Performances to Include a World Premiere by Emily Kikta and New York City Premieres by Hope Boykin, Rena Butler, Sung Woo Han, Jessica Lang, Yannick Lebrun, And Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

Madison Brown and Yuma Matsuura in Victor Gsovsky’s Grand Pas Classique. Photo: Hisae Aihara.

NEW YORK, NY (April 27, 2022) — ABT Studio Company presents Spring Moves, two evenings of World and New York City Premieres at NYU Skirball, Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21 at 7:30 P.M. ET. Featuring 12 pre-professional dancers, Spring Moves also showcases performances of repertory works by George Balanchine, Mikhail Fokine, Victor Gsovsky, Twyla Tharp, and Rostislav Zakharov.

ABT Studio Company, led by Artistic Director Sascha Radetsky, is a classical ensemble of dancers of outstanding potential aged 17–21. Its central mission is to prepare its dancers for careers in American Ballet Theatre’s main Company or other leading companies worldwide, serving as a crucial vehicle for transitioning from student to professional performer.

Approximately 80% of current American Ballet Theatre dancers are alumni of ABT Studio Company, including 12 Principal Dancers and seven Soloists. Each season, ABT Studio Company commissions new work by emerging and established choreographers and engages the broadest possible ballet audience by performing varied repertory in a range of venues around the globe.

“The Spring Moves program reflects ABT’s eclectic canon of ballets, our dancers’ range, and the Company’s commitment to giving voice to a broad spectrum of artists,” said Radetsky. “Our repertory includes classical and neo-classical selections as well as seven newly commissioned works, ranging from a poetic journey through a jazz legend’s piano meditations, a dreamy modern solo set to a Botswanan pop song, to a spirited exploration of the rights and freedoms of America’s youth.” The 2021-2022 season has seen the return to in-person performances with appearances by ABT Studio Company in 11 cities around the United States and will conclude with performances in The Royal Opera House’s Next Generation Festival in London on June 9–10, 2022.

ABT Studio Company dancers performing in Spring Moves include Elisabeth Beyer, Tristan Brosnan, Madison Brown, Finnian Carmeci, Kyra Coco, Afonso Coelho, Tillie Glatz, Yuma Matsuura, Jake Roxander, Alejandro Valera Outlaw, Aleisha Walker, and ABT apprentice and ABT Studio Company alumna Kotomi Yamada.

Highlighting the performances of Spring Moves will be the World Premiere of Emily Kikta’s Notes and Letters on Friday evening, May 20. Set to String Quartet No. 2, “Intimate Letters,” IV. Allegro-Andante-Adagio by Leoš Janáček, Notes and Letters, a ballet for four dancers with costumes styled by Kikta, is the choreographer’s second work for ABT Studio Company.

Spring Moves at NYU Skirball will feature the following New York City Premieres:

For What Is It All Worth? by Hope Boykin, with music by Stephen Stills and costumes styled by Boykin.

Late Registration by Rena Butler, set to an original composition by Darryl Hoffman, with costumes styled by Butler.

Beyond Belief by Sung Woo Han, set to Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18 by Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Children’s Songs Dance, choreographed by Jessica Lang to music by the late American jazz composer Chick Corea, and costumes styled by Isabella Boylston.

Lora by Yannick Lebrun, set to music by Mpho Sebina, with costume design by Jermaine Terry.

Scurry Night by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, set to Dzovarev by Ara Malikian and Ciocårlia recorded by Patricia Kopatchinskaja, with costumes by Mark Eric.

Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes Pas de Deux, Fokine’s The Dying Swan, Gsovsky’s Grand Pas Classique, Tharp’s Known By Heart Duet, and Zakharov’s Gopak Variation will complete ABT Studio Company’s Spring Moves performances.

Lighting for Spring Moves will be coordinated by ABT Studio Company Production Manager Luke Woods.

Tickets starting at $39 are available at NYU Skirball box office and the following link:

https://tickets.nyu.edu/overview/abtstudiocompany22

For more information on ABT Studio Company, please visit www.abt.org/abt-studio-company

A complete schedule of works for ABT Studio Company: Spring Moves follows.

Friday, May 20, 2022, 7:30 P.M.

Stars and Stripes Pas de Deux © The George Balanchine Trust (Staged by Victoria Simon, after Balanchine)

Children’s Songs Dance (Lang) – New York City Premiere

The Dying Swan (after Fokine)

Notes and Letters (Kikta) – World Premiere

Gopak Variation (Staged by Sascha Radetsky, after Zakharov)

Late Registration (Butler) – New York City Premiere

Scurry Night (Lopez Ochoa) – New York City Premiere

Grand Pas Classique (Staged by Radetsky, after Gsovsky)

Lora (Lebrun) – New York City Premiere

Known By Heart Duet © Choreography by Twyla Tharp (Staged by Stacy Caddell, after Tharp)

For What Is It All Worth? (Boykin) – New York City Premiere

Saturday, May 21, 2022 7:30 P.M.

Stars and Stripes Pas de Deux

Children’s Songs Dance

The Dying Swan

Notes and Letters

Gopak Variation

Late Registration

Beyond Belief (Han) – New York City Premiere

Grand Pas Classique

Lora

Known By Heart Duet

For What Is It All Worth?

Programs Subject to Change.

Bank of America – Lead Corporate Partner of ABT Studio Company

American Ballet Theatre recognizes the following donors for their extraordinary giving in support of ABT Studio Company: Rod Brayman, Sofia Elizalde, Bruce Grivetti, Patricia R. Morton, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and The Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund. Additional support provided by Edward “Chip” Beam in loving memory of John and Jack, Sandra and Charles Carmeci, Amy and Gary Churgin, Mr. and Mrs. Peter L. Malkin, James M. and Nora C. Orphanides, Karen C. Phillips, The Agnes Varis Fund, Constance A. Woo, and four anonymous donors.

 Special thanks to the ABT Education and Training Committee for their bold and steadfast engagement, advancing excellence in all our dancer training and education endeavors: Co-Chairs Carrie Gaiser Casey and Karen C. Phillips; Members Suzanne Hall, Nancy Havens-Hasty, Brian J. Heidtke, Angela Ho, Christian Keesee, Shelly London, Paula Mahoney, Nancy McCormick, and Shari Siadat.

We extend our gratitude to Mark Casey and Carrie Gaiser Casey for their leading support of ABT’s Apprentice Program.

Commissions and presentations of new work 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 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, 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.

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