Sarasota Ballet opens its 2025-2026 season with "Program 1 – Intrinsic." The repertoire includes three dances. The first is Dame Alicia Markova’s production of Fokine’s "Les Sylphides" — a romantic era ballet that paved the way for future choreographers to let music and movement drive the story. That’s followed by the world premiere of “The Lorenz Butterfly” by choreographer Jessica Lang and Will Tuckett’s “Changing Light,” created for the Sarasota Ballet in 2013.
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Choreographer Michel Fokine describes Fokine’s “Les Sylphides” as “the personification of a poetic vision.” Set to Chopin’s enchanting score, ethereal sylphs drift through a moonlit forest around a young poet. This production also honors the 100th anniversary of Markova joining The Ballets Russes.
“The Lorenz Butterfly” is Sarasota Ballet’s third world premiere by Jessica Lang. In it, chaos theory meets color theory, where instinctive brushstrokes and vibrant hues mirror movement, emotion, and transformation. Her ballet unfolds against a backdrop of her own paintings that were themselves born from this exploration of chaos, color, and change. Lang is a Virginia B. Toulmin & Muriel O’Neil artist in residence.
After being approached by Director Iain Webb to choreograph a work for The Sarasota Ballet, Will Tuckett was inspired by the striking beauty of the Sarasota sunsets, which is reflected in the fluid and circular movements, lighting design, and costumes. Having received standing ovations every time it’s performed, this work serves as the perfect finale to ignite excitement for the season.
Performances are Friday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The FSU Center for Performing Arts is at 5555 North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota.
For tickets, telephone 941-359-0099 or visit https://www.sarasotaballet.org/productions/p1-intrinsic/.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
