American Ballet Theatre Reveals Casts for 2026 Spring Season

Additional casting for American Ballet Theatre’s 2026 Spring season at the David H. Koch Theater from March 6–21 was revealed by Artistic Director Susan Jaffe.

The Company’s inaugural Spring season at the David H. Koch Theater will include Lar Lubovitch’s full-length Othello: A Dance in Three Acts, as well as repertory programs featuring Alexei Ratmansky’s Firebird, Jiří Kylián’s Nuages, Alexei Ratmansky’s Neo, George Balanchine’s Mozartiana, and Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois, an excerpt from the third act of Marius Petipa's full-length Raymonda.

Principal Dancers for the 2026 Spring season include Joo Won Ahn, Skylar Brandt, Daniel Camargo, Herman Cornejo, Thomas Forster, Isaac Hernández, Catherine Hurlin, Chloe Misseldine, Calvin Royal III, Hee Seo, Christine Shevchenko, Cory Stearns, Devon Teuscher, James Whiteside, and Roman Zhurbin. Fabrice Calmels, previously announced as a Guest Artist, has withdrawn from the Spring season due to injury.

Lar Lubovitch’s Othello: A Dance in Three Acts will open the Spring season at the evening performance on Friday, March 6, led by Calvin Royal III as Othello, Fangqi Li as Desdemona, James Whiteside as Iago, Madison Brown as Emilia, and Jake Roxander as Cassio. Isaac Hernández, Skylar Brandt, Carlos Gonzalez, Devon Teuscher, and Tyler Maloney will debut in these roles at the matinee on Saturday, March 7. The evening performance on March 7 will include debuts by Joseph Markey (Othello), SunMi Park (Desdemona), Christine Shevchenko (Emilia), and Andrew Robare (Cassio). Othello is set to a commissioned score by Elliot Goldenthal with scenery by George Tsypin, costumes by Ann Hould-Ward, lighting by Jack Mehler, and projections by Wendall K. Harrington. Last performed by ABT in 2015, Othello: A Dance in Three Acts received its World Premiere on May 23, 1997, at the Metropolitan Opera House, led by Desmond Richardson (Othello) and Sandra Brown (Desdemona).

Alexei Ratmansky’s Firebird returns for nine performances, March 13-18 and 21, with Catherine Hurlin (Firebird), Daniel Camargo (Ivan), SunMi Park (Maiden), and Cory Stearns (Kaschei) leading the opening night cast. On Saturday, March 7, debuts will include Chloe Misseldine (Firebird) and Jarod Curley (Ivan) at the matinee and Léa Fleytoux (Firebird), Calvin Royal III (Ivan), Fangqi Li (Maiden), and Patrick Frenette (Kaschei) at the evening performance. The one-act Stravinsky classic features scenery by Simon Pastukh, costumes by Galina Solovyeva, lighting by Brad Fields, and projections by Wendall K. Harrington. Firebird was given its World Premiere at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, on March 29, 2012, danced by Natalia Osipova (Firebird), Marcelo Gomes (Ivan), David Hallberg (Kaschei), and Simone Messmer (Maiden).

George Balanchine’s Mozartiana will share the program with Firebird on the evenings of March 13, 18, and 21 and the matinee on March 14, with Devon Teuscher and Joo Won Ahn leading the opening night cast. Additional performances will include debuts by Andrew Robare at the matinee on March 14 and by Chloe Misseldine and Michael de la Nuez on the evening of March 18. One of Balanchine’s last works, the ballet is set to Suite No. 4, Mozartiana by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky and features costumes by Holly Hynes and lighting by Brad Fields. This version of Mozartiana was created for New York City Ballet and received its World Premiere on June 4, 1981, at the New York State Theater, led by Suzanne Farrell, Ib Andersen, and Christopher d'Amboise. Mozartiana received its ABT Premiere on May 24, 2004, at the Metropolitan Opera House, danced by Nina Ananiashvili, Angel Corella, and Herman Cornejo.

Jiří Kylián’s Nuages, danced by Hee Seo and Thomas Forster, will be performed alongside Firebird and Mozartiana on the evening of March 13 and at the matinee on March 14. One of Kylián's earliest works, Nuages is a non-stop, daring pas de deux, unique in its humanity and intimate partnering. Nuages is set to music by Claude Debussy and features costumes, light, and adapted décor by Kylián, based on original décor designs by Walter Nobbe, with light and décor supervision by Brad Fields. Glen Eddy served as assistant to the choreographer. Nuages received its ABT Premiere on May 12, 2014, danced by Diana Vishneva and Marcelo Gomes.

Alexei Ratmansky’s Neo will appear on this program on the evenings of March 18 and 21, danced by Christine Shevchenko and James Whiteside. Set to music by Dai Fujikura, with costumes by Moritz Junge and lighting by Brad Fields, Neo is an incredibly demanding piece, challenging its dancers to perform a work that is fevered and sensuous, daring, and stunning. The piece was originally created on ABT Principal Dancers Isabella Boylston and James Whiteside for a digital performance presented by The Joyce Theater, New York, New York, on May 19, 2021, and received its ABT Premiere on October 19, 2024, at the David H. Koch Theater.