The Next Generation Ballet is the resident ballet company of The Straz Center for the Performing Arts. Trainees perform in three professional quality productions including:
- December: The Nutcracker - Morsani Hall
- March/April: On the Edge Contemporary Showcase- Ferguson Hall
- May: Full Length Ballet or Mixed Repertoire performance- Ferguson Hall
The Nutcracker is performed in Carol Morsani Hall, which houses 2,610 seats and hosts touring Broadway productions from around the world. The cast is made up of roughly 100 Next Generation Ballet and Patel Conservatory dancers. We hire guests to perform the roles of Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier from ballet companies such as New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. Our dancers have had the privilege of dancing alongside guest artists including Tyler Angle, Aran Bell, Isabella Boylston, Skylar Brandt, Herman Cornejo, Adrian Danchig, Patricia Delgado, Jovani Ferlan, Gonzalo Garcia, Sterling Hylton, Maria Kowroski, Sara Mearns, Tiler Peck, Unity Phelan, Amar Ramasar, and James Whiteside.
On the Edge highlights the styles of contemporary, jazz, and tap. It features the choreography of Lead Contemporary Teacher, and former Radio City Rockette, Kelly King. Dancers showcase their talent in popular dance trends in a performance fun for the audience and dancers alike.
The classical performance consists of either a full length classical ballet or mixed repertoire selections. In these performances NGB and PCYB dancers make up the full cast, dancing principal, soloist, and corps de ballet roles. Full time faculty, as well as guest artists, are brought in to set and coach these productions. Guest repetiteurs include Xiomara Reyes, Peter Stark, and Bruce Marks.
Repertoire
- NGB Spring performances include a diverse repertoire to rival that of any professional company.
- Past performances include choreography by George Balanchine and Jerome Robins, as well as full-length classical ballets such as Giselle, Swan Lake, Coppelia, and many others. Dancers also have the opportunity to perform original works set by Artistic Director, Philip Neal.
Cinderella (Peter Stark)
Circus Polka (Jerome Robbins; repetiteur Philip Neal)
Chaplin (Maria Konrad)
Coppelia (Arthur Saint-Leon)
Donizetti Variations (George Balanchine ©The George Balanchine Trust, repetiteur Philip Neal)
Don Quixote (Marius Petipa)
España (Irene Rodriguez)
Gargoyles (Philip Neal)
Giselle (Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot)
Grand Avenue Blues (Philip Neal)
It’s a Jungle (Philip Neal)
Le Corsaire Suite (Joseph Mazilier, Marius Petipa)
Sleeping Beauty (Marius Petipa)
Swan Lake (Lev Ivanov, Marius Petipa)
The Pearl Fishers for Opera Tampa (Maria Konrad)
Western Symphony (George Balanchine ©The George Balanchine Trust, repetiteur Philip Neal)