{"id":502311,"date":"2026-10-20T15:06:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T15:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/502311\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T15:06:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T15:06:09","slug":"pnbs-serenade-pages-and-pictures-a-night-of-art-and-dreams-fulfilled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/502311\/","title":{"rendered":"PNB\u2019s \u201cSerenade\u201d, \u201cPages\u201d and \u201cPictures\u201d: A Night of Art and Dreams Fulfilled"},"content":{"rendered":"

Another year welcomes the 54th season of Pacific Northwest Ballet<\/a> (PNB), a company that leads the way in excellence, eclectic taste and outstanding artistry in dance, music and design.\u00a0 With the brilliant leadership of Artistic and School Director-Peter Boal<\/a>; Executive Director- Ellen Walker, and Associate Artistic Director- Kiyon Ross, and its donors, PNB has managed to thrive and grow a company that keeps adding to its illustrious accomplishments at a time when art is transitional, at best, throughout the U.S and around the world.<\/p>\n

This evening began the season with the luminous prayer-like opening of George Balanchine\u2019s Serenade. \u00a0PNB delivered not only its technically well-rehearsed company of dancers, but a full\u00a0 orchestra led by Emil de Cou<\/a>.\u00a0 With all this excellence it becomes an ethereal wonder.\u00a0 Equally the company adds a personality that runs through it and takes on a spirit and nature all its own.\u00a0 It is clear, experiencing Serenade changes dance artists in profound ways.\u00a0 To quote its artistic director, Peter Boal, \u201cSerenade lives in dancers\u2019 limbs, lines,\u00a0and hearts.\u201d A revealing statement that makes this ballet an exquisite reflection of the best of our world.<\/p>\n

\"Pacific<\/a><\/p>\n

Pacific Northwest Ballet company dancers in \u201cSerenade,\u201d choreographed by George Balanchine \u00a9 The George Balanchine Trust. PNB presents Serenade \u2013 Photo by Angela Sterling.<\/p>\n

Serenade was premiered in June of 1934 for Balanchine\u2019s fledgling students of School of American Ballet (SAB). \u00a0His particular rehearsal process unfolded with a variety of challenges for the Master himself:\u00a0 latecomers, dancer\u2019s emotional exhaustion and collapse, haunting stories that were built and secreted away as the narrative peeked out from the vision of his genius.\u00a0 With his artful flexibility, not only did he not resist these concerns, but decided to include what may have been considered \u201cfailings\u201d to the less discerning eye, making the human imperfections a part of the whole vision. This then became the design we know today.<\/p>\n

Francia Russell<\/a> restaged the ballet in 1978 for PNB and it became a favorite, distinguishing itself clearly as a Balanchine architype.\u00a0 It now lives on as the collective history of a work of art.\u00a0 Balanchine and those who have been chosen to restage his legacy pieces, with his playful willingness for movement, design and musicality, have preserved the integrity of his work to share with companies across the world.<\/p>\n

PNB, itself has also grown into a mixture of looks, training and dynamics that appear to fold effortlessly into the beauty of Balanchine\u2018s artful construction. On first view, it is clear the\u00a0 corps and soloist have been rehearsed within an inch of perfection, all legs extend at same heights in \u00e0 la seconde and arabesque.\u00a0 Even its classic Karinska sky-colored romantic tutus, reimagined by PNB\u2019s costumers, manage to cascade and flow in similar trajectories, sparkling through the exquisite Lighting Design of Randall G. Chiarelli. <\/p>\n

\"Pacific<\/a><\/p>\n

Pacific Northwest Ballet company dancers in \u201cSerenade\u201d, choreographed by George Balanchine \u00a9 The George Balanchine Trust. PNB presents Serenade \u2013 Photo by Angela Sterling.<\/p>\n

