Photos Courtesy of Saint Louis Ballet, photos by Kelly Pratt

For the first time in 15 months, Saint Louis Ballet, under the direction of Gen Horiuchi, will perform for live audiences. With safety and social distancing measures in place, the Touhill invites the ballet company to take the stage and perform for audience members eager to once again embrace the arts.

Sustained by a community of donors throughout the pandemic, the company of 21 dancers has been consistently training and rehearsing new material under strict safety protocols. Saint Louis Ballet continued to perform during the 2020-2021 season – but was limited to video/streaming methods to reach audiences.  May 29 and 30 will be SLB’s inaugural live venture since the pandemic caused cancellation of Swan Lake in April, 2020. 

“We are delighted to bring Ash and Valse-Fantaisie to Saint Louis audiences, “ Horiuchi said. “ I worked with choreographers George Balanchine and Peter Martins at New York City Ballet, and it is an honor to present their work. The dancers are so very ready and excited to perform for live audiences once again.”

The final ballet on the program is a unique collaboration between Horiuchi and composer/pianist Toya.  Active in Japan and the U.S., TOYA has toured with or directed many world-renowned musicians including Dionne Warwick, Ben E. King, Maxine Brown, among others.

Premiered by New York City Ballet in 1991, Ash, by Peter Martins, launches a non-stop cast of 10 dancers into stylish solos, pas de deux, and group movements. It is the fourth ballet created by Peter Martins to a score by Michael Torke, and emphasizes brisk counterpoint. Nilas Martins set the work on Saint Louis Ballet in March.

George Balanchine’s Valse-Fantaisie is a captivating ballet featuring a principal couple and four female dancers in a whirl of perpetual motion. First presented in its current version by New York City Ballet in 1967, it is set to Mikhail Glinka’s fast and light melodies. Saint Louis Ballet director Gen Horiuchi set Balanchine's Valse- Fantaisie on the company, with approval from the Balanchine Trust. George Balanchine was Horiuchi's mentor at New York City Ballet and is widely considered to be the "father of American Ballet.

Saint Louis Ballet is the region’s only professional ballet company.  Under the direction of former New York City Ballet principal dancer Gen Horiuchi, its 24 classically trained dancers are selected in a competitive national audition and come to St. Louis from training programs and ballet companies throughout the world. The company’s repertoire includes full-length ballets such as Romeo & Juliet and Cinderella as well as contemporary work from renowned choreographers such as George Balanchine, Christopher Wheeldon, Christopher d’Amboise, and Jessica Lang. In addition to a season of fully mounted productions, Saint Louis Ballet operates a ballet training program and community outreach through its Pointe to Succeed program.

Saint Louis Ballet Live! features Peter Martins’ Ash, staged by Nilas Martins, and George Balanchine’s Valse-Fantaisie. Performances will be held at the Touhill Performing Arts Center, located at 1 University Drive, (on the campus of UMSL). The evening performance is May 29 at 7:30pm, and a matinee is scheduled for May 30 at 2:30pm. Tickets are $23 for grand tier and $35 for all others and can be purchased at stlouisballet.org/slblive.

*The number of tickets is severely limited to reduce seating in the theatre. Masks will be required while in the Touhill PAC building.