How to Watch the NYC Ballet's New Virtual Season and Even Join a Few Special Online Dance Classes
The New York City Ballet may not be back for in-person performances just yet, but it is ready and raring to go with a few digital performances you simply cannot miss.
In February, the company announced that ahead of its return to live performances at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in September 2021, it will serve up several new works and special programs for online release from February through May 2021.
"As the Company continues to plan for our return to the Koch Theater stage in September for the start of the 2021-22 performance season, we will once again present a series of digital programs with much of the content newly filmed in our theater at Lincoln Center," NYCB Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford shared in a statement. "That glorious venue, NYCB's home since 1964, has been dark for nearly a year, and to see the theater begin to reawaken with NYCB's wonderful dancers performing new works by Justin Peck and Kyle Abraham, as well as iconic masterpieces by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, is going to be a thrilling experience for all of us."
Highlights of the digital experience will include a world premiere by choreographer Kyle Abraham, marking his third collaboration with NYCB. Abraham will collaborate with Ryan Marie Helfant, an award-winning filmmaker, to ensure the ballet is captured in the perfect light. Abraham's new work will be released on Thursday, April 8, and will be available for streaming for two weeks.
Justin Peck, the NYCB resident choreographer and artistic advisor, will also create a new work, a solo for NYCB Principal Dancer Anthony Huxley, for an online world premiere as part of the company's virtual Spring Gala on Wednesday, May 5.
"Creating new work has been a hallmark of NYCB since its inception and to be able to continue that tradition, even now during the ongoing pandemic, is extremely meaningful," NYCB associate artistic director Wendy Whelan shared. "The ability to bring a number of our artists back to the theater at this time to work with Justin and Kyle is very exciting, and I can't wait to see the results."
The 2021 digital season will begin on Monday, Feb. 22, with a three-part series called "Three Sides of Balanchine," which will explore classical and neoclassical traditions via performances of "Prodigal Son," "Theme and Variations," and "Stravinsky Violin Concerto."
Here's the performance schedule via the New York City Ballet so you can properly plan your viewings.
Feb. 25: "Prodigal Son," featuring Daniel Ulbricht and Teresa Reichlen.
Available to view through March 4.
March 4: "Theme and Variations," featuring Andrew Veyette and Tiler Peck.
Available to view through March 11.
March 11: 1972 neoclassical masterpiece "Stravinsky Violin Concerto," featuring Sterling Hyltin, Ask la Cour, Sara Mearns, and Taylor Stanley.
Available to view through March 18.
Beyond the performances, each Monday, the company will release new episodes of City Ballet The Podcast, featuring discussions with past and present company artists, all available online for free.
The company will also stream interactive educational classes, including Ballet Essentials, a live movement workshop on Zoom for both teen and adult dancers. That class will stream on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. with a suggested donation of $8 to $15.
On Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., the company will host Signature Steps, ballet classes on Zoom for intermediate- and advanced-level dancers with at least five years of training for $30.
On Thursdays it will also host Access Workshops, offering warm-ups and choreography tips for teens and adults with disabilities for free.
For more information on the performances and classes visit the company's website, NYCBallet.com, now.
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