The Sarasota Ballet invites you to bring your groups to experience Program Two and Program Three in our 2023-2024 Season, as well as a beloved holiday favorite.

Conflicted Beauty will run November 17 and 18, 2023 at the Sarasota Opera House.  The Company premier of The Art of War, leads Program Two. Created in 2015 by BalletMet’s Artistic Director Edwaard Liang, to be driving, pulsing, and powerful, he describes it as, “…about controlling chaos.” Choreographed during the opening stages of the Second World War, Ashton’s Dante Sonata continues the theme of conflict in Program Two. A synthesis of wartime symbolism and his reflections upon experiencing Franz Liszt’s score, the work enraptured Sarasota audiences during it’s Company Premier. The triple bill closes with Paul Taylor’s Company B, framing the turbulent era of World War II through the songs of the Andrews Sisters. Combining moments of joy and hilarity with the heavy reality of war, Taylor creates a remarkable piece that perfectly exemplifies the duality of America in the 1940s.

Moments of Meaning can be attended Dec 15 and 16, 2023 at the Sarasota Opera House. A return to regality and beauty, George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations opens Program Three. This masterful work transports audiences to the height of the Russian Imperial Ballet with its glittering costumes, masterful choreography, and Tchaikovsky’s evocative score. Twyla Tharp’s, In the Upper Room, closes the December program with a “transcendent experience for both audience and performers”. Created in 1986, the work features a commissioned score by Philip Glass and showcases Tharp’s choreography, which blends a diverse range of movements, including boxing, tap dance, yoga, ballet, and full-speed sprinting.

December wouldn’t be complete without The Nutcracker. Don’t miss your chance to experience the timeless story of Clara, and her adventures with The Nutcracker! Join us for four performances of The Nutcracker, two at the Venice Performing Arts Center on December 8th and 9th and two at the Sarasota Opera House on December 17th and 18th. These performances capture holiday magic and feature The Sarasota Ballet Studio Company, students from The Sarasota Ballet School, The Sarasota Ballet’s Margaret Barbieri Conservatory, plus dancers interested in performing in The Sarasota Ballet School’s The Nutcracker.

Groups of 10 or more can witness the world-class artistry with value pricing. Please email blewis@sarasotaballet.org to arrange group tickets in advance.