The Sarasota Ballet will present “Written Motion” Nov. 21 and 22. The program features three ballets, including a world premiere by choreographer Ashley Page.
Page is a former dancer with The Royal Ballet and the former Artistic Director of the Scottish Ballet. He has written a ballet to music by Igor Stravinsky. It is one of three ballets that the Sarasota Ballet will perform Friday and Saturday at the Sarasota Opera House with the accompaniment of the Sarasota Orchestra.
Also on the program is a romantic ballet lost for 25 years until the Sarasota Ballet revived it in 2012. It also marks the return of Mark Morris’ “The Letter V,” choreographed to Haydn’s Symphony No. 88 in G Major.
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"Written Motion" is the Sarasota Ballet’s second program of the 2025-2026 season.
Valses nobles et sentimentale
Ushering in program two is Sir Frederick Ashton’s “Valses nobles et sentimentale.”
Originally choreographed in 1947 to Maurice Ravel’s 1911 suite of waltzes, Ashton’s work tested dancers’ artistry in the post–World War II era. The ballet encapsulates the postwar yearning for glamour, style, and elegance in a Britain bankrupted by World War II and still dominated by austerity and rationing.
“Valses nobles et sentimentale” was last revived by Sir Frederick Ashton in 1987. The New York Times’ Alastair Macaulay praised it as “…a softly dazzling masterstroke of choreography” during the company’s 2016 Joyce Theater performances.
By blending music, movement and design, Sarasota Ballet’s production of “Valses nobles et sentimentale” provides audiences with an atmosphere of escapism and world of elegance far from everyday life. Sophie Fedorovitch’s lush maroon and pink costumes, inspired by both 1830s Romantic ballet and Dior’s 1947 "New Look," create a feast for the eyes.
The Letter V
This ballet takes its name from Haydn’s Symphony No. 88, referencing the way Haydn catalogued his symphonies.
The ballet radiates joy, clarity, and harmony between music and dance.
The New York Times said that “[n]o choreographer alive has a higher reputation for musicality than Mark Morris; and that reputation has been well earned over more than 30 years of marvelously eclectic creativity.” “The Letter V” is an innovative example of that very musicality.
Ashley Page World Premiere
This marks Page’s first world premiere with The Sarasota Ballet, offering audiences a rare opportunity to witness a milestone in the company’s artistic journey.
Page joined The Royal Ballet in 1976. During his formative years with the company, he collaborated closely with Sir Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan, creating numerous roles in their new ballets. These experiences helped shape the deep classical pedigree he brings to all his work.
In 1984, Page was promoted to principal dancer and choreographed his first professional work, “A Broken Set of Rules.” While continuing to dance, he developed his choreographic style, creating 17 works for the company and receiving commissions from Rambert Dance Company, the Dutch National Ballet and others. His choreography has since been sought after by leading companies worldwide—including San Francisco Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Royal Ballet of Flanders, and Vienna State Ballet—reflecting his global appeal and stylistic versatility. Known for bold collaborations and exploring new contexts for dance, his 1994 Fearful Symmetries at Covent Garden, starring Irek Mukhamedov, became a defining work.
After 27 years with The Royal Ballet, he became artistic director of Scottish Ballet in 2002. Over the next decade, he transformed the Scottish Ballet into a leading modern ballet company, creating acclaimed full-length ballets such as “The Nutcracker,” “Cinderella,” “The Sleeping Beauty” and “Alice,” alongside contemporary pieces and new commissions that revitalized the company’s profile.
He premiered “Guide to Strange Places” with San Francisco Ballet during his final year there.
Page is now a freelance choreographer and opera director. In that capacity, he continues to work with major companies internationally. His current collaboration with The Sarasota Ballet marks a significant moment in his career: his first world premiere with the company, offering audiences a rare opportunity to witness a new creation by one of the UK’s most influential choreographers.
Page’s achievements have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including a Time Out Award for "Fearful Symmetries" (1994), the Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production (1995), the TMA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance (2004), and the Herald Angel Award (2005).
In 2006, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to dance.
Further honors include the Critics’ Circle Award, Herald Archangel Award, the De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement from the National Dance Awards (2012), and an honorary degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
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.
