The American Ballet Theater (ABT) opened its fall season at the David H. Koch Theater with a program that highlighted a mix of classical works and contemporary ballets, yielding a varied critical reception. The lineup included established pieces by Frederick Ashton and George Balanchine alongside recent and debut works by emerging choreographers.
The season began with Helen Pickett’s 2008 ballet "Petal," originally created for Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. Inspired by Gerber daisies, the piece featured eight dancers in yellow and blue performing to music by Philip Glass and Thomas Montgomery Newman. Despite its vibrant lighting design, the ballet was viewed as lacking cohesion and emotional depth. The choreography’s angular shapes and brisk pacing were executed with technical precision but failed to generate lasting impact.
Other new works included Jae Man Joo’s 2012 piece "Flight," which premiered with ABT for the first time and featured principal dancer Herman Cornejo embodying avian imagery to Bach’s music. The performance was criticized for its predictability and uninspired movement vocabulary. More promising was the debut of Brady Farrar’s "Trio Élégiaque," set to Rachmaninoff. Farrar, a 21-year-old corps de ballet member and the youngest choreographer to present a work for ABT’s main company, explored the theme of unrequited love through three duets. Although the structure and choreographic patterns were seen as conventional, the ballet offered moments of emotional intensity underscored by moody lighting and expressive partnering.
Contemporary choreographer Kyle Abraham’s "Mercurial Son" (2024) provided a notable contrast with its fresh energy and dynamic execution. Featuring a small cast of seven, Abraham’s work was described as a rare instance of modern brilliance within ABT’s repertoire. Dancers such as Breanne Granlund, Kayla Mak, Melvin Lawoi, Calvin Royal II, and Andrew Robare delivered performances marked by technical skill and compelling presence.
The program also included several vintage highlights. Ashton’s "Birthday Offering," a 1956 piece designed to showcase female dancers’ virtuosity, was presented with mixed results; while its charm remained intact, dancers occasionally struggled to fully capture its character. Nonetheless, the men’s lively mazurka added a distinctive flavor to the work.
Catherine Hurlin made a striking debut as Titania in Ashton’s 1964 ballet "The Dream," demonstrating a combination of power and nuance that distinguished her as a leading talent within the company. Her performance sparked reflection on ABT’s current star power and artistic direction.
Balanchine’s 1941 "Ballet Imperial," set to Tchaikovsky, rounded out the season’s classical offerings. Chloe Messidine’s performance as the principal female dancer was noted for technical accuracy but critiqued for its lack of musicality and emotional engagement. In contrast, SunMi Park brought a natural, instinctual quality to her role, blending technical command with an understated stage presence. This freedom in movement was visible in the final ensemble, which displayed a synchronized and joyful commitment to Balanchine’s choreography.
Overall, the ABT’s fall season underscored the company’s ongoing negotiation between tradition and innovation, spotlighting moments of creative vitality amid works perceived as less impactful. The performances highlighted the dancers’ technical strengths while raising questions about how the company balances classical heritage with contemporary expression.