George Balanchine’s classic Serenade is set to the sweeping score by
Tchaikovsky. Serenade, now considered an acknowledged 20th-century
classic, was Balanchine’s first piece for his new American dancers. An
incorporation of rehearsal events and a hint of the hardships and almost
religious exaltation of a career in ballet, Serenade’s beauty is in
its pure-dance patterns that both introduce new motifs and repeat with
significant variations. No design is fixed while everything is in flux.
This is one evening of ballet that truly presents
something for everyone.