audiences of the future. The Center Without Boundaries develops partnerships with non-cultural organizations to help them in their own efforts to respond to the ever-changing needs of the community.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts is also proud to serve as the artistic home to three of the region’s major performing arts organizations: Pacific Symphony, Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Pacific Chorale. Each contributes greatly to the artistic life of the region with annual seasons performed at the Center.

In addition to Segerstrom Center for the Arts as a presenting and producing institution, it also identifies the beautiful 14-acre campus that embraces the Center’s own facilities as well as two independently acclaimed organizations: Tony Award®-winning South Coast Repertory and the Orange County Museum of Art.

Information provided is accurate at the time of printing but is subject to change. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is a public, non-profit organization. “Segerstrom Center for the Arts” is a registered trademark.

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S 2021 FALL SEASON AT DAVID H. KOCH THEATER, OCTOBER 20-31

BOX OFFICE OPENS SEPTEMBER 8 AT 10:00 A.M.

Casting for American Ballet Theatre’s 2021 Fall season has been announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Principal Dancers for the 2021 Fall season at the Koch Theater include Joo Won Ahn, Aran Bell, Isabella Boylston, Skylar Brandt, Herman Cornejo, Thomas Forster, Gillian Murphy, Calvin Royal III, Hee Seo, Christine Shevchenko, Cory Stearns, Devon Teuscher, Cassandra Trenary, and James Whiteside.

The 2021 Fall season will open on Wednesday evening, October 20 at 7:30 P.M. with the first of six performances of the full-length production of Giselle. Hee Seo will lead the cast in the title role on opening night, alongside Cory Stearns as Albrecht and Devon Teuscher as Myrta. Cassandra Trenary, Calvin Royal III, and Zhong-Jing Fang will dance these leading roles for the first time at the matinee on Saturday, October 23. Christine Shevchenko will debut as Giselle on Saturday evening, October 23, dancing opposite Aran Bell in his New York debut as Albrecht. On Thursday, October 21, Skylar Brandt will make her New York debut in the title role dancing opposite Herman Cornejo as Albrecht, and Catherine Hurlin will also make her New York debut as Myrta. Thomas Forster will make his New York debut as Albrecht on Friday evening, October 22 dancing opposite Gillian Murphy as Giselle and Katherine Williams as Myrta.

Staged by Kevin McKenzie with choreography after Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, and Marius Petipa, Giselle is set to music by Adolphe Adam, orchestrated by John Lanchbery, with scenery by Gianni Quaranta, costumes by Anna Anni, and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. The world premiere of Giselle, one of the oldest continually performed ballets, occurred at the Theatre de l’Academie Royale de Musique in Paris on June 28, 1841. The ballet was first presented by ABT (then Ballet Theatre) at the Center Theatre in New York City on January 12, 1940, with choreography by Anton Dolin and scenery and costumes by Lucinda Ballard. The leading roles were danced by Annabelle Lyon and Anton Dolin. ABT’s sixth production, featuring scenery by Gianni Quaranta and costumes by Anna Anni, was created for the film

Dancers, produced in 1987 by Cannon Films. This production’s first public performance was given on March 20, 1987 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, with Marianna Tcherkassky as Giselle and Kevin McKenzie as Albrecht. The current staging is by McKenzie, using the Quaranta and Anni designs.

The New York stage premiere of Christopher Rudd’s Touché will highlight American Ballet Theatre’s Fall Gala performance on Tuesday, October 26 at 6:30 P.M. with Calvin Royal III and João Menegussi in the leading roles.

Touché, choreographed by Rudd and set to music by Woodkid (Que Te Mate el Desierto) and Ennio Morricone (Giuseppe Tornatore Suite from Malena) with intimacy direction by Sarah Lozoff, was created in Silver Bay, New York and received its digital World Premiere on November 23, 2020 as part of ABT Today: The Future Starts Now. The New York stage premiere of Touché will be celebrated with two dedicated Pride Nights at the Koch Theater on Wednesday evening, October 27 and Saturday evening, October 30. These special evenings will highlight LGBTQIA+ diversity, equity, and visibility.

American Ballet Theatre’s Fall Gala program will also include the World Premiere of Jessica Lang’s ZigZag set to songs recorded by Tony Bennett, with costumes by Wes Gordon, scenery by Derek McLane, and lighting by Nicole Pierce. Performances of Lauren Lovette’s La Follia Variations and an excerpt of Darrell Grand Moultrie’s Indestructible Light will complete the evening.

Gabe Stone Shayer will debut in Clark Tippet’s Some Assembly Required, dancing opposite Skylar Brandt on Wednesday evening, October 27. Some Assembly Required, choreographed by Clark Tippet, received its World Premiere by American Ballet Theatre in 1989. The pas de deux, created for Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner, is set to music by William Bolcolm, with costumes by Gary Lisz, and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. The ballet is staged for ABT by McKerrow and Gardner.

Thomas Forster will debut as The Friend and James Whiteside will make his debut as The Young Man From the House Opposite in Antony Tudor’s masterwork Pillar of Fire on Friday evening, October 29, dancing opposite Devon Teuscher as Hagar. The season’s first performance of the work on Thursday evening, October 28 will feature Gillian Murphy in the lead role of Hagar. Staged for ABT by Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner, Pillar of Fire is set to music by Arnold Schoenberg (Verklärte Nacht) with scenery and costumes by Robert Perdziola and lighting by Duane Schuler. The ballet was given its World Premiere on April 8, 1942 at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2021 Fall season, starting at $30, are available beginning (more) Wednesday, September 8 at 10:00 A.M. in person at the Koch Theater box office, by phone by calling 212- 496-0600, and online. Performance-only tickets for ABT’s 2021 Fall Gala on Tuesday evening, October 26 begin at $35. ABT will offer audience members the opportunity to exchange their tickets or receive refunds free of charge up until Noon on the day of the performance during the 2021 Fall season. In addition, ABT will require the following protocol for all audience members attending its performances:

Based on CDC and New York State guidelines at the time of performance, additional safety protocols may include proper mask usage, contact tracing survey, limitations on belongings in the David H. Koch Theater, assigned entry times, social distancing, and more. Specific health & safety protocols are determined by the David H. Koch Theater and Studios in its sole discretion and are subject to change. We will continue to consult with medical advisors and monitor CDC and New York City and State guidelines, and these policies may be updated as conditions evolve. American Ballet Theatre will strive to communicate substantial changes to health and safety protocols in advance of performances. Ticket holders should review ABT’s website (www.abt.org) periodically to identify changes impacting one's ability to attend based on individual circumstances. The David H. Koch Theater may, in its sole discretion, refuse to allow admission to any ticket holder who does not comply with the Theater's policies.

The David H. Koch Theater is located at Lincoln Center, Broadway and 63rd Street in New York City. For more information, please visit www.abt.org. Casting and programs to follow.

KARA MEDOFF BARNETT TO STEP DOWN AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE

Kara Medoff Barnett, Executive Director at American Ballet Theatre since February 2016, will step down this fall to assume a new leadership role at First Republic Bank leading social impact marketing and strategy and developing the First Republic Foundation. Barnett will continue to advise ABT, part-time through the end of the calendar year, while the Board of Governing Trustees oversees a search for her successor. She will also serve on the ABT Global Council and the ABT RISE Advisory Council, two new advisory groups launched in 2020.

“Kara has given this Company such a shot in the arm, and we are all better and more broadly capable for it,” said Kevin McKenzie, ABT Artistic Director. “She transitions to another role where she can continue to promote the health of ABT after spearheading many programs that have extended the Company’s reach to the widest possible audience. An inspirational and aspirational leader, she has been an amazingly energetic partner as well as a consensus builder with board, staff, and funders. She will be missed for her daily support of staff and dancers’ needs and goals. I look forward to Kara’s continued advice and leadership in the field as she takes on her new role at First Republic.”

Barnett’s tenure at American Ballet Theatre was marked by large strides forward in advancing innovation and inclusion. In the last five years, under the artistic direction of Kevin McKenzie, ABT experienced a period of creative vitality with 22 new works created during the pandemic year alone. The ABT Women’s Movement, introduced in 2017, has led to commissions of 28 new ballets by female choreographers. Since 2016, the Ratmansky Project supported seven new works by MacArthur Fellow and ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky, including Whipped Cream, Of Love and Rage, Songs of Bukovina, and most recently, Bernstein in a Bubble. ABT Incubator, founded by David Hallberg and now directed by Jose Sebastian, has provided opportunity for ABT dancers to choreograph on their peers and has allowed ABT dancers to participate in the creative process.

Under Barnett’s leadership, the ABT community has engaged deeply and meaningfully to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in ballet as the Company examines its past, encourages important conversations, and shapes its future. With the launch of ABT RISE (Representation and Inclusion Sustain Excellence), ABT has committed to centering inclusion in all strategic decisions and daily operations across the organization. ABT’s training pipeline is thriving, and ABT Education programs have expanded to include ABTots and adult open classes. During the past year, ABT’s education and engagement offerings have pivoted online, reaching 240,000 students and 45 countries. ABT Studio Company, under the leadership of Sascha Radetsky and Claire Florian, has generated a robust slate of new work and introduced diverse creative voices to ABT’s repertoire. 90% of the dancers in ABT’s mainCompany today are alumni of ABT Education programs.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to work so closely with Kara over the past five years,” said Sarah Arison, President of ABT’s Board of Governing Trustees. “I remain consistently impressed by her and what she’s accomplished for ABT and look forward to continuing to work with her in her new capacity at the organization. I’m invigorated for the future at ABT and look forward to building on Kara’s phenomenal work with our new leadership team.”

