Joffrey Ballet to visit NYC after 21 years

Krzysztof Pastor's Romeo and JulietThe Joffrey Ballet, led by Artistic Director Ashley Wheater, recently announced that it will return to New York City on March 29 – April 2, 2017. Presented by The Joyce Theater Foundation, the company will perform the New York premiere of Krzysztof Pastor’s majestic Romeo and Juliet at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater.

 

This engagement is historically significant because it’s the first time the entire troupe will perform in the city in over 20 years. Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino founded The Joffrey Ballet in NYC in 1956, but it left town due to financial struggles 21 years ago.

 

The Joyce Theater Foundation Executive Director Linda Shelton stated, “It has been a personal wish of mine to bring The Joffrey Ballet back to the New York City stage.”

 

The exciting return will also include a special gala performance of mixed repertory on Thursday, March 30. This program, which will benefit The Joyce Theater Foundation, will include the New York premieres of Yuri Possokhov’s The Bells and San Francisco Ballet dancer Myles Thatcher’s Body of Your Dreams. Christopher Wheeldon’s Fool’s Paradise will complete the mixed bill.

 

Wheater, who will celebrate 10 years of leading the company in 2017, stated, “Though The Joffrey Ballet once made its home in New York City, it has been many years since we have performed in Manhattan. During that time, exciting things have been happening at The Joffrey. We are excited to bring Krzysztof Pastor’s Romeo and Juliet and a program of repertory work to the New York audience. We are grateful to The Joyce Theater Foundation for making possible our return.”

 

For more information, visit www.joffrey.org. The company is currently presenting the highly anticipated world premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s The Nutcracker now through Friday, December 30 at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.

 

Photo: Joffrey Ballet brought Krzysztof Pastor’s Romeo and Juliet back to Chicago in October. Photography by Cheryl Mann.