Last night’s American Ballet Theatre program was a masterclass in artistic range—a journey from the poetic drama of Shakespeare to the rhythmic intensity of Stravinsky. As someone who spends most nights in theater seats, I’m rarely as captivated by a company’s versatility as I was here.
The evening opened with a Shakespearean narrative ballet, and the storytelling was nothing short of breathtaking. The dancers didn’t just perform steps; they embodied characters. Every gesture, every lift, every glance felt loaded with meaning. It’s a reminder that ballet, at its best, is theater without words—a language of emotion written in movement.
Then came the Stravinsky piece—a complete 180 in tone and texture. Sharp, angular, percussive. The company shifted gears effortlessly, trading flowing romanticism for modernist edge. The corps moved with a unified precision that felt almost architectural, while the principals attacked the complex rhythms with fearless athleticism.
What struck me most was how ABT honored both traditions without diluting either. They didn’t try to make Shakespeare “modern” or Stravinsky “classical.” They trusted the material and their artists to speak for themselves.
In an era where many companies are chasing trends, ABT’s commitment to contrasting repertoire feels refreshingly bold. They’re not just preserving ballet’s past; they’re proving its ongoing relevance by showing how wildly different voices can share a stage—and enrich each other in the process.
This is why we go to the ballet: to be transported, challenged, and reminded of the human body’s extraordinary capacity for expression. Last night, ABT delivered on all fronts.
