The 2024 Workshop in Photos

SAB’s Workshop Performances are an annual tradition that provide our students with the opportunity to implement everything they’ve learned throughout the school year in a professional performance at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Lincoln Center. Workshop is always a special occasion – marking the growth of our student’s technique and artistry, while giving them the chance to perform exciting repertory ranging from Balanchine classics to new ballets from contemporary choreographers. But this year’s event held extra significance for the School of American Ballet, as we celebrated the 90th anniversary of both the School and George Balanchine’s masterpiece, Serenade.

In honor of this momentous milestone, the program opened with Serenade, staged by SAB faculty member Suki Schorer. It was incredibly meaningful to see our current students tackle this iconic work first created on SAB students back in 1934. This was followed by Christopher Wheeldon’s Scènes de Ballet, also originally created on SAB students and staged this year by SAB faculty members Dena Abergel, Gonzalo Garcia, and Arch Higgins. Finally, the program closed with the sensational third movement of Balanchine’s Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2, staged by SAB faculty member Katrina Killian. This was the first time this difficult and energetic ballet had been performed for Workshop, and it was a crowd-pleasing finale at each of our three performances. In addition, the Workshop Benefit performance included the premiere of a new ballet, Tendu, choreographed on our students especially for this year’s Workshop by SAB alumna Lauren Lovette.

The experience of seeing SAB’s Workshop live is like no other. The bubbling energy of young dancers bringing their enthusiasm and passion for dance to the stage is electric and we photographed the rehearsals and performances – from backstage and in the house – to try to capture a bit of that magic. Join us as we recount this year’s fabulous Workshop Performances through our photo galleries…

Ask any dancer about what it’s like to be backstage and they’ll probably tell you how much fun it can be to be! Our students begin their on-stage rehearsals in the week leading up to their performances. It’s the final chance for our stagers to give notes, our students to get used to their costumes and adjust to performing with a live full orchestra. From getting made up in the dressing rooms, to cheering each other on from the wings, there is nothing quite as thrilling as being backstage at Workshop!

Here’s a look at the view from the wings over the course of our Workshop Performances. Such a stunning perspective!

SAB Workshop Serenade - backstage photo of female dancers posing

SAB Workshop Serenade - backstage photo of female and male dancer posing

SAB Workshop Scenes de Ballet - backstage photo of little kids posing and holding hands

SAB Workshop Tendu - backstage photo with a male and female dancer posing and a little girl watching them from the bar

SAB Workshop Serenade - backstage photo of a female and male dancer posing

SAB Workshop Tendu - backstage photo of a female and male dancer holding hands and posing

SAB Workshop Tendu - backstage photo of a female and male dancer posing

Then again, the view of from the audience is nothing short of magnificent. Even in photos, you see the beautiful lines and choreographic structure of the ballets as well as our students’ performance qualities – passion, devotion and sheer joy.

SAB Workshop Serenade - Female dancers doing the same pose on stage

SAB Workshop Tendu - Female and male dancer posing

SAB Workshop Tendu - Male dancer posing in the air

SAB Workshop Serenade - 2 female dancers posing. One on the floor and one posing on one leg

SAB Workshop Serenade - a male and female dancer on the floor posing with a female dancer standing and posing in the background

SAB Workshop Scenes de Ballet - female dancers posing on the bar

SAB Workshop Scenes de Ballet - A male and female dancer posing

SAB workshop Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 - 4 female dancers posing on stage

SAB workshop Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 - 2 female dancers posing with other females dancers posing in background

SAB workshop Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 - dancers posing on stage

SAB Workshop Tendu - Male dancer posing on stage

SAB Workshop Tendu - Male dancer leaping

SAB Workshop Tendu - Male and female dancer on stage looking past each other shoulder to shoulder

SAB Workshop Serenade - A female dancer posing

SAB Workshop Serenade- A female dancer leaping across stage while other female dancers hold hands in the background

SAB Workshop Serenade - A female and male dancer posing

SAB Workshop Serenade - One female dancer laying on the floor and another female dancer covering the eyes of a male dancer who is reaching his hand out

SAB Workshop Serenade - 2 female dancers on the floor looking up at a female and male dancer posing

SAB Workshop Serenade - A male and female dancer leaping across stage

SAB Workshop Scenes de Ballet - 2 little girl dancers looking at each other across a bar

SAB Workshop Scenes de Ballet - male dancer leaping

SAB Workshop Scenes de Ballet - 2 dancers looking at 2 other dancers across a bar while posing

SAB workshop Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 - male and female ballet dancers posing on stage

SAB workshop Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 - ballerina leaping

SAB workshop Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 - group pose

And there is also a very unique excitement when our dancers and stagers take their curtain calls. After every ballet a mini-celebration takes place, as everyone revels in what they just accomplished!