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky\u2019s resplendent music in four movements; Sonatina, Valse, with Balanchine trading the Russian movement with the Elegy.\u00a0 This is an effective repositioning to end the ballet with the Dark Angel\u2019s poignant ascendency in blue tulle atop the nearly invisible shoulders of capable male partners.<\/p>\n

The dynamic melding of the diminutive artist, Leta Biasucci with her strength and lyricism has become a fully noteworthy ballerina along with the princely beauty of Christopher D\u2019Ariano, who are both in the turning of their own mastery.\u00a0 The Strength and lyricism of Biasucci and D\u2019Ariano follows the exceptional legacy of Lucien Postlewaite and Leslie Rausch and their ancestral line that have lit the path to what is now one of our finest companies.\u00a0 The corps dedication and commitment cannot be dismissed nor Angelica Generosa in the Russian section, with partnering by Dammiel Cruz-Garrido.\u00a0 \u00a0Leah Terada as the Dark Angel is stunning.\u00a0 \u00a0As her vision disappears into the night, the image manages to end the ballet and lift us beyond this earth.<\/p>\n

PAGES, on the other hand, choreographed by the eclectic Jessica Lang, is a reverie with dreamlike whisperings interspersed through the intricate musical designs of composer David Lang (no relation).\u00a0 Jessica\u2019s work in Pages personifies the dream and nightmare states of the creative mind.\u00a0\u00a0 The shifting phrases to self, \u201cWhen I am alone\u201d \u2026 I close my eyes \u2026sit and float above\u2026\u201d This partnership of music and murmurings appear as a character itself leading the fantastical moments of ghostly appearances, at first floating, then disappearing, creating a curious and wondrous fantasy.<\/p>\n

\"L-R<\/a><\/p>\n

L-R Pacific Northwest Ballet company dancers Christopher D\u2019Ariano, Melisa Guilliams, and Dylan Wald in the world premiere of Jessica Lang\u2019s \u201cPages\u201d \u2013 Photo by Angela Sterling.<\/p>\n

The dancers in shades of white, females in diaphanous skirts and body suits, males in white T\u2019s and pants designed by Jillian Lewis assists in creating a sensual and ever-evolving mystery of movement \u2014languorous, percussive and complicated.\u00a0\u00a0 The ins and out of magical flying, conflicts of relationships, the changing of locations and configurations create wonder.\u00a0 These happenings appear on multi-use sets designed by Lang herself; a white cubed object on its side becomes a wall, leading to a roll-out walkway lit with strokes of light on the dim stage by Brandon Stirling.\u00a0 All keep the spectral encounters surprising and interesting.<\/p>\n

Dancers, Melisa Guilliams, Dylan Wald, Leah Terada, Christopher D\u2019Ariano, Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan, Genevieve Waldorf, Madison Rayn Abeo, Mark Cuddihee, and Ashton Edwards leap, turn, lift, and lie on disappearing grounds as they become a kind of clay to mold, catch, float and roll in a mixture of classical movement, modern and contemporary.<\/p>\n

\"Pacific<\/a><\/p>\n

Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Dylan Wald with PNB company dancers in the world premiere of Jessica Lang\u2019s \u201cPages\u201d \u2013 Photo by Angela Sterling.<\/p>\n

Some exquisite moments of note were D\u2019Ariano and Wald lifting their partner Leah Terado magically into midair to give a surprise sense of floating without their help.\u00a0 Then a fascinating unreality awash in magical relationships that allow fantasies in the mind of the beholders.\u00a0 It is Dylan Wald\u2019s powerful presence atop a lit cube that beautifully utilizes both character and intelligence whilst floating Terado into a chance encounter with D\u2019Ariano. Together it appeared to mark a menage or pas de trois to create a fascinating and technically awe-inspiring encounter.<\/p>\n

