Blog by PNB Dancer Cecilia Iliesiu.

I know I am biased, but PNB knocked New York’s socks off the last two days with the Balanchine Program! However, they don’t know what is coming their way with the next program – Contemporary Innovators.

On the Program —

• David Dawson’s A Million Kisses to my Skin (premiered in 2000)
• William Forsythe’s The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude (premiered in 1996)
• Crystal Pite’s Emergence (premiered in 2009)

These three pieces are incredibly challenging for all elements of the performing arts — The choreography is intricately detailed, the dancers body’s are being pushed to their limits, the musicians are playing difficult scores, the backstage crew are transforming the stage into a bug’s nest and the stage manager is seamlessly making it happen. Our performances wouldn’t happen without the work of many talented individuals.

Since this is my first season with the company, I unfortunately missed on the opportunity to work on the William Forsythe and David Dawson repertoire last season. Both Vertiginous and Kisses (as we call them for short) are an absolutely thrill to watch and I am amazed the dancers don’t pass out after running the ballets. They are real killer.

This fall, I had the great honor to have worked with Crystal Pite (herself!) on Emergence, when the company performed it in Seattle last October. The amount of passion and insight that lady shared with us for the 48 hours she was with us in Seattle was priceless. Each movement in her ballet has a purpose and impetus.

PNB dancers, musicians, wardrobe and crew are ready to show NYC what we’ve got!

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Featured photo: Sarah Pasch in A Million Kisses to My Skin. Photo © Angela Sterling; choreography by David Dawson.