Ballet Talk with Pacific Northwest Ballet

Doug Fullington takes our audience through ballet's preeminent ghost story, Giselle. Fullington talks about the origins of the ballet including the history of multiple versions of the ballet from France and Russia, in depth on Giselle's mad scene, PNB dancers premiering in new roles, and answer audience questions. Recorded live in the Nesholm Family Lecture Hall in Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in Seattle, WA on April 10, 2026.

Doug Fullington introduces Pacific Northwest Ballet's fourth repertory of the 2025/26 season, FIREBIRD. On this triple bill program are Alejandro Cerrudo's Little mortal jump, Ulysses Dove's Red Angels, and Kent Stowell's Firebird. Doug covers Alejandro Cerrudo's residency at PNB, Peter Boal's history with Red Angels, fun facts about Firebird after a 20-year hiatus including Stravinsky conducting Firebird Suite in Seattle! Recorded live in Seattle, WA in the Nesholm Family Lecture Hall in Marion Oliver McCaw Hall at Seattle Center in March 2026.

PNB collaborator Doug Fullington talks through the history of the Cinderella story in ballet form. His Ballet Talk touches on Sergei Prokofiev's score, Kent Stowell's choreographic vision for PNB's version of the ballet, PNB's costume archives, and more! The Seattle Times calls Kent Stowell’s Cinderella “warm and joyous and deeply moving.” This ballet combines the story you know and love with spectacular choreography, Prokofiev’s familiar score, and superb design with Stowell's collaborators Tony Straiges (scenic design), Martin Pakledinaz (costume design), and Randall G. Chiarelli (lighting design). Recorded live in the Nesholm Family Lecture Hall in Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in Seattle, WA in February, 2026.

The first rep of Pacific Northwest Ballet's 2025/26 season marked the return of George Balanchine’s Jewels to the stage after an eight-year hiatus. This trio of ballets features glittering scenic and costume design by Jérôme Kaplan and a perfect assortment of quintessential choreography by George Balanchine. Emeralds evokes French elegance, Rubies brings the glamor and jazz of America, and Diamonds recalls the grandeur of Balanchine’s native St. Petersburg. Doug Fullington takes you through the history of George Balanchine's Jewels, his musical collaborators (Gabriel Fauré, Igor Stravinsky, and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky), the original NYCB dancers and their relationships with PNB, and more! Recorded live in the Nesholm Family Lecture Hall in Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in Seattle in October, 2025.

Enjoy this episode featuring Pacific Northwest Ballet Associate Artistic Director Kiyon Ross in conversation with choreographer Rena Butler ahead of the world premiere of her new work for PNB, Cracks. The two speak on Rena's upbringing in Chicago, her journey from dancer to choreographer, insights into her detailed choreographic process, and her current cultural inspirations. This episode was recorded live in the Nesholm Family Lecture Hall in Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in Seattle, WA on May 29, 2025.

Listen as guest Ballet Talk lecturer Anne Searcy takes an introductory tour through PNB's fifth repertory program of the 2024/25 Season, Jean-Christophe Maillot's Romeo et Juliette. Anne Searcy is an Associate Professor of Music History at the University of Washington. Searcy covers the basic story itself, puts the original Shakespeare play in historical context, and gives a brief history of the various versions of the ballet including the version from Jean-Christophe Maillot and Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo that PNB performs. She also gives an overview of the character-based musical themes in Sergei Prokofiev's orchestral score and outlines how these themes work to tell the story of the ballet through the music. Learn more about Anne Searcy and her work here: https://music.washington.edu/people/anne-searcy. Recorded in the Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at Seattle Center's McCaw Hall in Seattle, Washington in April, 2025.

Enjoy Doug Fullington's pre-show Ballet Talk for PNB's EMERGENCE program. Doug talks through EMERGENCE's quadruple-bill production including the premiere of Dawn Patrol, a new work by PNB Company dancer Price Suddarth; Jerome Robbins' intimate Afternoon of a Faun; Marco Goecke's solo work Mopey; and another audience favorite of Crystal Pite's, the mesmerizing Emergence. Recorded live in the Nesholm Family Lecture Hall in Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in Seattle, WA on March 15, 2025.

Dance historian Doug Fullington gives an ALL BALANCHINE overview. He covers the brief histories of George Balanchine and his legacy, including the founding of New York City Ballet, staging Balanchine ballets and the George Balanchine Trust, and Balanchine's collaborators on the three works in PNB's ALL BALANCHINE program. This triple bill features Square Dance (1957), Prodigal Son (1929), and Stravinsky Violin Concerto (1972). Recorded live in the Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at Seattle Center's McCaw Hall in Seattle, Washington in November 2024.