“As I evolve my relationship with ABT from Executive Director to advisor, partner and sponsor, ABT JKO School parent, friend and super-fan for life, I do so with tremendous gratitude for the experience of stewarding America’s National Ballet Company®,” said Barnett. “I will always cherish my incredible colleagues – the extraordinary staff and awe-inspiring artists – and our shared adventures. ABT’s Trustees have been supportive at every turn, and it has been an honor to serve in collaboration with such an energetic and optimistic Board. The ABT Across America tour embodied everything that I wish for this Company and for the performing arts in this country. Witnessing crowds of thousands experiencing and embracing ballet outdoors has been thrilling. I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition as the Company builds from strength to strength, and I look forward to propelling and celebrating ABT’s bright future.”

Following last week’s performances at Rockefeller Center, which completed the ABT Across America tour, ABT will perform outdoors at Lincoln Center in August with the BAAND Together Dance Festival and will return to Lincoln Center this October with a two-week Fall season at the David H. Koch Theater.

For more information on American Ballet Theatre, please visit www.abt.org.

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE ANNOUNCES 2021 FALL SEASON AT DAVID H. KOCH THEATER,
OCTOBER 20-31, 2021

FIRST FALL SEASON IN TWO YEARS TO INCLUDE WORLD PREMIERE OF ZIGZAG BY JESSICA LANG AND SIX PERFORMANCES OF GISELLE

BOX OFFICE TO OPEN WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 AT 10 A.M.

Skylar Brandt and Herman Cornejo in Giselle. Photo: João Menegussi.

Chloe Misseldine and Jose Sebastian in La Follia Variations.
Photo: Todd Rosenberg Photography.

In its return to indoor performances in New York City, American Ballet Theatre will present the 2021 Fall season at the David H. Koch Theater, October 20-31, 2021. The season was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. ABT’s first New York Fall season since 2019 will feature the World Premiere of ZigZag by Jessica Lang, co-commissioned by Abu Dhabi Festival, the stage premieres of Bernstein in a Bubble by Alexei Ratmansky and Touché by Christopher Rudd, and ABT masterworks Pillar of Fire and Some Assembly Required.

Principal Dancers for the 2021 Fall season at the Koch Theater include Joo Won Ahn, Aran Bell, Isabella Boylston, Skylar Brandt, Herman Cornejo, Thomas Forster, Gillian Murphy, Calvin Royal III, Hee Seo, Christine Shevchenko, Cory Stearns, Devon Teuscher, Cassandra Trenary, and James

Whiteside.

Giselle

American Ballet Theatre’s 2021 Fall season will open on Wednesday, October 20 with the full- length Giselle. Staged by Kevin McKenzie with choreography after Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, and Marius Petipa, Giselle is set to music by Adolphe Adam, orchestrated by John Lanchbery, with scenery by Gianni Quaranta, costumes by Anna Anni, and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. The world premiere of Giselle, one of the oldest continually performed ballets, occurred at the Theatre de l’Academie Royale de Musique in Paris on June 28, 1841. The ballet was first presented by ABT (then Ballet Theatre) at the Center Theatre in New York City on January 12, 1940, with choreography by Anton Dolin and scenery and costumes by Lucinda Ballard. The leading roles were danced by Annabelle Lyon and Anton Dolin. ABT’s sixth production, featuring scenery by Gianni Quaranta and costumes by Anna Anni, was created for the film Dancers, produced in 1987 by Cannon Films. This production’s first public performance was given on March 20, 1987 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, with Marianna Tcherkassky as Giselle and Kevin McKenzie as Albrecht. The current staging is by McKenzie, using the Quaranta and Anni designs. Giselle will be given six performances through Sunday, October 24.

Fall Gala and World Premiere

The Fall Gala on Tuesday evening, October 26 at 6:30 P.M. will feature ABT’s Company dancers in a program of two of the 22 new works created in quarantined bubbles over the last 17 months, as well as the World Premiere of Jessica Lang’s ZigZag, co-commissioned by Abu Dhabi Festival. ABT Trustee Jenna Segal, champion supporter of the ABT’s Women’s Movement, will be honored at the Gala with The Melville Strauss Leadership Achievement Award. To date, the Women’s Movement has produced 28 World and Company Premieres for ABT and ABT Studio Company.

ZigZag, choreographed by Jessica Lang and set to 11 recorded songs sung by Tony Bennett, will have its World Premiere at American Ballet Theatre’s 2021 Fall Gala. A work for 14 dancers, ZigZag will feature costumes by Wes Gordon (creative director for Carolina Herrera), scenery by Emmy and Tony Award® winner Derek McLane, incorporating artwork by Bennett, and lighting by Nicole Pearce. “ZigZag celebrates the legendary career of Tony Bennett as a singer and visual artist,” said Lang. “With 11 songs carefully selected from Bennett’s masterful catalog of recordings spanning more than seven decades, and scenic elements that incorporate his art, ZigZag will highlight the unwavering quality and genuine humanity of his vocal performances. My approach to ZigZag will be to deliver a balance between physical intricacy and visual simplicity, to convey art as entertainment, and to highlight the physically brilliant range of the American Ballet Theatre dancers.” ZigZag, Lang’s fourth work for ABT, will be given four performances through Sunday matinee, October 31.

Classic Repertory

Antony Tudor’s masterwork Pillar of Fire, last performed by ABT in 2015, will be given three performances at the Koch Theater beginning Thursday evening, October 28. Staged for ABT by Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner, Pillar of Fire is set to music by Arnold Schoenberg (Verklärte Nacht) with scenery and costumes by Robert Perdziola and lighting by Duane Schuler. The ballet was given its World Premiere on April 8, 1942 at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

Clark Tippet’s Some Assembly Required will be given two performances during the Fall season, Wednesday evening, October 27 and Saturday evening, October 30. Staged by McKerrow and Gardner, Some Assembly Required is set to music by William Bolcom (Second Sonata for Violin and Piano) and features costumes by Gary Lisz and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. The ballet received its World Premiere at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1989.

2020-2021 Creations and New York Premieres

Lauren Lovette’s La Follia Variations, Darrell Grand Moultrie’s Indestructible Light, Alexei Ratmansky’s Bernstein in a Bubble, and Christopher Rudd’s Touché will be featured during the second week of American Ballet Theatre’s Fall season. All three works were created in quarantined settings over the course of the COVID pandemic.

La Follia Variations, choreographed by Lovette and set to music of the same name by Francesco Geminiani and arranged by Michi Wiancko, with costumes by Victor Glemaud and lighting by Brad Fields, will receive its New York stage premiere on Tuesday evening, October 26. La Follia Variations received its digital World Premiere by ABT Studio Company on February 9, 2021, and its ABT Company Premiere on April 25, 2021 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California. The ballet will be given four performances during the Fall season.

Moultrie’s Indestructible Light, set to recorded music by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Neal Hefti, Billy Strayhorn, and Chuck Harmony, will be given two performances beginning Wednesday evening, October 27. Indestructible Light features costumes by Marc Eric and lighting by Brad Fields. The work was created at P.S. 21 in Chatham, New York and given its digital World Premiere on November 23, 2020. Indestructible Light was reimagined for the stage and received its West Coast premiere at Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts on April 25, 2021.

Ratmansky’s Bernstein in a Bubble is set to Divertimento by Leonard Bernstein, with costumes by Moritz Junge and lighting by Brad Fields. Created in January and February 2021 in Silver Bay, New York, the ballet received its digital World Premiere at ABT Live from City Center | A Ratmansky Celebration on March 23, 2021. Bernstein in a Bubble, Ratmansky’s 18th work for ABT, will be given two performances through Sunday matinee, October 30.

Touché, choreographed by Rudd and set to music by Woodkid (Que Te Mate el Desierto) and Ennio Morricone (Giuseppe Tornatore Suite from Malena) with intimacy direction by Sarah Lozoff, will receive its New York stage premiere on Tuesday evening, October 26. Touché, which will be given three performances during the Fall season, was created in Silver Bay, New York and received its digital World Premiere on November 23, 2020 as part of ABT Today: The Future Starts Now. The New York Premiere of Touché will be celebrated with two dedicated Pride Nights at the Koch Theater on Wednesday evening, October 27 and Saturday evening, October 30. These special evenings will highlight LGBTQIA+ diversity, equity, and visibility. Commenting on Pride Nights, Kara Medoff Barnett, Executive Director of ABT said: “These special evenings of Christopher Rudd’s intimate and powerful pas de deux will celebrate and elevate LGBTQIA+ experiences on stage. We are proud to produce and present art that advances equity and visibility in ballet.”

Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2021 Fall season, starting at $30, are available beginning Wednesday, September 8 at 10 A.M. in person at the Koch Theater box office, by phone by calling 212-496-0600, and online. Up until noon on the day of performance during the 2021 Fall Season, ABT will offer audience members the opportunity to exchange their tickets or receive refunds free of charge. Based on CDC and New York State guidelines at the time of performance, entry requirements for both adults and children may include valid proof of vaccination with a CDC approved COVID vaccine and/or negative test verification, mask usage, and more.

For more information, please visit www.abt.org. Complete programming follows.
American Ballet Theatre’s performances of Giselle are generously supported through an endowed gift from

Sharon Patrick.

Pillar of Fire is generously underwritten by an endowed gift by Avery and Andrew F. Barth and Carmen Barth Fox, in honor of Antony Tudor.

Costumes for Some Assembly Required are generously sponsored through the Ellen Everett Kimiatek Costume Preservation Trust.

American Ballet Theatre recognizes The Straus Family Foundation for its leadership support in honor of ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Commissions and presentations of new works by women choreographers are supported by the ABT Women’s Movement. Champion support for the ABT Women’s Movement is provided by Jenna Segal. Additional leadership support is provided by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

ABT’s Choreographic Innovation and Inspiration and Inclusion programs are generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Additional major support of ABT’s Innovation and Inclusion programs is provided by Mark Casey and Carrie Gaiser Casey, the Ford Foundation, The Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund and through an endowed gift from the Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund.

Special thanks to Denise Littlefield Sobel for her leadership gifts to: ABT’s Media Fund, advancing the Company’s digital endeavors; and ABT RISE, fueling the Company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

American Airlines, the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre.
LG Electronics, Global Electronics Partner of American Ballet Theatre. Bank of America, Lead Corporate Partner of ABT Studio Company.

ABT is supported, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

ABT ACROSS AMERICA ROLLS INTO ROCKEFELLER CENTER, WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2021

ROCKEFELLER CENTER TO PRESENT
AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE IN TWO OUTDOOR PERFORMANCES OF CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY WORKS

America’s National Ballet Company® will take to the road this summer, traveling by bus and truck to 8 U.S. cities and arriving in New York on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. The tour concludes with two performances on the plaza at Rockefeller Center, the site where Ballet Theatre offered its first public performances in 1940. The performances at 6:00 P.M. and 8:30 P.M. are free to the public with registration on Rockefeller Center’s website.

ABT Across America builds on ABT’s history of cross-country tours in the 1940s and 1950s. 20 ABT dancers and 28 support crew will travel across 15 states, for a total of 3,100 miles, performing outdoors for socially distanced audiences. The unique final performances in New York will take place with 21 dancers on a custom-built 40’ x 40’ stage on the South Plaza at Rockefeller Center between 48th and 49th Streets.

Each show will be performed without an intermission. Repertory for ABT Across America at Rockefeller Center will feature James Whiteside’s New American Romance, a work for eight dancers set to music by Claude Debussy, an excerpt from Alexei Ratmansky’s Seven Sonatas, Jessica Lang’s pas de deux Let Me Sing Forevermore set to songs recorded by Tony Bennett, and Darrell Grand Moultrie’s Indestructible Light, a celebration of American jazz music. Dancers scheduled to perform at Rockefeller Center include Joo Won Ahn, Aran Bell, Skylar Brandt, Thomas Forster, Calvin Royal III, Christine Shevchenko, Cory Stearns, Devon Teuscher, Catherine Hurlin, Katherine Williams, Sierra Armstrong, Jacob Clerico, Michael de la Nuez, Anabel Katsnelson, Kanon Kimura, Erica Lall, Melvin Lawovi, Hannah Marshall, Duncan McIlwaine, Betsy McBride, and Stephanie Petersen.

“As necessity is the mother of invention, I am delighted to announce ABT Across America,” said ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. “With most indoor performing arts centers still closed, these outdoor settings will allow ABT’s dancers to share their artistry, excellence, and optimism.”

A complete list of tour dates and venues follows:

July 1, 2021 (rain date July 2)

July 4, 2021 (rain date July 5)

July 8, 2021

July 10, 2021

July 11, 2021 (rain date July 12)

July 14, 2021 (rain date July 15)

July 17, 2021 (rain date July 18)

July 19, 2021 (rain date July 20)

July 21, 2021 (rain date July 22)

ABT Across America

Pioneers Park, Lincoln, NE Hancher Green, Iowa City, IA

Chicago Park TBA/Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum/Northrop
at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Forest Park, St. Louis, MO
Charleston Gaillard Center, Charleston, SC Salamander Resort & Spa, Middleburg, VA Rockefeller Center, New York, NY

8:45 P.M.

8:00 P.M.

7:30 P.M.

5:00 & 8:00 P.M. 2:00 & 5:00 P.M.

5:30 & 8:30 P.M. 7:30 P.M.
5:00 & 8:00 P.M. 6:00 & 8:30 P.M.

American Ballet Theatre is one of the great dance companies in the world. Few ballet companies equal ABT for its combination of size, scope, and outreach. Recognized as a living national treasure since its founding in 1940, ABT annually tours the United States, performing for more than 300,000 people, and is the only major cultural institution to do so. For over 80 years, the Company has appeared in a total of 45 countries and has performed in all 50 states of the United States. ABT has recently enjoyed triumphant successes with engagements in Paris, Singapore, and Hong Kong. On April 27, 2006, by an act of Congress, American Ballet Theatre was designated America’s National Ballet Company®.

For tickets and information, please visit https://www.rockefellercenter.com/events/abt-across- america-/.

ABT Across America is generously supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

American Ballet Theatre recognizes Dalio Philanthropies and one anonymous donor for their champion support of ABT Across America. Special thanks to Susan Sherman for her guidance and enthusiasm in bringing this tour to St. Louis.

ABT extends deepest gratitude to: Dr. Robert Galvin, Medical Advisor

ABT’s Choreographic Innovation and Inspiration and Inclusion programs are generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Additional major support of ABT’s Innovation and Inclusion programs is provided by Mark Casey and Carrie Gaiser Casey, the Ford Foundation, The Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund and through an endowed gift from the Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund.

Commissions and presentations of new works by women choreographers are supported by the ABT Women’s Movement. Champion support for the ABT Women’s Movement is provided by Jenna Segal. Additional leadership support is provided by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

Special thanks to Denise Littlefield Sobel for her leadership gifts to: ABT’s Media Fund, advancing the Company’s digital endeavors; and ABT RISE, fueling the Company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

American Airlines, the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre

Bank of America, Lead Corporate Partner of ABT Studio Company

LG Electronics, Global Electronics Partner of American Ballet Theatre

American Ballet Theatre Studio Company Spring Festival, a two-night virtual showcase of filmed performances by 15 dancers of ABT Studio Company, will take place on Wednesday, June 2 and Thursday, June 3 at 7pm ET, streaming for free on ABT’s YouTube channel. The evenings will be hosted by Misty Copeland, ABT Principal Dancer and ABT Studio Company alumna.

ABT Studio Company, under the artistic direction of Sascha Radetsky, is an ensemble of ballet dancers of outstanding potential aged 17–21. As the highest level of the ABT training ladder, ABT Studio Company represents the next generation of talent at American Ballet Theatre and other top ballet companies around the world.

Highlights of ABT Studio Company Spring Festival include the World Premiere of Jessica Lang’s Children’s Songs Dance, created in January 2020 in collaboration with the late American jazz musician Chick Corea, and a World Premiere work by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Scurry Night, inspired by the artwork of Banksy. The Festival will also feature two World Premieres created over Zoom: Lora, a solo by Yannick Lebrun set to music by Mpho Sebina, and Advice to the Young, a work by Emily Kikta and Peter Walker for the entire company of dancers incorporating Patti Smith’s speech of the same name. The artistry and virtuosity of ABT Studio Company will be displayed in additional selections from ABT’s repertoire, including Alexei Ratmansky’s Seven Sonatas, Twyla Tharp’s Known By Heart duet, and Paul Taylor’s Airs, as well as in classical excerpts from Flames of Paris, Kermesse in Bruges, and Swan Lake.

Wednesday, June 2 and Thursday, June 3, 2021 7:00 pm ET

WORLD PREMIERES BY JESSICA LANG, YANNICK LEBRUN, ANNABELLE LOPEZ OCHOA, AND

EMILY KIKTA AND PETER WALKER TO LEAD ABT STUDIO COMPANY SPRING FESTIVAL, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2 AND THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 7 P.M. ET ON YOUTUBE

Scenes from ABT Studio Company Spring Festival. All photos by Erin Baiano.

World Premieres by Jessica Lang, Yannick Lebrun, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Emily Kikta and Peter Walker will be performed over two evenings during the ABT Studio Company Spring Festival, Wednesday, June 2 and Thursday, June 3 at 7 P.M. ET on American Ballet Theatre’s YouTube channel. Featuring 15 exceptionally promising, pre-professional dancers, this two-night virtual festival will also include works by August Bournonville, Kevin McKenzie, Alexei Ratmansky, Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, and Vasily Vainonen.

