Balanchine & Kylián

This exciting program pairs the exploratory style of Kylián’s work with the weightiness and expansiveness of George Balanchine’s legendary choreographed works in a dramatic presentation. Jirí Kylián is recognized as one of the most beloved and influential Czech modern dance choreographers, celebrated for his extensive body of work created during his tenure as artistic director of the prestigious Nederlands Dans Theater. NBT is proud to present his work for the first time in the Company’s history.

Concerto Barocco

Music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Choreography by George Balanchine
Ensemble featuring, 2 Violins, Piano, Cello

Set to Bach’s Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins, George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco blends music and movement in elegant harmony. Featuring a quartet of strings on stage, two dancers embody the instrumental solos, bringing the live concerto and the exquisite music of Johann Sebastian Bach vividly to life.

Concerto Barocco Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust by arrangement with the American rights holder, New York City Ballet.

Duo Concertant

Music by Igor Stravinsky

Stravinsky’s score, Duo Concertant, conceived for violin and piano premiered in Berlin in 1932, and gained prominence across Europe. The piece had long been a favorite of Balanchine — who had first heard it performed soon after it was composed. Years later, Balanchine incorporated the haunting work into a piece he choreographed for the 1972 Stravinsky Festival. Inviting the merging of musicians and dancers on stage is a hallmark of this work. Standing at the piano with the musicians, the dancers listen to the first movement. For three movements they dance, mirroring the music and each other in a brilliant back and forth, pausing at times to rejoin the musicians and to listen. In its finale, the stage goes dark and the dancers are illuminated one final time in singular light in dramatic conclusion.

Duo Concertant Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust.

Sechs Tänze (Six Dances)

Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Choreography by Jirí Kylián

Theatrical, humorous and disarming, simple costumes arouse unexpected laughter for the slightly vaudevillian presentation of Kylián’s irreverent and amusing Sechs Tänze. Known as “Six Dances”, this work pokes fun at human behavior and emotion with great zeal. Featuring six acts, this theatrical display whisks audiences into a raw display of nonsensical poetry. Set in a time of two centuries, this work reflects history shaped by wars, revolutions and social upheavals, which is a theme that continues to resonate today.

Attendees Under 18: Children aged 5 and up with a ticket can attend performances at The Smith Center. All patrons must have their own ticket, regardless of age. Patrons aged 16 or older may attend the performance without an accompanying adult with their parent’s or guardian’s permission.