Terada, Gabriele Ryan, Waldorf and Rayn Abeo, fly and float on land and air, appearing and disappearing whilst the amazing Cha\u00een\u00e9 turns of Ashton Edwards breaks the spell and transitions us onto the next phase.\u00a0 And not to be left out is the gorgeous pas de deux with Gabriele Ryan and Cuddihee in the recognition of each other.\u00a0 And with a final insurgency, Leah Terada breaks the dream, tearing away paper atop the set piece \u2026and with large strokes of her pen, writes one word that pulls it all together.<\/p>\n

Last but definitely not least comes the Russian-born Alexei Ratmansky\u2019s aptly reflective piece Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorsky.\u00a0 The sparse and schematic music written in 1874, was choreographed to honor the memory of friend Viktor Harmann, artist, architect and designer who died suddenly of an Aneurism. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The outstanding pianist Christina Siemens played with the spirit reminiscent of the vast tundra of the snowy Russian Steppes.\u00a0 Ratmansky chose to place this piece honoring Harmann appropriately in a gallery showing artist Wassily Kandinsky\u2019s Color Study Squares and Concentric Circles, rendered by Wendall K. Harrington\u2019s projections.\u00a0 It echoed and inspired the costume design\u2019s muted, yet colorful, shapes on iridescent smocks for the female dancers, with neutral T\u2019s and pants for the males, rendered by Fashion designer Adeline Andr\u00e9s.\u00a0 All brushed with the lighting of Mark Stanley\u2019s expert hand.<\/p>\n

\"Pacific<\/a><\/p>\n

Pacific Northwest Ballet soloist Yuki Takahashi and principal dancer Dylan Wald in Alexei Ratmansky\u2019s \u201cPictures at an Exhibition\u201d \u2013 Photo by Angela Sterling.<\/p>\n

This delight melds artfully together to support Ratmansky\u2019s lilting, humorous and adventurous choreography into a joyful potpourri of solos, duets, trios and full-on playful company work.<\/p>\n

The Opening is a delight and gives an opportunity to get to know single dancer\u2019s, their technique and personalities.\u00a0 It melds the group from competitive solos to friendly gatherings of the coterie for a journey thru Ratmansky and Kandinsky\u2019s artful mind.<\/p>\n

The difficult solo by Melisa Guilliams sets a powerful mourning, leading to a momentum of explosive dance in a joyous Pas de six with the always wonderful Jonathan Batista, with Sara-Gabrielle Ryan, Christopher D\u2019Ariano, Amanda Morgan, Jory Luther with Angelica Generosa.<\/p>\n

Among the most transfixing of Picture\u2019s movements was the gorgeous Pas de deux performed effortless and soulful by Dylan Wald and Yuki Takahashi.\u00a0 Takahashi becomes weightless in his arms and their effortless transitions flows like butter.\u00a0 They take our collective breath away all the way to the end with Wald balancing Talahashi\u2019s lithe figure standing arched on one leg against his body like a masthead.\u00a0 With such power and generosity it gives way to a moment of awe and transformation.<\/p>\n

The Pas de quatre with all men was memorable in its joyful romp with clean effortless lines and technique that entertain and surprise, leading the way to the foursome of Morgan, Generosa, Gabrielle Ryan, and Guilliams.\u00a0 Ratmansky\u2019s Pictures at an Exhibition puts an artful period on a transformative evening of dance and dreams.\u00a0 A joyful season that leaps into Fall of 2026 to Spring 2027.\u00a0 Such a treat for the eye and the spirit.<\/p>\n

To learn more about the Pacific Northwest Ballet, please visit their website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Written by Joanne DiVito for LA Dance Chronicle.<\/p>\n

Featured image: Pacific Northwest Ballet company dancers in Alexei Ratmansky\u2019s \u201cPictures at an Exhibition\u201d \u2013 Photo by Angela Sterling.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Another year welcomes the 54th season of Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB), a company that leads the way in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":502312,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[131,133,132],"class_list":["post-502311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-long-beach","tag-long-beach","tag-long-beach-headlines","tag-long-beach-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/502311","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=502311"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/502311\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/502312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=502311"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=502311"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=502311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}