Ballet West closes the 2016 season with what has come to be an annual tradition in the Innovations program. As it has for the past nine seasons, Innovations celebrates up-and-coming choreographers from around the world and talent from within the company on the stage of the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. But with the final … Read more
Baslav Nijinsky, a legendary male dancer for the Ballets Russes, choreographed a body of work that shocked, intrigued and inspired audiences in the early 20th century. This spring, Ballet West brings three of his pieces to life with modern day takes on his revolutionary work in The Nijinsky Revolution. “In putting together this program, I … Read more
Fairy tales told through the dance medium are perhaps some of the most expressive. This spring, Ballet West II dancers and students from the Ballet West Academy came together for a world-premiere production of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. The ballet featured entirely new costumes and sets designed by Ballet West to … Read more
The February performance of Ballet West is historically a romantic production and this year’s premiere of John Cranko’s version of Romeo and Juliet is no exception. Most will be familiar with William Shakespeare’s telling of the long-standing feud between the Montague and Capulet families and what happens when young lovers from each family (Romeo and … Read more
Few activities bring the charm and wonder of the holiday season to life more than Ballet West’s annual run of the Nutcracker. Giant mechanical dolls and bears dancing, sugar plum fairies twirling, Clara saving the Nutcracker prince from harm by the Mouse King—all with the iconic Tchaikovsky score played live by the Ballet West Orchestra. … Read more
Two outstanding documentaries – an award-winning film from Norway about three teen boys who aspire to become ballet dancers and an unusual musical road trip which gives several American roots musicians the opportunity to make one-of-a-kind recordings on a 1930s direct-to-disc recorder – are part of the Utah Film Center’s September screenings which are free … Read more
A blizzard and musical inspirations from two great composers and the unique therapeutic sounds of the handpan inspire this year’s newest Utah Arts Festival commissions for music and dance. The chamber music commission is sponsored by The Mandel Foundation. Robert Honstein, Juno, June 27, 4 p.m., City Library Auditorium Robert Honstein, 35, is in the … Read more
For the closing program of the 2015 season, Ballet West has chosen to highlight the developing works of young choreographers—mostly from their own core dance troupe. Ballet West Artistic Director Adam Sklute explains, “For Innovations 2015, I am excited to present the work of a talented Utah native, three Ballet West artists including two women, … Read more
Ballet West continues to surprise and delight its audiences this year with a triple-bill performance celebrating diversity in dance—paying tribute to tango, square dancing and the techno dance club scene. “I choose to put these three works together because in subtle and unique ways they are all explorations into the melding of classical ballet and … Read more
Before Taylor Swift wore the Swan Lake costumes in her Shake It Off video, Tchaikovsky composed the heart-wrenching score for Swan Lake 138 years ago and Ballet West’s founder Willam Christensen created the first full-length American production in 1940. Swan Lake is the ultimate classical ballet. Filled with more than 50 dancers including ballerinas in … Read more