Lady Macbeth

Choreographed by Aaron Thao and dancers of LDC

Music by Oliver Davis

Dancers: Romy Adair, Ellie Bond, Adam Davies, Isla Ghali, Michaela Marrable. Mayuko Suzuki, Ryan Upton

About: Through the silent eyes of the Gentlewoman, Lady Macbeth reimagines Shakespeare's thriller as an intimate tale of ambition, devotion, and the unbreakable bond between two women. Long overshadowed by history, Lady Macbeth is given a voice beyond madness, revealing the hopes, fears, and sacrifices that shaped her tragic fate alongside her infamous husband. The excerpt depicts the first four scenes of the new ballet to premiere at Sadler's Wells in September 2026.

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Misdirection is Redirection

Choreographed and danced by Tom Waddington (GradPro)

 

La Sylphide

Choreographed by Aaron Thao

Music by Alessandro Paganelli

Dancers: Romy Adair, Louis Defelice

About:  Originally premiered in New York in early 2026 for JCC Mid-Westchester and Hudson Ballet Theatre, Aaron Thao's La Sylphide reimagines the beloved Romantic ballet with a newly commissioned score and a fresh setting in 1950s New England. Set against a culture shaped by postwar idealism and relentless expectations of perfection, the work explores the fragile boundaries between aspiration and illusion. The pas de deux presented this evening unfolds within a dream sequence, where James, gripped by a mounting psychological crisis, conjures the ethereal Sylph as both a refuge and a reflection of his unattainable desires. Through this haunting encounter, the ballet examines the seductive power of fantasy and the cost of pursuing an impossible ideal.

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Romy&Juliet - Madrigal Scene

Choreographed by Aaron Thao and dancers of LDC

Music by Sergei Prokofiev

Dancers: Michaela Marrable, Maeve Nolan

About: Premiered in New York as one of Aaron Thao's three reimaginings of Romeo and Juliet, Romy&Juliet breathes new life into Shakespeare's timeless tragedy through the poignant love story of two young women. Blending classical ballet with contemporary storytelling, the work explores the exhilaration of first love and the devastating consequences of a romance that defies the expectations of family and society. The pas de deux presented this evening offers a fleeting glimpse into Romy and Juliet's world—a moment of tenderness suspended before fate intervenes. It is a preview of a larger narrative, one that we hope audiences will experience in its entirety alongside its companion work, Romeo&Julian, in a future full-length production for London.

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Un Sospiro

Choreographed by Aaron Thao

Music by Franz Liszt

Dancers: Mayuko Suzuki

About: Part of a four-part choreographic work inspired by the music of Franz Liszt, Un Sospiro captures the quiet ache of relinquishing something profoundly cherished. Set to Liszt's luminous piano work, the solo explores the delicate tension between devotion and departure, inviting audiences to reflect on the sacrifices that inevitably shape our lives. This is the world premiere.

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Yes to More

Choreographed and danced by Scott Millar (GradPro)

 

Of Bells&Burial

Choreographed by Aaron Thao and Shannon Maynor

Music by Franz Schubert and Ezio Bosso

Dancers: Shannon Maynor, Ryan Upton

About: In this deconstructed pas de deux, Aaron Thao reimagines one of Shakespeare's most haunting relationships through the language of ballet. Inspired by Hamlet, the work ventures into the realm of unanswered questions, exploring the fragile bond between Hamlet and Ophelia as love becomes entangled with grief, duty, madness, and betrayal. Rather than retelling Shakespeare's tragedy, the ballet imagines the emotional landscape left unspoken, inviting audiences to consider what lay beneath Hamlet's fractured psyche and whether remorse, longing, or love surfaced upon learning of Ophelia's untimely death. Through movement, the work reflects on the devastating consequences of words left unsaid and a love that arrived too late to alter fate. See the work again this September at Sadler's Wells.

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Succession

Choreographed and danced by Samara Grieg (GradPro)

 

Mortar&Pestle

Choreographed by Aaron Thao and dancers of LDC

Music by Alessandro Paganelli

Dancers: Romy Adair, Adam Davies, Michaela Marrable, Shannon Maynor, Maeve Nolan, Megan Pay, Mayuko Suzuki, Ryan Upton

About: Tonight's excerpt presents the final scene from Aaron Thao's Mortar&Pestle, created for London Dance Collaborative. This original ballet reimagines the origins of the infamous Slavic witch, Baba Yaga, offering a compelling interpretation of the events that transformed her into the formidable embodiment of nature's power and equilibrium celebrated in folklore. Betrayed by her mother and sister in a cruel scheme to separate her from the one she loves, Danika ultimately harnesses her magic to restore balance to her world. In doing so, she conjures the first skeletal guardians, eternal protectors of her enchanted home.