Our 52nd season is one in which we will continue to explore and celebrate the wonderful challenge of embodying music, telling stories, and defying physics, all at the same time. From our season opening collaboration with the Boise Phil, Sound in Motion, to our annual performances of The Nutcracker, to our season finale of The Sleeping Beauty, this company will continue its tradition of presenting large scale, dramatic works to live music. Exploring our more intimate side, we will again present a collection of more contemporary works in Anthology at the Spec center, as well as a new Chamber Series again in collaboration with members of the Boise Phil. From edgy contemporary work to lush classical dance, a night out at the ballet is a surprising and unique experience; we strive to create a place where all feel welcome and leave the theater intrigued and inspired. So come for the drama, for the music, for the sheer athleticism- we can’t wait to see you in the audience!”
-Artistic Director Garrett Anderson
Anthology
Often an audience favorite, Anthology offers rich variety in a collection of short works. This season, the common thread in this program is one of distinctly American influences. In different ways, each of these works exemplifies the many facets of American dance as we know it today.
We are excited to revive Six Figures, created by company soloist Ashley Baker during our digital season in 2021. Baker created this work for the screen and is excited to reimagine it for a live audience.
Created for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Something About Night offers poignant scenes of dancers sharing moments of refuge in an increasingly loud world. We are thrilled to have this work return to our stage this season.
Cherice Barton is a new voice in Ballet Idaho’s repertoire, but she is anything but new to the world of choreography. Barton’s experience ranges from concert dance to film, Broadway, and television. Based in Los Angeles, she has worked with famous figures like Katy Perry and George Lucas, and we are looking forward to seeing what Cherice creates in Boise with our talented artists.
Also back by popular demand, we will close our program with the incredible Extremely Close, choreographed by Alejandro Cerrudo featuring music by the iconic American composer, Phillip Glass. One of Cerrudo’s most performed works, this work has proven to be an enduring classic of the contemporary dance cannon, leaving the audience captivated with its hypnotic drama.
Sound in Motion
We are thrilled to be joining forces with the incredible Boise Phil and Maestro Eric Garcia to produce a unique performance of music and dance together on stage.
The Phil will open the show with Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty Suite, a tribute to classical ballet’s most iconic composer.
In the second act, we will see the music take physical form with two very different choreographic and musical compositions. Opening the act is Terence Marling’s Twice (Once) set to the gorgeous music of contemporary composer Anna Clyne’s Within Her Arms. This is a subtle, yet stirring piece that contemplates the afterlife, drawn from very personal experiences of both composer and choreographer. Closing out the program is Justin Peck’s heralded Pulcinella Suite set to the jubilant and complex music of Igor Stravinsky’s score. Created for the New York City Ballet, this work exemplifies all of the dynamic range, technical invention, and virtuosity that Peck is famous for and our dancers exemplify so well.
The Nutcracker
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.
The Sleeping Beauty
The classic fairytale is made even more enchanting by Tchaikovsky’s lush score and Christopher Stowell’s reimagined choreography (after Marius Petipa who debuted the ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1890). The story is familiar- Princess Aurora is cursed by the wicked Carabosse, who deems that she should prick her finger on a spindle on her 16th birthday and die. The dreamy Lilac Fairy intercedes to alter the curse to instead induce a 100-year slumber, only to be awoken only by true love’s kiss. The ballet version of this enduring tale shines with opulent costumes, breathtaking romance, and timeless good-versus-evil storytelling, all while presenting some of the most challenging choreography in ballet’s rich history. We invite you to experience the splendor, the suspense, and the spellbinding magic that is The Sleeping Beauty.
