American Repertory Ballet Announces 2021-2022 Season

“It is with great optimism that American Repertory Ballet returns to live performances after this extended intermission,” said Ethan Stiefel. “The 2021-2022 season embraces a sense of starting anew and creating fresh and diverse perspectives in ballet. Every program outside of The Nutcracker, presents either world premieres, company premieres or works that have never been seen live by our audiences before. ARB invites everyone to come to the theater and once again connect, converse, and reaffirm the value and meaning dance and live performance have in uplifting our spirits and our communities."

FALL 2021

ARB will start the season with a month-long “bubble” residency at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, a 153-acre artist sanctuary located in upstate New York. Dancers and artistic staff, including ARB’s newly appointed Artistic Associate Gillian Murphy, will rehearse and develop new repertoire in this remote and inspiring environment that can safely accommodate ARB’s growing roster of 13 Company artists, three apprentices, and five ARB2 dancers. This residency will be made possible by The Ted & Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund.

A resident company of the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, the Company returns to its home venue, October 22-24, for a series of live performances, entitled Emergence. This varied and captivating program includes Ethan Stiefel’s Wood Work (created for The Washington Ballet in 2019); Amy Seiwert’s World, Interrupted; David Fernandez’s Mexican Music; and Saudade, created by ARB’s very own Ryoko Tanaka. For tickets, visit secure.nbpac.org/emergence

THE NUTCRACKER

American Repertory Ballet’s beloved production of The Nutcracker returns to theaters across New Jersey. This holiday favorite tells the magical story of Clara and her Nutcracker Prince as they battle toy soldiers and larger-than-life mice, and travel through a whirlwind of dancing snowflakes to the Land of Sweets. Greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier, Clara enjoys a suite of brilliant and joyful dances before opening her eyes to the familiar sights of her own home. Was it all a dream?

• McCarter Theatre Center, Princeton, November 26-28 
• Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway, December 3 & 5
• Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, Trenton, December 9-10
• State Theatre New Jersey, New Brunswick, December 17-19 *with live orchestra

SPRING 2022

ARB revisits the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College in New York City on February 19, 2022, with a mixed repertoire program never-before-seen by New York audiences. The Spring season continues with a series of world premieres, beginning with Ethan Stiefel’s reimagining of the vibrant and popular tale, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center April 1-3, 2022.

Rounding out the 2021-2022 season, ARB will present a new works program titled Movin’ + Groovin’ at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center June 3-5, 2022, featuring world premieres by immensely inventive choreographers new to ARB; Ja’Malik, Caili Quan, and another exciting choreographer to be announced soon.

IMAGE TOP: Annie Johnson, Shaye Firer, and Erikka Reenstierna-Cates in Amy Seiwert’s World, Interrupted. Photo: Eduardo Patino.NYC