The ABT Studio Company Spring Festival was filmed at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in Tivoli, New York following the Studio Company’s spring bubbles in March and April 2021 at Kaatsbaan and the Silver Bay YMCA Conference & Family Retreat Center in Silver Bay, New York. All works were created, rehearsed, and filmed following strict COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Speaking of the Spring Festival, ABT Studio Company Artistic Director Sascha Radetsky said, “During a four-week ballet bubble this spring, we prepared and created a range of ballets, including four original commissions from emerging and leading choreographers. The resulting program, filmed at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park by kw creative, features these world premieres plus select classical, neoclassical,

(more)

ABT STUDIO COMPANY SPRING FESTIVAL – Page 2
and modern works, and showcases our young dancers’ talent, versatility, and ardent devotion to their art form.”

ABT Studio Company dancers featured in the Spring Festival are Elisabeth Beyer, Tristan Brosnan, Finnian Carmeci, Kyra Coco, Cy Doherty, Teresa D’Ortone, Tillie Glatz, Elwince Magbitang, SunMi Park, Andrew Robare, Jake Roxander, Yoon Jung Seo, Olivia Tweedy, Aleisha Walker, and Kotomi Yamada.

Wednesday, June 2 – Act I

The ABT Studio Company Spring Festival opens on Wednesday, June 2 and will feature three World Premieres, as well as excerpts from the classical and neo-classical repertory.

Emily Kikta and Peter Walker, dancers with New York City Ballet, have choreographed Advice to the Young, a World Premiere and their first work for ABT Studio Company. A work for 15 dancers, Advice to the Young, set to Night Drive (Deconstructed) – Instrumental by Twiceyoung, with voiceover by Patti Smith, was created over Zoom with dancers filming themselves performing the choreography outdoors in their hometowns and at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park.

Describing their creative process, Kikta and Walker said, “This ballet is set to a speech by Patti Smith. Although the speech dates to 2012, it feels just as relevant to the struggles of young artists today. Among other topics, Patti discusses the necessity of incorporating technology into art to adapt to our rapidly changing world. We worked with the Studio Company dancers in their homes around the world to create movement that complimented our customized filming directions. Advice to the Young is ourattempt at utilizing technology to keep dancing and creating during this unpredictable time.”

The World Premiere of Yannick Lebrun’s Lora is set to music of the same name by Mpho Sebina. A solo, Lora was created over Zoom during the winter and spring of 2021. “For this solo, I was inspired to write a letter to my younger self about future dreams and hopes,” said Lebrun. Lora, Lebrun’s first work for ABT Studio Company, features costume design by Jermaine Terry.

Annabelle Lopez Ochoa has choreographed Scurry Night, her first work for ABT Studio Company, which will have its World Premiere on June 2. Set to Dzovarev by Ara Malikian and Ciocårlia performed by Patricia Kopatchinskaja, the ballet for eight dancers features costumes by Mark Eric. “Scurry Night was inspired by Banksy’s work, and particularly by his alter ego, the rat,” said Lopez Ochoa. “The rat is a nocturnal rodent, who like the graffiti artist engages in activities without being caught. The rat, also an anagram for the word ‘art,’ is a resilient entity that adapts to any given situation.

During the pandemic, dancers have proven that nothing will prevent them from expressing and sharing the beauty of ballet.”

The first duet from Alexei Ratmansky’s Seven Sonatas, staged by Stella Abrera, will receive its ABT Studio Company premiere on Wednesday evening, June 2. The duet is set to Keyboard Sonata in F Minor, K. 481 by Domenico Scarlatti, performed by Michael Scales. The ballet features costumes by Holly Hynes and original lighting by Brad Fields. Seven Sonatas was given its World Premiere by American Ballet Theatre in 2009. A suite from Seven Sonatas, featuring other excerpts from the ballet, was previously performed for the 2021 ABT Studio Company Winter Festival.

Act I of the ABT Studio Company Spring Festival will also include a performance of the pas de deux from Kermesse in Bruges by Bournonville and the pas de deux from Flames of Paris. Set to music by Holger Simon Paulli, Kermesse in Bruges is staged by Petrusjka Broholm. Flames of Paris is set to music by Boris Asafyev and staged by ABT Studio Company Artistic Director Sascha Radetsky, after choreography by Vainonen

Thursday, June 3 - Act II

The ABT Studio Company Spring Festival (Act II) will continue Thursday, June 3 at 7 P.M., featuring a World Premiere and works from ABT’s extensive repertoire, including both classic and contemporary works showcasing a range of choreographic styles.

Jessica Lang has choreographed Children’s Songs Dance for seven members of ABT Studio Company. Set to selections from Children’s Songs by the late American jazz composer Chick Corea, the ballet features film direction by Lang and Kanji Segawa, and costumes styled by Isabella Boylston. Children’s Songs Dance was created in January 2020 during a residency at The Pocantico Center in Tarrytown, New York, and will receive its World Premiere on Thursday, June 3. Segawa served ascreative associate to the work. “My creative process with Chick was magical,” said Lang. “He was extraordinarily generous, passionate about sharing his music, and excited about creating a ballet to his music, Children’s Songs. It was a true collaboration. Children’s Songs Dance draws its inspiration from the transition in life between being a child and becoming an adult, with the goal of never losing the spirit of play.”

Twyla Tharp’s Known By Heart duet will have its ABT Studio Company Premiere during Act II of the Spring Festival. Set to selections from “Junk Music” by Donald Knaack, the Known By Heart duet has costumes by Santo Loquasto and original lighting by Jennifer Tipton. The Known By Heart duet was

Act II of the ABT Studio Company Spring Festival will include excerpts from Paul Taylor’s masterwork Airs and the classic Swan Lake.

Airs was staged for ABT Studio Company over Zoom by Laura Halzack. Set to music by George Frederic Handel, Airs features costumes by Gene Moore and original lighting by Jennifer Tipton. Airs received its World Premiere by the Paul Taylor Dance Company in 1975 and was given its American Ballet Theatre Premiere in 1981.

Odette’s variation from Act II of Swan Lake and the Pas de Trois from Act I will round out the ABT Studio Company performance. Set to music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, Odette’s variation was staged over Zoom by Yan Chen and the Pas de Trois was staged by ABT Studio Company Artistic Director Sascha Radetsky. Swan Lake features choreography by Kevin McKenzie, after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, with costumes by Zack Brown.

ABT Studio Company, under the artistic direction of Sascha Radetsky, is a classical ensemble of dancers of outstanding potential aged 17–21. As the highest level of the ABT training ladder, ABT Studio Company serves as a crucial bridge between ballet training and professional performance. 80% of the current dancers in American Ballet Theatre began their careers in ABT Studio Company, including seven Soloists and twelve Principal Dancers. Each season, ABT Studio Company commissions new choreography, allowing the dancers to participate in the process of new work creation. ABT Studio Company engages the broadest possible ballet audience by performing varied, vital repertoire in a range of venues around the globe.

ABT Studio Company Spring Festival, streaming free through July 3, 2021, is produced by kw creative and filmed and edited by Emily Kikta and Peter Walker. Lighting direction is by Ash Umhey, courtesy of Kaatsbaan Cultural Park. Brad Fields served as lighting consultant for the Spring Festival.

A complete schedule of works for ABT Studio Company Spring Festival follows. Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 7 P.M. – Act I

• Flames of Paris (Vainonen)

• Seven Sonatas, Pas de Deux (Ratmansky)

• Advice to the Young (Kikta and Walker)

• Lora (Lebrun)

• Kermesse in Bruges, Pas de Deux (Bournonville)

• Scurry Night (Lopez Ochoa)

  Known By Heart Duet (Tharp) ©Choreography by Twyla Tharp

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE TO PRESENT

ABT ACROSS AMERICA

ABT’s Tour Bus, The Pioneer

COMPANY TO TRAVEL BY BUS AND TRUCK TO EIGHT U.S. CITIES OVER THREE WEEKS IN JULY

America’s National Ballet Company® will take to the road this summer traveling by bus and truck to 8 U.S. cities beginning July 1, 2021. ABT Across America builds on ABT’s history of cross- country tours in the 1940s and 1950s. ABT Across America was announced today by Kevin McKenzie, Artistic Director.

From its starting point in Lincoln, Nebraska, ABT Across America will cross the United States in a caravan of 6 sleeper buses and 3 production trucks. 20 ABT dancers and 28 support crew will travel across 14 states, for a total of 3,100 miles, performing outdoors for socially distanced audiences.

Cities that will host ABT Across America include Lincoln, Iowa City, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Charleston, and Middleburg (VA). The tour will conclude on July 21 with a performance at Rockefeller Center in New York City, the site where Ballet Theatre offered its first public performances in 1940.

These unique performances, free to the public in most cities, will take place on a custom-built 40’ x 76’ stage that folds out of an 18-wheeler truck. Dancers scheduled to participate in the ABT Across America tour include Lauren Bonfiglio, Jacob Clerico, Michael de la Nuez, Carlos Gonzalez, Kiely Groenewegen, Sung Woo Han, Catherine Hurlin, Anabel Katsnelson, Kanon Kimura, Melvin Lawovi, Tyler Maloney, Joseph Markey, Abbey Marrison, Hannah Marshall, Betsy McBride, Duncan McIlwaine, João Menegussi, Chloe Misseldine, Cory Stearns, and Devon Teuscher.

