PNB’s Beyond Ballet Opens at McCaw Hall on November 5

On November 5, the curtains tat McCaw Hall in Seattle will open up to the second program of Pacific Northwest Ballet’s 2021-2022 Season.

PNB’s Beyond Ballet will feature works by some of the biggest names in the industry, a mixed bill that explores the deep emotions of the human spirit set to music that envelopes the essence of the movement.

A couple of weeks after the company performs live on stage, Beyond Ballet will be available to audiences worldwide via digital streaming digitally from November 18 – 22.

Artistic Director Peter Boal offers the following commentary for each of the ballets on the program:

⦿ Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven: Odes to Love and Loss

Choreography: Ulysses Dove

“The work of Ulysses Dove burns with passion. Ulysses boldly addressed issues of the time—real issues from real life. Ulysses dug into untold stories with raw emotion. Taking a broad view of Ulysses’ works is like reading his memoir, written through movement, choreography, light, and sound. Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven, created in 1993, addresses death. Ulysses spoke of having lost 13 people, including his father, the year before. Ulysses recalled of his own inability to process such profound loss. We can’t help but feel painful parallels between the devastation felt during the AIDS crisis and what we are experiencing today. Sadly, Ulysses, lost his own battle against AIDS in 1996.”

⦿ Ghost Variations

Choreography: Jessica Lang

“Jessica Lang was the first choreographer to attempt the creation of a new piece for our 2020-21 Digital Season. Our dialogue leading up to her arrival was almost laughable, as we navigated ever-changing CDC guidelines, paired with PNB health and safety protocols. Jessica was undeterred and completely willing to make art against all odds. Her efforts and optimism were shared by all who recognized the importance of continuity and creation in a dark time. Ghost Variations emerged like a first spring bloom after a long harrowing winter. What a thrill to now present it for a live audience.”

⦿ The Personal Element (PNB Premiere)

Choreography: Alonzo King

“I have long admired Alonzo King’s choreography. He infuses a zest for movement in his work. Dancers stretch beyond their own expectations, slicing air with limbs, and carving space with authority. The Personal Element was created for Vail International Dance Festival as a hybrid project involving four dancers from Alonzo King LINES and four from New York City Ballet. Pianist/composer Jason Moran’s alluring score serves as a point of inspiration for this work.”