Boston Ballet School Will Host NEXT GENERATION at Citizens Opera House
The one-night-only show features Boston Ballet II and Donna Egan Graduate Program dancers
Boston Ballet School will present Next Generation, an exciting one-night-only performance that showcases the future of our artform while encouraging talented young dancers to reach for the stars. Next Generation will be performed at the Citizens Opera House on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
Featuring dancers of Boston Ballet II (BBII), Donna Egan Graduate Program dancers, and students of Boston Ballet School's Professional Division at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, the program features a dynamic, versatile range of classical and contemporary ballets, including premieres by Boston Ballet Second Soloist Daniel Rubin and choreographer Jodie Gates, George Balanchine's Concerto Barocco, August Bournonville's Napoli excerpts, and Flower Festival in Genzano Pas de Deux, and Cordyceps by Boston Ballet II dancer Alexander Mockrish.
“Next Generation celebrates the promise and potential of the talent within Boston Ballet II, Graduate Program, Boston Ballet School's Professional Division at Walnut Hill School for the Arts. This performance marks an important moment in their artistic journey, as they continue to refine their craft and envision their futures in dance,” said Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen.
“Next Generation brings together dancers from across Boston Ballet School's pre-professional training programs, reflecting the strength and continuity of our education. The focus, curiosity, and commitment of these young artists speaks to the values at the core of our programs. We are proud to share their artistry and growth with audiences on stage,” said Boston Ballet School Managing Director Dave Czesniuk.
Concerto Barocco
Choreography: George Balanchine
© The George Balanchine Trust
George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco began as an exercise for the School of American Ballet and several years later it became part of New York City Ballet’s repertoire, presented on the company’s first performance in 1948. A close and vital advisor to Boston Ballet during its inaugural years in the early 1960s, Balanchine gifted Concerto Barocco to founder E. Virginia Williams. The ballet was included in the second performance of the newly established Boston Ballet. Set to Johann Sebastian Bach’s Concerto in D minor for Two Violins, the two lead dancers represent each violin.
George Balanchine (1904–1983) was one of the 20th century’s most prolific choreographers. He created more than 400 works throughout his career and is celebrated widely for his signature “neoclassical style” that transformed the ballet world. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Balanchine came to the United States in 1933, established the School of American Ballet and ultimately New York City Ballet, where he was Ballet Master (Artistic Director) and Principal Choreographer.
No Smoke, Just Mirrors
Premiere
Choreography: Daniel Rubin
Daniel Rubin’s new work is created for Boston Ballet II and Graduate Program dancers. Choreographed to a new orchestral composition by New England Conservatory (NEC) of Music student Aviva Senzon, it features five musicians from NEC.
Daniel Rubin began his professional training at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C., and later, under the wing of Tamara Statkoun. Rubin continued his classical ballet studies at the Moscow State Academy of Choreography (Bolshoi Ballet Academy). Upon graduation in 2015, he joined the Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg, dancing as a leading soloist by 2020. Rubin joined Boston Ballet as an artist of the Company in 2022 and was promoted to second soloist in 2023. Rubin has choreographed over 25 original pieces for competitions, galas, and film, earning awards at Youth America Grand Prix and California Dance Classics. He has served as a judge and masterclass teacher for the Youth America Grand Prix.
A Delicate Balance
Premiere
Choreography: Jodie Gates
Jodie Gates’s new ballet is a co-commission between Boston Ballet II and Finnish National Ballet’s Youth Company. Gates’s ballet is set to music by Arvo Pärt, Henryk Górecki, and David Land.
Jodie Gates’s impressive career in the dance industry has spanned roles as artistic director, educator, curator, stager, choreographer, and principal dancer. She is a former principal ballerina with the Joffrey Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Gates has created more than 65 original dance works for the stage, as well as numerous commercial pieces for global campaigns and revered artists. Her work has been performed at the New York’s City Center Theater, Deutsche Oper Berlin, The Joyce Theater, the Helsinki International Ballet Competition, the Vail International Dance Festival, and many other venues. She has been commissioned by Ballet West, Staatsballett Berlin, American Ballet Theater, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Kansas City Ballet, Colorado Ballet, BalletX, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet and more.
She is the Founding Director of the University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, Founder, Executive & Creative Director of Laguna Dance based in Laguna Beach California, and most recently Jodie served as a consultant and Artistic Director of Cincinnati Ballet and the Cincinnati Ballet Academy. She is an independent choreographer and an artistic collaborator with William Forsythe, having staged many of his ballets internationally.
Napoli
Excerpts / Pas de Six and Tarantella
Choreography: August Bournonville
Napoli was created in 1842 for the Royal Danish Ballet by the most famous Danish choreographer August Bournonville. Napoli returns to Next Generation for the first time since the inaugural 2010 performance.
This year the ballet features a unique mixed cast of dancers from Boston Ballet II, Graduate Program and Professional Division from Walnut Hill School for the Arts.
Flower Festival in Genzano (Pas de Deux)
Choreography: August Bournonville
August Bournonville’s Flower Festival in Genzano, inspired by the tale of Impressions de voyage by Alexandre Dumas, tells the story of a pair of young lovers during an annual spring festival celebrated each June in Genzano, Italy. The Pas de Deux is set to music by Holger Simon Pauli and Eduard Helsted.
August Bournonville (1805–1879) was a Danish choreographer and ballet master who shaped the artistic identity of the Royal Danish Ballet for nearly 50 years. Born in Copenhagen, he trained in Paris and performed at the Paris Opera before returning to Denmark, where he became ballet master of the Royal Theatre in 1830. Bournonville famously developed a distinctive style that emphasizes musicality, clarity, and intricate footwork. His ballets remain central to classical repertoire and performed by ballet companies worldwide.
Cordyceps
Choreography: Alexander Mockrish
Mockrish created Cordyceps for Boston Ballet School’s Professional Division at Walnut Hill School for the Arts in 2025. The piece is set to music by Jóhann Jóhannsson, including Zurich, A Sparrow Alighted upon our Shoulder, and A Song for Europa, as well as selections by Ezio Bosso and Apparat.
Alexander Mockrish trained at the Royal Swedish Ballet School in Stockholm and continued his education at the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York. He was a finalist at the Prix de Lausanne 2023, receiving the Contemporary Dance Award. In 2025, he won the Young Creation Award for his original piece Extinction. Mockrish joined Boston Ballet II in 2025.
Under the direction of Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen and Associate Director of Boston Ballet II Joan Boada, BBII features classically trained young dancers as they begin their professional performing careers. This two-year program bridges the divide between training and professional careers with major dance companies. Dancers perform extensively with the main company, and in programs dedicated to works specifically selected and choreographed for BBII.
Boston Ballet’s Donna Egan Graduate Program, led by Kathleen Mitchell, Boston Ballet School’s Artistic Liaison and Director of the Graduate Program, introduces young artists to the daily life of a professional dancer. Graduates train, rehearse, and perform alongside BBII and the main company, developing the technique, mental skills, and artistic qualities needed for a successful career. Their daily schedule integrates closely with the Company. This unique season-long program prepares the next generation of young artists for the demands of a professional dancer.
Boston Ballet School’s Professional Division at Walnut Hill School for the Arts offers Boston Ballet School’s renowned dance education in conjunction with Walnut Hill School for the Arts unique college preparatory academic and rich residential life program to provide a holistic educational experience on Walnut Hill’s scenic campus in Natick, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. Walnut Hill School encompasses a unique, enriched environment for students in the arts, including exceptional music, theatre, and dance departments.
Videos