Each 50-minute show will be performed without an intermission. Repertory for ABT Across America will feature Lauren Lovette’s La Follia Variations, a work for eight dancers set to music by Francesco Geminani, Jessica Lang’s Let Me Sing Forevermore, a pas deux blending ballet and jazz vocabulary set to songs sung by Tony Bennett, Darrell Grand Moultrie’s Indestructible Light, a celebration of American jazz, and a classical pas de deux from ABT’s extensive repertoire. Family activities, fitness classes, and community engagement programs for local audiences are scheduled at each tour stop. All activity will take place according to state and local guidelines for health and safety.

“As necessity is the mother of invention, I am delighted to announce ABT Across America,” said McKenzie. “With most indoor performing arts centers still closed, these outdoor settings will allow ABT’s dancers to share their artistry, excellence, and optimism. For the past year, we have been pursuing our mission of reaching the widest possible audience through virtual programs and digital channels. With ABT Across America, we will go beyond the digital divide to provide access to live performance experiences. The planning of this tour has galvanized our staff and company, and we hope that these performances will be joyful and uplifting for communities nationwide.”

A complete list of tour dates and venues follows:

July 1, 2021 (rain date July 2)

July 4, 2021 (rain date July 5)

July 8, 2021

July 10, 2021

July 11, 2021 (rain date July 12)

July 14, 2021 (rain date July 15)

July 17, 2021 (rain date July 18)

July 19, 2021 (rain date July 20)

July 21, 2021 (rain date July 22)

ABT Across America

Pioneers Park, Lincoln, NE

Hancher Green, Iowa City, IA

Chicago Park TBA/Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum/Northrop
at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Forest Park, St. Louis, MO
Charleston Gaillard Center, Charleston, SC Salamander Resort & Spa, Middleburg, VA Rockefeller Center, New York, NY

8:45 P.M.

8:00 P.M.

7:30 P.M.

5:00 & 8:30 P.M. 2:00 & 6:00 P.M.

5:30 & 8:30 P.M. 7:30 P.M.
TBA
TBA

For more information on locations, ticketing, and protocols for ABT Across America, please visit www.abt.org/abt-across-america.

ABT Across America is generously supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

American Ballet Theatre recognizes Dalio Philanthropies and one anonymous donor for their champion support of ABT Across America. Special thanks to Susan Sherman for her guidance and enthusiasm in bringing this tour to St. Louis.

ABT extends deepest gratitude to: Dr. Robert Galvin, Medical Advisor

ABT’s Choreographic Innovation and Inspiration and Inclusion programs are generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Additional major support of ABT’s Innovation and Inclusion programs is provided by Mark Casey and Carrie Gaiser Casey, the Ford Foundation, The Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund and through an endowed gift from the Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund.

Commissions and presentations of new works by women choreographers are supported by the ABT Women’s Movement. Champion support for the ABT Women’s Movement is provided by Jenna Segal. Additional leadership support is provided by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

Special thanks to Denise Littlefield Sobel for her leadership gifts to: ABT’s Media Fund, advancing the Company’s digital endeavors; and ABT RISE, fueling the Company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

American Airlines, the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre

Bank of America, Lead Corporate Partner of ABT Studio Company

LG Electronics, Global Electronics Partner of American Ballet Theatre

KEVIN MCKENZIE TO RETIRE AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE
AT THE CONCLUSION OF 2022 SEASON

Kevin McKenzie today announced his retirement as Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre at the end of 2022, following three decades of leadership. He will oversee ABT’s creation of new works and performances throughout 2021 and 2022, ensuring ABT’s vitality and artistic integrity, while working with the Board of Governing Trustees to provide a seamless transition to the Company’s next Artistic Director.

A search for McKenzie’s successor will begin this summer.

“As we enter a time of renewal, I find this is the moment to plan thoroughly for it. ABT has given me my artistic identity and taught me the lessons of aspiration, guidance, and responsibility from the age of 15 through nearly 30 years as its Artistic Director,” said McKenzie. “ABT defined my aspirations as a student watching the greats from the 60’s and early 70’s. These examples guided me through a performing career and informed my sense of responsibility as a director, as I guided future generations and inspired them to consistently deliver excellence. I am proud of the programs I helped pioneer for the Company, the generations of dancers I helped develop into leaders in the field, and the incredible range of work that Alexei Ratmansky has contributed to ABT’s repertoire. And now, it is time to pass the torch – to new leadership and to the next great leaps in ABT’s history. I look forward to guiding the Company through 2021 and 2022, re-entering the exciting world of live performances, reinvigorated and ready for the challenge. I’m eager to apply the lessons over the past year, to relish in our newfound agility to create new works in dedicated residencies, to pick up the planning of long-anticipated commissions still waiting in the wings, and, once a transition is made to new leadership, swell with pride for having led one of our nation’s artistic institutions. I am ever grateful for the trust instilled in me by trustees, colleagues, and artists.”

“Kevin’s commitment to ABT as our Artistic Director for three decades has allowed us to thrive,” said Andrew Barth, Chairman of Ballet Theatre’s Board of Governing Trustees. “He has an uncanny

ability to find optimism, joy, and renewal in each season and with every generation of dancers. Because of his unwavering commitment to excellence, ABT has repeatedly been asked to represent the USA on the world’s greatest stages. On a personal note, I will greatly miss Kevin. He is intelligent, perceptive, and caring, and he has been a source of stability and calm for all of us, trustees, staff, and dancers, through the immense challenges of this pandemic. I speak for all my fellow trustees in expressing our gratitude and appreciation for his devotion, loyalty, and service.”

A leading classical dancer of his generation, McKenzie was hired by ABT’s co-founder and director Lucia Chase. He performed with many of the greatest artists of ballet’s boom era of the 1970’s and 1980’s and was appointed Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre in October 1992, succeeding co-directors Jane Hermann and Oliver Smith. McKenzie’s leadership tenure represents more than a third of the Company’s history. As an artist and director, his knowledge of both the contemporary and classical repertoire led to an expansion of ABT’s repertory. McKenzie has emphasized the theatrical and American qualities of versatility, diversity, and dynamism, that distinguish ABT from the other great classical ballet companies of the world.

Under McKenzie’s leadership, the Company has experienced unprecedented growth. Guiding the troupe into the 21st century, he identified new talent and extraordinary choreographers. He commissioned and presented new works by wide-ranging choreographers including Gemma Bond, William Forsythe, Jessica Lang, Lauren Lovette, Lar Lubovitch, Cathy Marston, Wayne McGregor, Benjamin Millepied, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Mark Morris, Helen Pickett, Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Rudd, Pam Tanowitz, Sonya Tayeh, Twyla Tharp, Christopher Wheeldon, and James Whiteside, among others. He has curated traditional choreography of the classics, lovingly revived ABT heritage works, and further extended the Company’s repertoire with acclaimed works by Frederick Ashton, John Cranko, Kurt Joos, Jiří Kylián, Kenneth MacMillan, John Neumeier, and Jerome Robbins.

McKenzie’s choreography for American Ballet Theatre includes the full-length classics The Nutcracker (1993), Don Quixote (1995, in collaboration with Susan Jones), and a new production of Swan Lake (2000). Additionally, he spearheaded the ABT Women’s Movement, increasing the number of female choreographers working at ABT. Since its inception in 2017, a total of 27 new works by female choreographers have been premiered by the main Company and ABT Studio Company.

Since becoming Artistic Director, McKenzie has championed American Ballet Theatre’s education and training efforts, initiating the formation of the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline

Kennedy Onassis School in 2004. The ABT JKO School has grown to an enrollment of over 400 students pre-pandemic, and ABT’s National Training Curriculum has over 1,600 certified teachers in 44 countries worldwide.

In 2009, McKenzie appointed Alexei Ratmansky as American Ballet Theatre’s first Artist in Residence, ushering in a new era of artistic innovation. To date, Ratmansky has created 18 new works for the company, furthering ABT’s mission “to create, preserve and extend the great repertoire of classical dancing.”

In addition to leading the Company on numerous international tours, including historic returns to Moscow and Havana, and first-ever engagements in Abu Dhabi, Australia, and Oman, McKenzie has overseen production for five broadcast films for PBS’s Dance In America series and the documentary ABT: A History by filmmaker Ric Burns.

In his 30 years as Artistic Director, Kevin has guided the careers of two generations of ABT dancers. Eight former ABT dancers currently hold Artistic Director positions around the world including Stella Abrera, Angel Corella, David Hallberg, Paloma Herrera, Susan Jaffe, Julie Kent, Maria Riccetto, and Ethan Stiefel.

Over the past twelve months, with ABT’s tours and New York seasons cancelled due to the pandemic, the Company has continued to evolve artistically. During this time, under McKenzie’s direction, 17 new works have been created and filmed for digital distribution. In addition, ABT strengthened its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by launching ABT RISE, Representation and Inclusion Sustain Excellence. Building on the success of Project Plié, ABT is actively fostering inclusion and diversity on its stages, in the studios and classrooms where ABT rehearses and trains, behind the scenes in ABT’s administrative staff and creative teams, as well as in the audiences and communities ABT serves in New York City and around the world.

