Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre season puts works by women at the forefront

After 20 months of digital performances, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre dancers are poised to return to the stage for the company’s 2021-22 season.

“Season Premiere,” a mixed repertory program accompanied by the PBT Orchestra, is set for Oct. 22-24 in the Benedum Center in downtown Pittsburgh. The classical and contemporary program includes a world premiere by Jennifer Archibald, a PBT premiere by Helen Pickett and classical works by George Balanchine and Victor Gsovsky.

“This program really sets the tone for our season,” said Artistic Director Susan Jaffe.

It will be PBT’s first complete theater season programmed by Jaffe, who became the company’s seventh artistic director – and second woman director – in July 2020.

“Women artistic directors are still uncommon in the ballet world, so in addition to my love for the classics, it’s important to me to celebrate the talented women, like Helen Pickett and Jennifer Archibald, who are pushing the boundaries of this art form,” Jaffe said. “More than half of the choreographers we are presenting this season are women, and all of them bring an incredible depth of creativity to their work.”

“Season Premiere” works

Jennifer Archibald’s “Through the Window” (2021) weaves elements of ballet, modern and hip-hop technique into a work for 10 dancers set to songs including Uno Helmersson’s “The Silent Lake” and Frans Bak’s “Singing the Truth.”

“The work is physical and exciting. It has a lot of different emotional arcs in it,” said Archibald, founder and artistic director of Arch Dance Company, resident choreographer for Cincinnati Ballet and a graduate of the Alvin Ailey School.

PBT’s premiere of Helen Pickett’s “Petal” (2008) is set to music by Philip Glass and Thomas Montgomery Newman. “Petal” is the company’s second work by the award-winning choreographer, who has created more than 40 works in the U.S. and Europe for companies including Boston Ballet, Ballet West and Semperoper/Dresden Ballet.

Part of his larger three-act ballet “Jewels,” Balanchine’s “Diamonds” (1967) pays homage to the classicism of Imperial Russia and the Mariinsky Theater, where the New York City Ballet co-founder trained. Set to Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29, the work features the corps de ballet costumed in sparkling white tutus.

Russian choreographer Victor Gsovsky’s “Grand Pas Classique” (1949) offers another display of pure classical technique. The 20th-century choreographer’s best-known work is set to a score by Daniel-Francois Auber.

Overwhelming excitement

PBT dancers last performed in the Benedum Center in February 2020. Since then, the company premiered a dozen digital works including the Telly Award-winning virtual production “Fireside Nutcracker,” along with a televised performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” filmed at Hartwood Acres.

“The excitement of returning to the theater is overwhelming. I really love interacting with the audience when I perform, so I’ve missed having them there so much,” said soloist Tommie Kesten.

Also on the season schedule are “The Nutcracker,” Dec. 10-29; “Alice in Wonderland,” Feb. 11-13; “Here + Now,” March 24-27; and “Swan Lake” with PBT Orchestra, May 6-15.

All performances are in the Benedum Center, except “Here + Now,” set for the August Wilson African American Cultural Center in downtown Pittsburgh.

Single tickets, starting at $29, are available at pbt.org or 412-456-6666. Subscription packages start at $84 at 412-454-9107 or on the website.

Information on the theater’s covid-19 protocols is available at trustarts.org.