In observance of Hispanic Heritage Month, and in partnership with Casa Latina Seattle, El Centro de La Raza, Joyas Mestizas, KEXP, and Union Cultural Center, in October 2023 PNB hosted Baila Conmigo, a community open house. Held at PNB’s Seattle Center studios, this free, public event featured dance performances by PNB Company dancers and local dance group Joyas Mestizas, a kids’ movement class led by Mestre Silvinho, and a panel discussion moderated by Movimento Afrolatino Seattle founder Monica Rojas, with PNB dancers Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan and Jonathan Batista, El Sonido host DJ Albina Cabrera, and Joyas Mestizas Co-Director Luna Garcia. We are pleased to offer this panel discussion as a podcast, with transcripts available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. We hope you enjoy listening, reading, and celebrating these local creatives. Click here to read the English Transcript >> https://www.pnb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/PNB_Hispanic_Heritage-Panel-English-Transcript-2023-1.pdf Click here to read the Spanish Transcript >> https://www.pnb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/PNB-Hispanic-Heritage-Month-Panel-_SPANISH.pdf Click here to read the Portuguese Transcript >> https://www.pnb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/PNB-Hispanic-Heritage-Month-Panel_Portuguese.pdf En conmemoración del Mes de la Herencia Hispana, y en asociación con Casa Latina Seattle, El Centro de La Raza, Joyas Mestizas, KEXP y Union Cultural Center, en octubre de 2023, PNB organizó Baila Conmigo, una jornada de puertas abiertas comunitaria. Celebrado en los estudios del PNB Seattle Center, este evento público gratuito contó con presentaciones de danza de bailarines de la compañía PNB y el grupo de danza local Joyas Mestizas, una clase de movimiento para niños dirigida por Mestre Silvinho y un panel de discusión moderado por la fundadora del Movimento Afrolatino Seattle, Mónica Rojas, con Los bailarines de PNB Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan y Jonathan Batista, la presentadora de El Sonido, la DJ Albina Cabrera y la codirectora de Joyas Mestizas, Luna García. Nos complace ofrecer este panel de discusión como un podcast, con transcripciones disponibles en inglés, español y portugués. Esperamos que disfrute escuchando, leyendo y celebrando a estos creativos locales. Em comemoração ao Mês da Herança Hispânica, e em parceria com a Casa Latina Seattle, El Centro de La Raza, Joyas Mestizas, KEXP e Union Cultural Center, em outubro de 2023 o PNB sediou o Baila Conmigo, um open house comunitário. Realizado nos estúdios do PNB Seattle Center, este evento público e gratuito contou com apresentações de dança dos dançarinos da PNB Company e do grupo de dança local Joyas Mestizas, uma aula de movimento infantil liderada por Mestre Silvinho, e um painel de discussão moderado pela fundadora do Movimento Afrolatino Seattle, Monica Rojas, com Os dançarinos do PNB Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan e Jonathan Batista, a apresentadora do El Sonido, DJ Albina Cabrera, e a codiretora de Joyas Mestizas, Luna Garcia. Temos o prazer de oferecer este painel de discussão como um podcast, com transcrições disponíveis em inglês, espanhol e português. Esperamos que você goste de ouvir, ler e celebrar esses criativos locais.

Listen and learn more about PNB's new Resident Choreographer Jessica Lang! Artistic director Peter Boal interviewed Lang ahead of the premiere of her new work Black Wave in PNB's first performances of the 2024/25 Season. The two cover Jessica's background dancing and choreographing career, the role of a resident choreographer, her experiences so far with PNB, and answers questions from the audience. Recorded in the Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at Seattle Center's McCaw Hall in Seattle, Washington in September 2024.

Join Doug Fullington as he interviews PNB's retiring rehearsal director Otto Neubert and PNB School students performing in our final production of the 2023/24 Season, Coppélia. Listen to Otto as he recounts his incredible career from dancing to rehearsal directing, how dance steps and roles are passed dancer to dancer, and Otto's advice to dancers of all ages. This episode was recorded live in the Nesholm Lecture Hall in Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in Seattle, WA in June, 2024.

Pacific Northwest Ballet Artistic Director Peter Boal and retiring PNB Principal dancer James Yoichi Moore talk about the ins and outs of James' career as a dancer. They cover his journey as a dancer pre-PNB, his on and off stage collaborators (Noelani Pantastico, Twyla Tharp, Seattle Dance Collective, etc.), his advice for young dancers, and more! Tune in to this conversation for a brief summary of James' contributions to PNB including some rapid-fire questions from Peter and the audience. This episode was recorded live in the Nesholm Lecture Hall in Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in Seattle, WA in April 2024.