Kara Medoff Barnett, ABT Executive Director for five years, said: “Kevin has extraordinary knowledge and keen insights, and he shares both, generously and patiently. I am deeply grateful for his collaborative spirit and have learned so much from observing his unflappable leadership. He has devoted three decades to renewing and strengthening America’s National Ballet Company®, and he has done so guided by an unwavering commitment to excellence. He doesn’t believe in multi-tasking, and he is fully present in the moment, in every rehearsal, every conversation. Kevin is fond of saying that ‘energy begets energy,’ and his energy has fueled ABT’s evolution, resilience, and growth for three decades.

Above all else, Kevin is a coach, and he has helped generations of dancers and colleagues discover and unleash their superpowers. Ultimately, he believes in the power of ballet to illuminate truth and the power of theater to connect us with our shared humanity.”

Kevin McKenzie

A native of Vermont, McKenzie received his ballet training at the Washington School of Ballet. In 1972, he was awarded a Silver medal at the Sixth International Competition in Varna, Bulgaria. He was a leading dancer with both the National Ballet of Washington and The Joffrey Ballet before joining ABT as a Soloist in March 1979. McKenzie was appointed a Principal Dancer the following December and danced with the Company until 1991. In September 1989, McKenzie was appointed a permanent guest artist with The Washington Ballet, and in 1991, he was named Artistic Associate of that company. He also served as Associate Artistic Director and a choreographer for Martine van Hamel’s New Amsterdam Ballet.

As a Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre, McKenzie performed leading roles in all the major full-length classics and was acclaimed for his partnering and grounded interpretations of such roles as Solor in La Bayadère, the Prince in Mikhail Baryshnikov’s production of the full-length Cinderella, Franz in Coppélia, Basilio in Don Quixote (Kitri’s Wedding), Albrecht in Giselle, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Prince Désiré in The Sleeping Beauty, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, and James in La Sylphide. His numerous contemporary roles included the Gentleman With Her in Dim Lustre, Her Lover in Jardin aux Lilas, the Friend in Pillar of Fire, and the Champion Roper in Rodeo. McKenzie was also noted for his interpretations of leading roles in The Garden of Villandry, The Leaves Are Fading, Other Dances, Paquita, Les Sylphides, Nine Sinatra Songs, and Theme and Variations. He created the role of Amnon in van Hamel’s Amnon V’Tamar and a leading role in Clark Tippet’s S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A.

During his performing career, McKenzie performed as a guest artist in cities throughout the world, including Spoleto, Paris, London, Tokyo, Havana, Moscow, Vienna and Seoul, dancing with, among others, the London Festival Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet, the National Ballet of Cuba, and the Universal Ballet in Seoul. His choreographic credits include Groupo Zamboria (1984) and Liszt Études, now called Transcendental Études, (1991), both for van Hamel’s New Amsterdam Ballet, and Lucy and the Count (1992) for The Washington Ballet,

Kevin McKenzie, American Ballet Theatre Artistic Director, Hamilton E. James Chair, holds honorary degrees of Doctor of Arts from Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont (1993) and Doctor of Fine Arts from Adelphi University (2019) and was awarded the Dance Magazine Award (1999). He is co-founder and Chair of Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in Tivoli, New York.

For more information on American Ballet Theatre, please visit: www.abt.org

2021 ABT INCUBATOR TO STREAM FREE EACH MONDAY, MARCH 29 THROUGH MAY 3,
12:00 NOON ET ON YOUTUBE

ABT ARTISTS CREATE SIX NEW WORKS OVER ZOOM AND IN BALLET BUBBLES

Andrii Ishchuk and Fangqi Li in Zhong-Jing Fang’s The Unforseen. Photo: Pierce Jackson.

For six weeks beginning Monday, March 29, American Ballet Theatre will present the works of the 2021 ABT Incubator with weekly premieres of new choreography created within the past year by ABT artists. Each online presentation, scheduled to premiere at 12:00 Noon ET/9:00 AM PT on American Ballet Theatre's YouTube Channel, will showcase short ballets by this year’s cohort of choreographers. Creators for the 2021 ABT Incubator are Zhong-Jing Fang, Joseph Markey, Sung Woo Han, Luciana Paris, Luigi Crispino, Sung Woo Han, and Melvin Lawovi. See trailer for ABT Incubator here.

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2021 ABT INCUBATOR ANNOUNCED – Page 2

Under the directorship of ABT dancer Jose Sebastian, with mentorship by choreographer Jessica Lang, ABT Incubator provides a focused lab to inspire new choreographic voices and generate ideas for the creation of new work. Sebastian was appointed director of ABT Incubator in October 2020, succeeding ABT Principal Dancer David Hallberg, who led the program since its inception in 2010.

Work on this year’s ABT Incubator began in Spring 2020, as Lang provided composition workshops for ABT dancers wanting to explore choreography. Due to the studio shutdown forced by the pandemic, ABT Incubator participants adapted to unprecedented circumstances to create new work on their colleagues over Zoom and in isolated “ballet bubbles,” while following strict health and safety protocols. Each final work was filmed for presentation.

“I expected that stepping into David Hallberg's shoes would not be an easy feat,” said Sebastian. “David left some pretty big shoes to fill, and then, the pandemic was thrown into the mix. I did not expect how rewarding it would all be. The success of this year's ABT Incubator season is owed to the fantastic team that stood by patiently teaching me the ropes, and the awesome choreographers and dancers selected for this year's program. Watching the artists develop their creations, always rising to the challenges with an ‘I can do this’ enthusiasm, was a privilege. I look forward to sharing these beautiful films with everyone.”

The schedule for the 2021 ABT Incubator presentations, shown each Monday on YouTube, is as follows:

Monday, March 29

The Unforseen

Choreography by Zhong-Jing Fang
Music by Camille Saint-Saëns (Danse Macabre) Costumes by Sylvie Rood
Cast: Andrii Ishchuk, Fangqi Li
Created at Long Island City School of Ballet Filmed at ABT Studios in New York City

Monday, April 5

She didn’t

Choreography by Joseph Markey
Music by John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (My One and Only Love) and Taylor Deupree (Seep) Lighting by Oleg Balitskiy
Cast: Kanon Kimura, Javier Rivet
Created and filmed at PS21, Chatham, New York

Monday, April 12

Death and Life

Choreography by Sung Woo Han
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach (Adagio from Concerto No. 3 in D Minor performed by Alessandro Marcello)
Cast: Joo Won Ahn, SunMi Park
Created in Seoul, South Korea.
Filmed in Lakai Sandpine Resort in South Korea

Monday, April 19

Nunanu

Choreography by Luciana Paris
Music by Future Natives Project (Erial featuring Rodrigo Aranjuelo & Federico Diaz) Lighting by Oleg Balitskiy
Cast: Isadora Loyola, Michael de la Nuez
Created and filmed at PS21, Chatham, New York

Monday, April 26

Thread of Memories

Choreography by Luigi Crispino
Music by Joe Hisaishi (Howl’s Moving Castle Theme, Etude, A Wish to the Moon, One Summer’s Day). Performed by Michael Scales
Costumes by Paola Salvi
Cast: Virginia Lensi, Rachel Richardson and Nathan Vendt
Created and filmed at ABT Studios in New York City, and in Milan, Italy

Monday, May 3

Soirée Nocturne

Choreography by Melvin Lawovi
Music by Frédéric Chopin (Nocturne No. 20 in C# Minor, Op. Posth.) Lighting by Oleg Balitskiy
Cast: Leah Baylin, Cameron McCune
Created in Silver Bay, New York
Filmed at PS21, Chatham, New York

ABT Incubator works were filmed by Pierce Jackson. Death and Life was filmed by Doodoorino. Virginia Lensi’s solo in Thread of Memories was filmed by Giovanni Saviano with lighting by Roberto Bertali.

For more information on ABT Incubator and ABT’s digital offerings, please visit www.abt.org.

American Ballet Theatre returns to New York City Center for digital program filmed live on stage

Four works by ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky; including a World Premiere created in a “ballet bubble”

Available on demand March 23 – April 18 $25 Digital Access on sale March 1 at Noon

Patrick Frenette, Skylar Brandt, and Tyler Maloney
in Bernstein in a Bubble. Photo by Christopher Duggan Photography

February 26, 2021 (New York, NY) – New York City Center President & CEO Arlene Shuler today announced a new digital program, ABT Live from City Center | A Ratmansky Celebration, featuring American Ballet Theatre (ABT) premiering Tuesday, March 23 at 7 PM, and available on demand through Sunday, April 18. Filmed live on the City Center stage, the program marks ABT’s much anticipated return to the historic theater for their first full evening program at City Center since 2012.

Co-presented by American Ballet Theatre and New York City Center, the program will feature many of the company’s renowned dancers in works by acclaimed choreographer and ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky. Hosted by author and American Ballet Theatre Co-Chair of the Trustees Emeriti Susan Fales-Hill, highlights include excerpts from The Seasons (2019), Seven Sonatas (2009), and The Sleeping Beauty (2015), and Bernstein in a Bubble, a World Premiere set to the music of legendary composer Leonard Bernstein. The new work, Ratmansky’s first since March 2020, was created in January and February of this year during a quarantined “ballet bubble” in Silver Bay, New York. The program features ABT dancers Aran Bell, Isabella Boylston, Skylar Brandt, Herman Cornejo, Patrick Frenette, Carlos Gonzalez, Blaine Hoven, Catherine Hurlin, Tyler Maloney, Luciana Paris, Devon Teuscher, Cassandra Trenary, and James Whiteside.

