Boston Ballet Presents Next Generation in May

Boston Ballet School (BBS) presents Next Generation, a one-night-only performance showcasing young artists of Boston Ballet II, Boston Ballet School, Graduate program, and the Professional Division at Walnut Hill School for the Arts. The program features new works by Boston Ballet Principal Dancer Chyrstyn Fentroy, former Boston Ballet Principal Dancer and current Professional Division at Walnut Hill faculty member Paulo Arrais, and former Boston Ballet School Graduate student Arianna Hughlett. The program includes a Pas de Deux from Ricardo Amarante's Love Fear Loss, Act II Pas de Deux from Giselle, Classical Pas de Deux, and excerpts from Marius Petipa's Le Corsaire. Next Generation takes place on May 19 at the Citizens Bank Opera House.

"Next Generation is an exciting evening showcasing up-and-coming talent from Boston Ballet School and Walnut Hill School. It is an honor to dedicate this performance to the great Miss Sydney Leonard, who would be so proud of BBS and these students," said Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. "BBS provides high-quality training, and it is my pleasure to see these dancers grow into talented artists and future professional dancers."

"The three levels of professional track dancers on stage at Next Generation represent the growing depth and breadth of Boston Ballet's education and training platform. The diligence, focus, and open heartedness of our programming elevates our students as citizen leaders in all paths chosen over the course of their careers. We are proud of these young artists and are excited to see what they bring to the stage on May 19," said BBS Managing Director Dave Czesniuk.

Next Generation 2023 is in honor of Sydney Leonard, a revered Boston Ballet School teacher who trained thousands of students over the course of more than four decades in the studio. From the early 1950's on, she worked with Boston Ballet Founder E. Virginia Williams as the devoted co-founder of Boston Ballet School and an indispensable professional associate. She continued to teach well into her 80's. After retiring in 2006, she received the Boston Ballet School Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. She passed away in January 2020 at the age of 100.

Chyrstyn Fentroy's premiere One And Then Another is set to music by Kenji Bunch, Ahn Trio and is performed by Graduate students. Fentroy previously choreographed for Boston Ballet's virtual program The Gift in 2020 and for BB@home: ChoreograpHER in 2019.

Arianna Hughlett's new work features commissioned music by Wen-Ting Ong and is choreographed on Graduate students. Hughlett, a former BBS Graduate student and current apprentice with Grand Rapids Ballet, choreographed for Next Generation in 2022 with her premiere of Quartet. She also choreographed for Boston Ballet's virtual program The Gift in 2020 and participated in the ChoreograpHER Initiative student workshop.

Next Generation is proud to be part of Boston Ballet's ChoreograpHER Initiative, which establishes a model for female students and professional dancers to develop choreographic skills and invests in new innovative works by female artists.

Paulo Arrais' new work is set to Tchaikovsky's 5th horn solo and choreographed on students of Professional Division at Walnut Hill School for the Arts. He previously created a world premiere titled ELA, Rhapsody in Blue for Boston Ballet in 2019.

The program features the Loss pas de deux from Love Fear Loss and Classical Pas de Deux, performed by dancers of Boston Ballet II, and Act II pas de deux from Giselle performed by Graduate students. Excerpts from Le Corsaire, including Le Jardin Animé, assorted solos and Pas de Deux will be performed by students of Boston Ballet School's Professional Division at Walnut Hill.

Boston Ballet School's Professional Division at Walnut Hill offers Boston Ballet School's world-renowned dance instruction in conjunction with Walnut Hill School for the Arts best-in-class college preparatory academic and rich residential life program to provide a holistic educational experience on Walnut Hill's scenic campus in Natick, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston.

The Graduate program introduces young artists to the daily life of a professional dancer. They train, rehearse, and perform alongside BBII and are individually mentored to help them understand the journey from student to working artist. Their daily schedule integrates closely with the Company. BBII features gifted young artists selected by Mikko Nissinen who are at the beginning of their professional careers.

Currently eight Professional Division students have moved into our Graduate Program, and two were promoted into BBII. Six of our Graduate Program students are now members of BBII and one promotion to the Company. BBII alumni comprise 36 percent of the Company, and 22 percent are Boston Ballet School alumni.

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