Susan Jaffe News

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts has named dancer, choreographer, and educator Endalyn Taylor as its new dean of the School of Dance effective August 1. She will lead the conservatory's dance program, which develops technically sound and stylistically versatile professional dancers through training in both classical and contemporary dance.

After more than a year since the curtain came down abruptly on Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s 50th Anniversary Season, PBT Artistic Director Susan Jaffe has announced a 2021-2022 Season that brings ballet back to the Benedum Center and August Wilson African American Cultural Center.

Orlando Ballet's Dance Accelerator 2 mock audition for choreographers will stream next week offering a real-time, behind-the-scenes look via Zoom as choreographers practice pitching their creative works before potential investors. The program will livestream on Zoom beginning at 7:00pm ET on Saturday, May 1, 2021.

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Artistic Director Susan Jaffe has awarded paid apprenticeship positions to four young dancers as part of PBT's new apprenticeship program for the upcoming 2021-2022 Season.

Kevin McKenzie today announced his retirement as Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre at the end of 2022, following three decades of leadership. He will oversee ABT’s creation of new works and performances throughout 2021 and 2022, ensuring ABT’s vitality and artistic integrity, while working with the Board of Governing Trustees to provide a seamless transition to the Company’s next Artistic Director.

Kevin McKenzie today announced his retirement as Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre at the end of 2022, following three decades of leadership. He will oversee ABT’s creation of new works and performances throughout 2021 and 2022, ensuring ABT’s vitality and artistic integrity, while working with the Board of Governing Trustees to provide a seamless transition to the Company’s next Artistic Director.

After a year of darkened theaters Downtown, Pittsburgh's performing artists are stepping out into the light. Thanks to a new mobile stage purchased by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT), they will debut an “Open Air” series of live, outdoor performances like no other on the lawn at Flagstaff Hill in Schenley Park this May.

In February, PBT premiered live performances of “Boléro,” featuring new choreography from Artistic Director Susan Jaffe, to limited audiences in Carnegie Museum of Art's Hall of Sculpture.

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will launch a new apprenticeship program in 2021, offering academic courses alongside performance  opportunities with the PBT company. The program will be offered to five young dancers for the 2021-2022 performance season. Apprenticeship positions have been made possible through a generous gift from Hans and Leslie Fleischner. 

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will return to Carnegie Museum of Art’s Hall of Sculpture from Feb. 12-14 to present seven performances of “Boléro,” featuring new choreography from PBT Artistic Director Susan Jaffe. 

In response to ongoing public health guidance and regulations on indoor assembly, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will not return to the theater for the remainder of its 2020-2021 Season. Performances impacted by this decision include performances of 'Cinderella' with the PBT Orchestra (Feb. 12-14, 2021), and more.

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) will bring the magic of “The Nutcracker” to homes around the region and beyond with “Fireside Nutcracker,” a virtual program based on Terrence S. Orr's “The Nutcracker.”

Alonzo King LINES Ballet has announced that Founder and Artistic Director Alonzo King is the recipient of the 2020 Dance Magazine Award. King will be honored at a virtual award ceremony on December 7, 2020. 

Joo Won Ahn, Aran Bell, Skylar Brandt, Thomas Forster, Calvin Royal III and Cassandra Trenary have been appointed to the rank of Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre. Gabe Stone Shayer has been promoted to the rank of Soloist. The promotions, announced today by ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie, are effective immediately.

In response to public health guidance and restrictions on public assembly due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) will present an updated 2020-2021 Season, beginning Sept. 10 with a series of outdoor performances at PBT Studios in the Strip District. 

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) company dancers reunited at Hartwood Acres after months of working remotely to film a performance for the Allegheny County Parks Summer Concert Series sponsored by BNY Mellon. The episode, featuring a new adaptation of a?oeA Midsummer Night's Dream,a?? will air on Pittsburgh's CW network and on social media on Aug. 16, 2020.

In response to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School (PBT School) will transition its summer programming a?' including the a?oeCompany Experiencea?? Workshop, Intensive Summer Program and Student and Children's Division classes a?' to virtual online learning platforms for the summer of 2020. The virtual programs will allow PBT School students across the country to continue their dance education without the added risk of a studio or dormitory environment. 

In this weekly online series running through July 4, American Ballet Theatre OffStage offers diverse behind-the-scenes experiences of America's National Ballet Company. The second week of ABT OffStage features conversations, ballet classes and blog posts to honor the 40th Anniversary of Natalia Makarova's staging of La Bayadère.

American Ballet Theatre will present a full season of programming to viewers and fans around the world with American Ballet Theatre OffStage: A 2020 Virtual Season. As the global health crisis has forced ABT artists out of the theater and into their homes, these online offerings will carry the artistry of ABT into homes everywhere.

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) has announced updates to its upcoming 2020-2021 Season in response to programs rescheduled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis that forced the closure of non-essential businesses, including PBT and the Cultural Trust venues in which the company performs.