10 Online Ballet Performances to Catch in April

April 6, 2021

Spring is in full bloom with another round of exciting digital dance offerings. This month, companies across the country are releasing world premieres, season finales, artistic collaborations and more. We’ve rounded up some highlights below.

New York City Ballet

Sebastian Villarini-Velez and India Bradley with KJ Takahashi and Jonathan Fahoury in Kyle Abraham’s When We Fell

 

Erin Baiano, Courtesy NYCB

 

On April 8, New York City Ballet presents When We Fell, a world premiere by Kyle Abraham starring company dancers Taylor Stanley, India Bradley, Jonathan Fahoury, Christopher Grant, Claire Kretzschmar, Lauren Lovette, KJ Takahashi and Sebastian Villarini-Velez. Filmed by cinematographer Ryan Marie Helfant and shot on the promenade and stage of the David H. Koch Theater, When We Fell celebrates a return to the Lincoln Center grounds after a period of emptiness. The film will remain available for free through April 22 via the NYCB website and YouTube channel.

Ballet Austin

Later this month, Ballet Austin artistic director Stephen Mills premieres his PRELUDES/BEGINNINGS, a new dance film celebrating Austin’s historic Scottish Rite Theater and the “ghost light” tradition. Set to Chopin’s 24 Preludes, the piece reflects on the ghostly nature of an empty stage and considers historical parallels between the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic and the present-day coronavirus. Audiences can sign up to receive free access to the film April 15–25 via the company website.

Seattle Dance Collective

NYCB principal Sara Mearns stars as Juliet in Gallop Apace, a new dance film presented by Seattle Dance Collective running April 15–22. Directed and choreographed by Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber, the piece explores strength, transition and womanhood and is inspired by an often overlooked scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Tickets are $5; go to the SDC website for more details.

Post:ballet

On April 1, San Francisco–based contemporary ballet company Post:ballet released a short dance film reimagining Act II of Swan Lake. Shot along the San Francisco Bay in view of the Golden Gate Bridge, company dancers waltz and jeté across the sand in artistic director and founder Robert Dekkers’ 15-minute contemporary take on the classic ballet. You can watch Post:ballet’s Swan Lake for free via the company’s YouTube channel.

San Francisco Ballet

Now through April 21, San Francisco Ballet is streaming George Balanchine’s three-act Jewels. While “Rubies” and “Diamonds” is archival footage, the opening ballet “Emeralds” is a new performance capture with role debuts by Misa Kuranaga, Angelo Greco, Sasha Mukhamedov and Aaron Robison. For $29, viewers can purchase 72-hour on-demand access to the stream via the SFB website.

Houston Ballet

Houston Ballet continues its eight-week film program In Good Company, which premiered on March 10, through the end of this month. Each film features choreography by artistic director Stanton Welch and music by the Canadian acoustic quartet The Dead South. The program releases one new video each week on the company’s website, YouTube channel and social media pages, where online viewers can access them for free. Check out the released films Honey You, Achilles, The Recap, Long Gone and That Bastard Son now.

Colorado Ballet

Colorado Ballet
wraps up its 2020–21 season with its online premiere of Through It All, a program of classical and contemporary repertoire that includes new works created by company dancers. While the program marks Colorado Ballet’s return to the live stage, all six performances April 10–11 and 17–18 will be livestreamed in real time. Viewers can purchase virtual tickets up to one hour before the performance for $25 per individual or $40 per household via the company website.

Dayton Ballet

Dayton Ballet presents a condensed production of artistic director Karen Russo Burke’s Cinderella at the Victoria Theatre April 23–25. The 3 pm EDT performance on April 24 will also be livestreamed and remain available for on-demand viewing through June 30. Viewers can purchase $25 tickets for online access via the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance website.

Miami City Ballet and Paul Taylor Dance Company

On April 1, Miami City Ballet and Paul Taylor Dance Company premiered the new collaborative virtual performance ViVa, which celebrates the joint history of ballet and modern dance. Choreographed by Amy Hall Garner and set to music by Vivaldi, the piece travels from Miami’s Lincoln Road to Manhattan’s Lower East Side and features MCB soloist Samantha Hope Galler and PTDC dancer John Harnage. ViVa will remain online permanently for free via MCB‘s and PTDC‘s websites and social media channels.

Pennsylvania Ballet

Pennsylvania Ballet continues its digital spring season with its second installment, Resilience, streaming April 29–May 5. The program features a solo, by principal Jermel Johnson, from Dwight Rhoden’s And So It Is…, as well as performances of George Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante, Christopher Wheeldon’s Polyphonia and Angel Corella’s Raymonda Suite. Viewers can purchase online access to season installments for $25 each via the company website.