Ballet West Unveils 2025-26 Season Featuring WEST SIDE STORY SUITE and More

Ballet West has revealed its 2025-26 season with seven productions, including West Side Story Suite, Peter Pan, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet. With five Utah premieres, two world premieres, and unforgettable storytelling, Ballet West and Ballet West Orchestra are slated to deliver a vibrant celebration of dance and passion.

From the timeless romance of Romeo & Juliet to the magical wonder of Peter Pan, the season also features dynamic historical works such as Sir Frederick Ashton's Les Noces and The Dream, alongside Broadway favorites like Robbins' West Side Story Suite. Adding to this rich tapestry, the season includes renowned modern creations such as Wheeldon's After the Rain and a world premiere by Donald Byrd. Ballet West's upcoming season reflects its commitment to artistic excellence and diverse repertoire.

The first curtain rises Oct. 24 with one of Shakespeare's most heartrending tales, Romeo & Juliet. Its world-renowned choreography by Michael Smuin paired with Sergei Prokofiev's iconic score as performed by the Ballet West Orchestra will immerse audiences in lush drama, calculated sword fighting, and sweeping romanticism through Nov. 1.

From Nov. 7 to 15, audiences will experience the magic comedy of A Midsummer Night's Dream, brought to life by Sir Frederick Ashton in The Dream and danced to Mendelssohn's enchanting score. It is paired with Stravinsky's stirring Les Noces, the groundbreaking 1923 masterpiece choreographed by a woman-Bronislava Nijinska, with scenic and costume designs also by a woman-Natalia Goncharova.

"Our two opening programs of the season present revivals of three masterpieces that range from drama, humor, and early avant-garde," said Sklute, "Few companies can tackle such a broad spectrum of works that are designed to captivate audiences in unique and engaging ways."

A beloved holiday tradition returns in its full grandeur with The Nutcracker. Running from Dec. 5 to 27, Ballet West's iconic Nutcracker, first staged in 1944 by founder Willam Christensen, is a signature masterpiece, uniting families during the holidays through a living piece of dance history. Tchaikovsky's transcendent score, performed live by the Ballet West Orchestra, brings the family classic to life.

In honor of its 80th anniversary in 2024, Christensen's The Nutcracker was named a Living Historic Landmark by Utah, the first such designation for a ballet in U.S. history.

The Ballet West season continues from Feb. 13 to 21, with the Utah premiere of Trey McIntyre's Peter Pan, featuring breathtaking aerial choreography set to Sir Edward Elgar's masterful score. "It's exciting to introduce a new full length story ballet to our audiences." Sklute continues, "Peter Pan is perfect for newcomers and aficionados alike. I love how the choreographer has taken this 1911 story and created a unique ballet/theater experience." Sklute adds "It's a complex production; the flying alone is so challenging that we will be taking a whole week in the theater before we open just for the dancers and crew to master it."

On March 27 and 28, Ballet West's World Premiere of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Pamela Robinson is this season's Family Classics Series, the first new creation in seven years. Following the format of running just over an hour with one intermission and including a narration to tell the story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is fun-filled and just spooky enough for younger children. One performance will include the narration in Spanish and the whole ballet will be performed by Ballet West II and students from the Frederick Q. Lawson Ballet West Academy.

From April 10 to 18, Ballet West presents four Utah premieres with Broadway & Beyond-including the work of two renowned Tony-winning choreographers, Jerome Robbins and Christopher Wheeldon, known for their work in Broadway musicals and the ballet stage. Wheeldon's Carousel (A Dance) is a dance poem to Richard Rogers' heartwarming music, and Jerome Robbins' West Side Story Suite combines the songs and steps directly from the iconic musical.

"West Side Story, Broadway & Beyond will take our artists and our audiences alike on a journey never before seen on the Ballet West stage!" says Sklute. "West Side Story Suite will use the whole company plus local Broadway singers, and we are excited to welcome Broadway star, former New York City Ballet Principal, Utah native, and BW Academy alumnus Robbie Fairchild in the role of Riff alongside former NYCB Soloist Georgina Pazgoquin in the role of Anita!"

With a fresh eye toward modern dance, Choreographic Festival VII: Spotlight Utah! will run May 13 to16, featuring an unprecedented gathering of four companies in the joining of forces. Utah's modern dance giants-Repertory Dance Theatre, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, and SALT Contemporary Dance-each bring their own distinctive and incomparable works to the stage as Ballet West presents a world premiere by legendary choreographer Donald Byrd."

"From revivals of some of our most beloved and important works to no fewer than six premieres, it is a season both joyous and profound, giving our audiences the vast variety of stories, styles, and music that have become Ballet West's hallmark," said Ballet West Artistic Director Adam Sklute.