The program will also feature a special intermission conversation with Ratmansky and the curator of the Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the New York Public Library, Linda Murray. Together, they discuss the program’s four pieces, including Ratmansky’s approach to choreographing in a bubble.

“City Center has been a valuable creative home to ABT throughout the company’s history—hosting them first in the 1940s, shortly after both institutions were founded,” said Arlene Shuler, New York City Center President and CEO. “We’re delighted to be presenting the company as part of our digital season of great artists and companies performing back on our stage.”

“We’re so pleased to return to this beloved stage at City Center and to do so with a program that celebrates the artistic imagination and range of Alexei Ratmansky,” said Kevin McKenzie, ABT Artistic Director. “The program reflects ABT’s mission of preserving the classics—as exemplified by Alexei’s re- staging of Petipa’s The Sleeping Beauty—and extending the repertoire with his newest work, Bernstein in a Bubble. This digital presentation allows us to reach an even wider audience.”

American Ballet Theatre’s relationship with New York City Center began in 1947, headlined by the world premiere of George Balanchine’s masterpiece Theme and Variations, created for Ballet Theatre luminaries Alicia Alonso and Igor Youskevitch. Over its 81-year history, ABT’s performances at City Center have featured more than 30 World Premieres, 30 Company Premieres, and seven major revivals

created by leading choreographers of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Agnes de Mille, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Lar Lubovitch, Kenneth MacMillan, Alexei Ratmansky, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, Antony Tudor, and Christopher Wheeldon. In 1997, after an absence of more than two decades, ABT returned to City Center for regular fall seasons through 2012. ABT’s City Center engagements came to be known as a place to see new choreography and established repertoire in an intimate setting. The Company performed in City Center’s first Fall for Dance Festival in 2004 and has been a proud participant throughout the festival’s celebrated history. Most recently, ABT appeared in Balanchine: The City Center Years as part of City Center’s 75th Anniversary Season 2018-2019.

Digital access for ABT Live from City Center starts at $25 and goes on sale at noon on March 1, online at NYCityCenter.org. The program premieres on Tuesday, March 23 at 7 PM ET and will be available on demand through Sunday, April 18.

Produced by American Ballet Theatre, New York City Center, and Nel Shelby Productions.

New York City Center is located at 131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. For information call 212.581.1212 or visit NYCityCenter.org. Programming subject to change.

ABT Live from City Center | A Ratmansky Celebration Mar 23 – Apr 18
Digital access $25

“Rose Adagio” from The Sleeping Beauty
Choreography by Marius Petipa, with staging and additional choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, assisted by Tatiana Ratmansky
Music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky
Staging by Nancy Raffa
Costume Design by Richard Hudson, inspired by Léon Bakst
Lighting Design by James F. Ingalls
Featuring Skylar Brandt, Aran Bell, Patrick Frenette, Blaine Hoven, and Tyler Maloney

Originally choreographed by Marius Petipa, The Sleeping Beauty received its world premiere by the Imperial Ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg on January 15, 1890. ABT’s present production was reconstructed from the notations of Petipa’s original choreography by ABT’s Artist in Residence

Alexei Ratmansky. With steps and style reflecting the original 19th century production, Ratmansky brought the iconic classic to life for modern audiences.

Seven Sonatas Second Movement
Choreography by Alexei Ratmansky
Music by Domenico Scarlatti (“Sonata in E Minor K. 198”)
Staging by Nancy Raffa, with special assistance from Stella Abrera
Costume Design by Holly Hynes
Lighting Design by Brad Fields
Featuring Herman Cornejo, Luciana Paris, Carlos Gonzalez, Devon Teuscher

Seven Sonatas was the second ballet that Ratmansky choreographed as Artist in Residence with ABT. Created in 2009 and set to piano sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti, the work presents six dancers in various solos, pas de deux, and group sections. In the second movement of the ballet, four of the dancers follow each other in a series of solos that demonstrate Ratmansky’s distinctive compositional style and innate musicality.

The Seasons Pas de Deux
Choreography by Alexei Ratmansky
Music by Alexander Glazunov (The Seasons) Coaching by Irina Kolpakova
Costumes by Robert Perdziola
Lighting Design by Mark Stanley
Featuring Isabella Boylston and James Whiteside

In 2019, as a gift to ABT on the occasion of his tenth anniversary with the company, Ratmansky created The Seasons to the rich and romantic ballet score by Alexander Glazunov. The main pas de deux, danced to the Petit Adagio from the Autumn Section of the music, is a tender duet towards the end of the ballet that unfolds with the warmth and ease of a late summer day.

Bernstein in a Bubble World Premiere Choreography by Alexei Ratmansky
Music by Leonard Bernstein (Divertimento) Lighting Design by Brad Fields

Featuring Aran Bell, Skylar Brandt, Patrick Frenette, Blaine Hoven, Catherine Hurlin, Tyler Maloney, and Cassandra Trenary

Four years after the success of his first work to Leonard Bernstein’s iconic music, the critically acclaimed Serenade after Plato’s Symposium, Ratmansky’s new work explores the artistic personas of ABT’s world- class dancers. Inspired by the variety, charm, and quintessentially American spirit of Bernstein’s Divertimento, this piece—choreographed in a quarantined bubble residency in upstate New York—is an exciting reflection of artistic creativity in these challenging times.

Major support for digital dance programs at New York City Center is provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Additional major support is provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the JL Greene Arts Access Fund in the New York Community Trust, and the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

American Ballet Theatre launched The Ratmansky Project in 2016 to foster the artistry of Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky and his creation of new works for the Company. We are grateful to the following donors for their commitment to this endeavor.

Lead Gifts for The Ratmansky Project have been provided by Avery and Andrew F. Barth, the Blavatnik Family Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton E. Jones, and The Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund. Pacesetting gifts have been made by Linda Allard, Sarah Arison, The Susan and Leonard Feinstein Foundation, Lloyd E. Rigler - Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, The H. Russell Smith Foundation/Stewart R. Smith and Robin A. Ferracone, and Martin and Toni Sosnoff Foundation. Major gifts have been provided by Dr. Joan Taub Ades, Steven Backes, Mark Casey and Carrie Gaiser Casey, Lisa and Dick Cashin, William Gillespie†, Brian J. Heidtke, Caroline and Edward Hyman, The Marjorie S. Isaac/Irving H. Isaac Fund, Pearl T. Maxim Trust, Robin Chemers Neustein, Howard Paley†, John Rallis and Mary Lynn Bergman-Rallis, Bernard Schwartz, Elizabeth Segerstrom, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, John Leland Sills and Elizabeth Papadopoulos-Sills, Melissa A. Smith, Sutton Stracke, and Sedgwick A. Ward.

ABT gratefully acknowledges the Lead Sponsor of The Sleeping Beauty, David H. Koch† with additional leadership support provided by the Lloyd E. Rigler - Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation. Linda Allard is recognized for her generous gift toward the costumes for The Sleeping Beauty. Special thanks to Avery and Andrew F. Barth, The Susan and Leonard Feinstein Foundation, Caroline and Edward Hyman, Howard S. Paley†, Linda and Martin Fell, Mr. and Mrs. Austin T. Fragomen, The Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund, Michael and Sue Steinberg for their major gifts.

The Sleeping Beauty and Seven Sonatas are generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. Additional support for Seven Sonatas was provided by Leila and Mickey Straus.

ABT’s Choreographic Innovation and Inspiration and Inclusion programs are generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Additional major support of ABT’s Innovation and Inclusion programs is provided by Mark Casey and Carrie Gaiser Casey, the Ford Foundation, The Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund and through an endowed gift from the Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund.

Champion support for the ABT Women’s Movement is provided by Jenna Segal. Special thanks to Denise Littlefield Sobel for her leadership gifts to: ABT's Media Fund, advancing the Company's digital endeavors; and ABT RISE, fueling the Company's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

ABT gratefully acknowledges Lead Foundation donors: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Ford Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, The Hearst Foundation, Inc., Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The Shubert Foundation, Leila and Mickey Straus Family Foundation, and Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

Bank of America -- Lead Corporate Partner of ABT Studio Company
LG Signature, The Global Electronics Partner of American Ballet Theatre American Airlines is the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre

ABT is supported, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE is one of the great dance companies in the world. Few ballet companies equal ABT for its combination of size, scope, and outreach. Recognized as a living national treasure since its founding in 1940, ABT annually tours the United States, performing for more than 300,000 people, and is the only major cultural institution to do so. For 81 years, the Company has appeared in a total of 45 countries and has performed in all 50 states of the United States. ABT has recently enjoyed triumphant successes with engagements in Paris, Singapore, and Hong Kong. On April 27, 2006, by an act of Congress, American Ballet Theatre became America’s National Ballet Company®.

