Fall 2021 Student Choreography Workshop – the return of a Live “studio” audience!

Two weeks before the Winter Term started, students in our most advanced classes were invited to sign up to participate in this year’s Student Choreography Workshop. A highlight of SAB’s Winter Term programming, this workshop gives our students the opportunity to move to the front of the classroom and flex their choreographic skills as they dive into the process of creating new works in a condensed time period (roughly 2 weeks.) Thirteen students – 3 boys and 10 girls – signed up to choreograph this fall. It was the first time in two years that this program would be presented live in front of a (vaccinated) audience of family, staff, faculty and patrons of SAB. Students were eager to get started as soon as the Winter Term began.

During the first week of classes, choreographers met with SAB’s new music teacher Aaron Severini to consult on their music selection. Students were thoughtful about choosing appropriate music –drawing inspiration from and selecting works by a variety of classical and contemporary composers including Felix Mendelssohn, Maurice Ravel, Oliver Davis, Jane Antonia Cornish and Philip Glass, to name a few. Students began rehearsals the following week – working with their dancers for about an hour a day whenever studio space was available – often late in the evenings.

All thirteen works were presented at three separate live performances in early October at New York City Ballet’s studios in the Rose Building. Choreographers introduced their ballets and spoke eloquently about the experience and the great joy and privilege of collaborating with their fellow students. Over 40 advanced students performed a variety of ballets showcasing their individual and collective talents. The event had a celebratory atmosphere with many choreographers commenting on how grateful they were to be able to return to SAB’s studios and present these works in person after such a challenging year and a half.

All of us at SAB congratulate these students on their beautifully choreographed new ballets and invite you to enjoy some image highlights from the live performances.