The man who made sailors dance and sharks rumble is getting his flowers this August. Jerome Robbins (the genius behind West Side Story, On the Town, and Fiddler on the Roof) will be celebrated in style at The Joyce Theater’s Ballet Festival from August 12-17.
New York City Ballet principal Tiler Peck curates this love letter to Robbins, bringing together dance royalty from New York City Ballet (NYCB), American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet, and the Royal Ballet. But here’s the kicker (and we’re not talking a grand battement): Peck will become the first woman to tackle Robbins’ iconic A Suite of Dances, originally created for Mikhail Baryshnikov.
While Robbins conquered Broadway with show-stopping numbers like “Cool” from West Side Story and On the Town‘s dream ballet sequence, his dance concert work was equally revolutionary. This festival showcases both sides of his artistry, from the rarely-seen Mozart-scored Rondo to excerpts from Dances at a Gathering, which marked his return to NYCB after a 13-year Broadway hiatus.
Whether choreographing the tension among diverse groups on the streets of New York City or the corps de ballet on stage, Robbins understood the intersections of movement, emotion, and storytelling.
The festival opens with a Summer Soirée on August 12, featuring performances plus cocktails with the artists.
For more information, visit joyce.org.
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