Discussing the first program in the 2024 Fall season, Elizabeth Kaye looks at Innovation Past and Present, which features the World Premieres of Gemma Bond’s La Boutique and Kyle Abraham’s Mercurial Son, and the return of Harald Lander’s Études during ABT’s 2024 Fall season. Kaye describes Bond’s La Boutique as “an abstract tutu ballet, blending classical attire with modern, plotless movement.” Though Abraham has remained secretive of his Mercurial Son, Kaye shares that the work draws on hip-hop, West African movement, and the songs of British composer James Blake, offering force and emotion to the tumultuous beauty of the work. Finally, Kaye explores Études as a tribute to the artistry of technique, alchemizing the steps dancers practice every day into art.