New York City Ballet brings a mixed bill to London

New York City Ballet (NYCB) makes its Sadler's Wells debut in March 2024, bringing UK premieres of works by Kyle Abraham, Justin Peck, and Pam Tanowitz, and a classic work by George Balanchine.

The company is currently celebrating its 75th Anniversary having been founded in 1948 by George Balanchine and arts patron Lincoln Kirstein. This is the first time the company has performed in London since 2008.

Justin Peck's Rotunda features a commissioned score from American composer Nico Muhly and an ensemble of 12 dancers. Peck, NYCB's Resident Choreographer and Artistic Advisor, has created more than 20 works for NYCB. Recent projects outside of NYCB include Illinois, a new stage adaptation of Sufjan Stevens' album of the same name, and creating the choreography for Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of West Side Story in 2022.                                                                       

Balanchine's Duo Concertant, a work for two dancers and two onstage musicians, is set to the music by Igor Stravinsky and was created for NYCB's famous Stravinsky Festival in 1972.

Pam Tanowitz' Gustave Le Gray No.1 is set to Caroline Shaw's piano composition ‘Gustave le Gray,' and features four dancers in flowing red costumes who interact with an onstage pianist who performs the score. Tanowitz first presented her work in the UK in 2019 with Four Quartets at the Barbican. Since then, she has been commissioned by The Royal Ballet, and returned to the Barbican in 2023 with Song of Songs.

Love Letter (on shuffle) by MacArthur Fellow Kyle Abraham is set to the music of James Blake and features costumes by British fashion designer Giles Deacon. Abraham founded his modern dance company A.I.M. in 2005, and has been commissioned by many dance companies including two recent commissions for The Royal Ballet. Sadler's Wells first presented Abraham's work in 2017 with Pavement, in 2022 with Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth and most recently in September 2023 with Are You in Your Feelings? for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

NYCB Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford said,

NYCB first performed in London two years after its founding and it has always been a special place for the Company. We are very grateful to Sadler's Wells for inviting us to return during our diamond anniversary year.

New York City Ballet

Mixed Bill

Sadler's Wells Theatre, EC1R 4TN
Thursday 7 – Sunday 10 March 2024
Tickets: £15 – £85

Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com

Audio described performance on Sunday 10 March at 2 pm.

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.