From sweeping Americana and daring contemporary works to timeless holiday traditions and one of the most iconic ballets ever created, Ballet Idaho’s 26.27 season promises a 54th year of movement, imagination, and unforgettable storytelling. Whether you are drawn to sweeping classical productions, emotionally charged contemporary ballet, or simply the shared magic of live performance, this season offers something extraordinary for every audience member.
Boise State University SPEC | October 23–25, 2026
Ballet Idaho opens its 54th season with Westward, a bold and evocative collection of works inspired by the essence and emotional landscape of the American West. From sweeping hopefulness to rugged individuality, each ballet explores the movement, ambition, and restless dreaming that shaped the frontier—and continues to shape the American imagination today.
Anchoring the program is George Balanchine’s masterwork Square Dance, a brilliant fusion of classical ballet and the rhythmic energy of American folk tradition. Set to music by Vivaldi and Corelli, the ballet transforms the structure and spirit of a western square dance through Balanchine’s signature neoclassical style. James Kudelka’s The Man In Black returns to the Ballet Idaho stage, channeling the unmistakable grit, poetry, and soul of Johnny Cash through powerful contemporary choreography.
Created in partnership with the Hemingway House artist residency in Ketchum, Idaho, Dana Genshaft’s Undertow draws inspiration from the life and work of Ernest Hemingway, capturing both the beauty and loneliness of the western landscape. Closing the evening is Garrett Anderson and Anne Mueller’s Appalachian Spring, Ballet Idaho’s celebrated tribute to resilience, optimism, and the enduring promise of new beginnings, set to Aaron Copland’s iconic score.
Rich with Americana, artistry, and sweeping movement, Westward invites audiences on a journey through the spirit of the American frontier.
The Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts | December 18–23, 2026
What would the holidays be without Ballet Idaho’s magical production of The Nutcracker? The glittering anticipation begins as soon as the Boise Philharmonic plays the first overture notes of Tchaikovsky’s beloved score. The audience is swept into a magnificent party at the Stahlbaums’ home, where Clara and her family are celebrating the joy of the season as they await their guests. The mysterious Drosselmeyer brings a life-sized Nutcracker doll, and young Clara is immediately enchanted. When she falls asleep that evening, she is taken on a whimsical adventure through an epic battle with the Mouse King and his army, then to a sparkling snowy forest, and on to the deliciously color-saturated Land of the Sweets. This is a holiday experience to be cherished, year after year.
Boise State University Special Events Center | February 12–20, 2027
A beloved annual tradition, Anthology returns as Ballet Idaho’s dynamic celebration of innovation, artistry, and contemporary ballet. Designed as a creative catalyst for both emerging voices and established choreographers, this mixed-repertoire program continues to push the company’s artistic boundaries while showcasing the extraordinary versatility of Ballet Idaho’s dancers.
This season’s program features an exciting blend of world premieres, expanded works, and returning audience favorites. New York–based choreographer Omar Ramón de Jesús will create a brand-new work for the company, bringing his distinctive contemporary voice and emotionally charged movement style to the Ballet Idaho stage. Choreographer Quinn Wharton also returns to expand upon a piece originally created for Ballet Idaho’s Trainee Program during the 2024.25 season, offering audiences the opportunity to see the work evolve in a bold new way.
Artistic Director Garrett Anderson will restage a pas de deux originally choreographed for Opera Idaho’s production of Thaïs, bringing the intimate and expressive work into a new theatrical context. Closing the evening is Johan Inger’s acclaimed Walking Mad, a riveting and deeply human exploration of love, longing, humor, and vulnerability. Widely regarded as one of the celebrated Swedish choreographer’s defining works, Walking Mad is both emotionally raw and visually unforgettable.
With its ever-evolving repertoire and adventurous spirit, Anthology offers audiences an intimate look at the power of contemporary ballet—and the artists continually redefining it.
Family Show
Capital High School | March 27, 2027
Our Family Series will look to the sky and beyond with a new work inspired by space and the solar system, choreographed by Anne Mueller to Gustav Holst’s The Planets, alongside an excerpt from Robyn Mineko Williams’ whimsical Cloudline.
The Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts | May 7 & 8, 2027
Few ballets in history hold the power, beauty, and enduring legacy of Swan Lake. Closing Ballet Idaho’s 26.27 season, this iconic masterpiece returns to the Morrison Center stage in a breathtaking production by Artistic Director Garrett Anderson and Associate Artistic Director Anne Mueller.
Set to Tchaikovsky’s soaring and unforgettable score, Swan Lake is the ultimate classical ballet—a sweeping story of love, fate, betrayal, and transformation that has captivated audiences for generations. From the haunting elegance of Odette and the swans to the grandeur of the royal court, every moment is filled with emotional depth, virtuosic dancing, and cinematic beauty.
Originally reimagined by Anderson and Mueller in 2023, this production honors the timeless heart of the classic while bringing fresh emotional clarity and theatrical intimacy to the story. For Ballet Idaho’s dancers, Swan Lake represents both a tremendous artistic challenge and a defining opportunity to embody some of the most celebrated roles in ballet history.
Majestic, deeply moving, and triumphantly beautiful, Swan Lake is more than a ballet—it is an experience. Whether discovering it for the first time or returning to a beloved classic, audiences will be swept away by one of the most powerful works ever created for the stage.
Subscriptions and Tickets
Season subscriptions are available now.
Single ticket and Nutcracker tickets will go on sale later in the summer. Stay tuned!
Featured Image: Photo by Quinn Wharton.
