Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Will Host Spring Mix: 5 For 55 in April

In honor of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's 55th anniversary, PBT artists will perform five classical and contemporary works in Spring Mix: 5 for 55. The program will pay homage to PBT's mission of giving life to the classical tradition, nurturing new ideas and inspiring Pittsburgh's communities. The mixed repertory program features three PBT favorite works from the past and two new world premieres. Spring Mix: 5 for 55 will take place at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center April 4-6, 2025. 

The program includes:

• George Balanchine's sumptuous and sparkling Emeralds

• The return of Jorma Elo's divine, fast-paced 1st Flash

• Acclaimed choreographer Caili Quan's joyful Falling Forward

• Dwight Rhoden's intense and passionate Ave Maria

• PBT choreographer-in-residence William Moore's compelling The Rite of Spring

“As I reflected on Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's strong history and heritage of repertoire, it was important for me to, as part of for Spring Mix: 5 for 55, select five diverse, celebratory pieces that represent the past, present and future of the organization,” said Adam W. McKinney, artistic director at PBT. “Mixed repertoire programs like this offer PBT opportunities to showcase the incredible versatility and talent of our artists, and provide a wide array of thought-provoking works for Pittsburgh audiences.” 

About the Works in Spring Mix: 5 for 55

The program begins with Emeralds, part of George Balanchine's Jewels trilogy, which premiered in 1967 at the New York City Ballet. Emeralds, set to Gabriel Fauré's Pelléas et Mélisande and Shylock, has a French, romantic theme. It is fluid and softly passionate, with elegant, graceful, romantic dances. Emeralds is performed by two lead couples, three soloists and a corps de ballet of ten women. 

Jorma Elo's 1st Flash is a unique sensory experience for audiences. Dancers appear to move at the speed of light while articulating a collective body in perfect harmony. The energetically paced piece showcases contemporary, avant-garde movements set to Jean Sibelius's Violin Concerto in D minor.

Caili Quan's Falling Forward is a lively, upbeat work that audiences will find lighthearted and a pleasure to watch. Quan, a former dancer with BalletX of Philadelphia and now a renowned choreographer, is known for incorporating her Guamanian roots into her work. Quan's piece is accompanied and inspired by Julius Eastman's ‘Stay On It', which she calls, “an incredible score full of joy, gut punches and the push to keep putting one foot in front of the other.”

Ave Maria, choreographed by Dwight Rhoden, is an intense, passionate Pas de Deux originally created in 1995 as part of his ballet The Grapes of Wrath. The Pas de Deux was met with such acclaim that it has become one of Rhoden's signature works, and is regularly performed on its own. Set to Giulio Caccini's beloved classical music of the same name, Ave Maria is innovative and athletic, characterized by deceptively complex lifts, jumps, slides and falls. 

The program will close with a new world premiere of The Rite of Spring, choreographed by William Moore, PBT choreographer-in-residence and former PBT soloist. The original 1913 production of The Rite of Spring was such a departure from classical ballet that it caused a riot at its Paris premiere. The work, with music by Igor Stravinsky, tells the story of a great ancient tree that awakens from its long winter slumber