NEW YORK CITY CENTER (Arlene Shuler, President & CEO) has played a defining role in the cultural life of the city since 1943. The distinctive neo-Moorish theater welcomes over 300,000 annual visitors to experience internationally acclaimed artists on the same stage where legends like George Balanchine, Leonard Bernstein, and Barbara Cook made their mark. Its landmark 75th Anniversary Season (2018 – 2019) paid tribute to this rich history and celebrated the institution’s singular role in the arts today. City Center’s Tony-honored Encores! series has celebrated the tradition of American musical theater for over 25 years. In 2013, City Center launched the Encores! Off-Center series, which brings today’s innovative artists into contact with groundbreaking musicals from the more recent past. Dance has also been integral to the theater’s mission from the start and programs like the annual Fall for Dance Festival, with all tickets $15, remain central to City Center’s identity. Home to a roster of renowned national and international companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (City Center’s Principal Dance Company) and Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City Center is Manhattan’s first performing arts center, founded by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia with the mission of making the best in music, theater, and dance accessible to all audiences. That mission continues today through its dynamic programming, art exhibitions, studio events, and master classes, which are complemented by education and community engagement programs that bring the performing arts to over 11,000 New York City students, teachers, and families each year. NYCityCenter.org

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE AND NATIONAL SAWDUST PRESENT THE WORLD PREMIERE OF WHAT BECOMES OF LOVE? CHOREOGRAPHED BY SONYA TAYEH,
THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 6 P.M. ET ON FACEBOOK

Rhye. Photo: Emma Marie Jenkinson.

Sonya Tayeh. Photo: Shervin Lainez.

In a unique collaboration, American Ballet Theatre and National Sawdust, the non-profit Brooklyn-based music venue, have joined forces to present the World Premiere of
What Becomes of Love?, a dance film choreographed and directed by Sonya Tayeh and set to music by Rhye (Mike Milosh). What Becomes of Love? will be co-hosted by American Ballet Theatre and National Sawdust on Facebook on Thursday, March 4 at 6 P.M. ET.

What Becomes of Love? is ABT’s first collaboration with Tayeh, the Tony Award®-nominated choreographer and director whose most recent credits include Moulin Rouge! and Sing Street for Broadway. Tayeh’s new work, created in November 2020 in a “ballet bubble” in Silver Bay, New York, features ABT dancers Cory Stearns, Zimmi Coker, Courtney Lavine, Jose Sebastian, Ingrid Thoms, and Joseph Markey.

What Becomes of Love? also marks Tayeh’s first collaboration with Rhye, whose recorded tracks, Dark, Awake, and Outro, provide a medley of vocals alongside piano, synthesizer, and violin instrumentation.

"What Becomes of Love? is a dance film that explores the mystery of love in all forms,” said (more)

American Ballet Theatre recognizes with deepest gratitude the dedication and dynamism of the ABT RISE

Advisory Council, co-chaired by ABT Trustees David Rabkin and Shari Siadat. The Council's championship

of ABT RISE strengthens diversity, equity, and inclusion at American Ballet Theatre.

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE TO HOST
ABT RISE WEEKEND WORKSHOPS, APRIL 10 AND 11, 2021

VIRTUAL TWO-DAY WORKSHOP OPEN TO 2ND AND 3RD GRADE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN ACROSS AMERICA

ABT RISE Weekend Workshop, February 2020. Photo: Dennis Walters.

In keeping with its commitment to fostering inclusion and increasing diversity in ballet, American Ballet Theatre will host ABT RISE Weekend Workshop, April 10 and 11, 2021, a series of dance classes for 2nd and 3rd grade students across the United States, offered free of charge. The two-day weekend workshop, conducted virtually and taught by ABT dancers, faculty, and teaching artists, will introduce children to classical ballet and offer classes in character dance, jazz, modern, acting, and mime. Students will also have a special opportunity to learn an excerpt from ABT’s expansive repertory and participate in a “Meet the Artist” discussion with an ABT dancer.

ABT RISE Workshops thrive on the support and participation of ABT Company dancers who serve as ABT RISE Ambassadors. “I am honored to be an ABT RISE Ambassador and to share my passion

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ABT RISE WEEKEND WORKSHOPS 2021 – Page 2

for classical ballet with future generations of dancers and ballet lovers,” said ABT dancer Courtney Lavine. “Our goal is to provide a ‘day in the life experience,’ while showing the students that ballet is for everyone.”

ABT RISE Workshops provide access to training for students from populations historically underrepresented in classical ballet. Eligibility is limited to 2nd and 3rd grade students in the United States, with a goal of enrolling students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The
April 10 and 11 workshops will be held from 1:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. ET. Commitment for the entirety of the weekend is required and space is limited.

ABT RISE, Representation and Inclusion Sustain Excellence, is a reinvigorated institutional commitment to increasing diversity throughout American Ballet Theatre. Through initiatives existing and growing under the ABT RISE umbrella, ABT will champion, enhance, and support inclusion and diversity on its stages, in the studios and classrooms where ABT operates, behind the scenes in ABT’s administrative staff and creative teams, as well as in the audiences and communities ABT serves in
New York City and around the world.

To apply for the ABT RISE Weekend Workshop, please click here. Applications must be received by March 11, 2021 to be considered. For more information, please email schoolprograms@abt.org.

American Ballet Theatre recognizes with deepest gratitude the dedication and dynamism of the ABT RISE Advisory Council, co-chaired by ABT Trustees David Rabkin and Shari Siadat. The Council's championship of ABT RISE strengthens all our DEI initiatives.

ABT Trustee Education and Training Committee guides with bold and steadfast engagement, advancing excellence in all our dancer training and education endeavors: Co-Chairs Carrie Gaiser Casey and Karen C. Phillips; Members Amy R. Churgin, Susan Feinstein, Suzanne Hall, Christian Keesee, Paula Mahoney, Nancy McCormick, Kara Moore, and Shari Siadat.

ABT RISE is growing and expanding thanks to the generosity of numerous individuals, foundations, and corporations who help make possible ABT's Education and Community Engagement programs. Major support provided by:
The Hearst Foundation Inc., The Hope Foundation, Dmitri Potishko and Heidi Ho, Marguerite D'Aloia, and
The Harkness Foundation for Dance, Inc.

ABT’s Choreographic Innovation and Inspiration and Inclusion programs are generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation.

Special thanks to Denise Littlefield Sobel for her leadership gifts to: ABT's Media Fund, advancing the Company's digital endeavors; and ABT RISE, fueling the Company's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

PREMIERES BY HOPE BOYKIN AND LAUREN LOVETTE TO HEADLINE ABT STUDIO COMPANY WINTER FESTIVAL, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9 AND WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10,

7 P.M. ET ON YOUTUBE

ABT PRINCIPAL DANCERS ISABELLA BOYLSTON AND CALVIN ROYAL III TO HOST TWO-NIGHT ONLINE EVENT

ABT STUDIO COMPANY TO PREMIERE VISCERAL HARMONIES, CHOREOGRAPHED BY AMY HALL GARNER, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16 AT 6 P.M. ET ON YOUTUBE AND IGTV

A FIRST-EVER WORLDWIDE, TECH-ENABLED COLLABORATION BETWEEN YOUNG DANCERS WITH ABT STUDIO COMPANY
AND YOUNG MUSICIANS WITH THE COLLECTIVE CONSERVATORY

A unique collaboration between ABT Studio Company and the Collective Conservatory, an immersive online music-making initiative, will premiere on Wednesday, December 16 at 6 P.M. ET on American Ballet Theatre’s YouTube channel and @ABTStudioCo IGTV.

Visceral Harmonies was choreographed remotely by Amy Hall Garner in August 2020, as she created movement for 13 dancers of ABT Studio Company. The work is set to music composed by Steven Hackman and students from the Collective Conservatory. The composition was performed and recorded remotely by 100 students from the Peabody Institute’s “Tuned In” program and Harmony Project of Los Angeles, Tulsa, and Phoenix. A preview of Visceral Harmonies is available here.

Visceral Harmonies is Garner’s second work for ABT Studio Company following Escapades, commissioned and created in 2019. The new work was created and rehearsed over Zoom with Studio Company dancers filming the movements from their home studios or outdoor locations. Visceral Harmonies was edited and synced by ABT Studio Company alumna Hanna Bass.

ABT Studio Company dancers appearing in Visceral Harmonies participated from their home locations in the United States, South Korea, and the Philippines. Student musicians performing with the Collective Conservatory, under founder and artistic director Daniel Trahey, were recruited from across the country.

"Visceral Harmonies is a work celebrating the future of the arts,” said Amy Hall Garner. “ABT Studio Company and the Collective Conservatory came together during an extraordinary moment in time to further the kinship of music and dance. The entire creative vocabulary was built directly from descriptive dialogue. It was an honor to be involved in this relationship and interpret both languages developed exclusively through the gift of technology. Blending together these young artists in this way, and especially at this time, is something I am definitely proud of."

“We were overjoyed when ABT was interested in our progressive idea of students composing 

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE TO PREMIERE THE RITUAL, CHOREOGRAPHED BY GABE STONE SHAYER,
ON LINCOLN CENTER AT HOME AND YOUTUBE, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13 AT 7:30 P.M.

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE WHIPS UP A DIGITAL COOKBOOK

ABT KITCHEN FEATURES 65 RECIPES FROM THE ABT COMMUNITY WITH ARTWORK BY JAVIER RIVET