“Notes Unspoken” consists of three very different performances.
It opens with alternating casts of all-male and all-female dancers in a playful battle of the sexes during 25 one-minute waltzes set to the music of Schubert.
That’s followed by a psychological ballet celebrating its 90th anniversary that navigates a love triangle between a young woman, her lover, and the man she must marry.
Closing the Sarasota Ballet program is the company’s third worldwide premiere of the season, “The Waiting Room,” by choreographer Gemma Bond.
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“Notes Unspoken” is the fourth dance program in Sarasota Ballet’s 2025-2026 season.
The program begins with Ricardo Graziano’s “Valsinhas,” Portuguese for “little waltzes.”
“Valsinhas” consists of a series of 25 waltzes set to Schubert’s 34 “Valses Sentimentales.”
Each short waltz bursts with lightness, spontaneity, and musicality.
The two casts perform each waltz with the same choreography.
With 25 waltzes at less than a minute in length, this ballet is playful and fast moving.
The presence of a pianist on stage adds intimacy and spontaneity—emphasizing the joy of simply dancing to music.
The second component of the program is Antony Tudor’s “Lilac Garden.”
Tudor broke ballet conventions by portraying real people in real situations, rather than fantastical characters or settings.
The movement is perfectly matched to Ernest Chausson’s Poème, a lush, moody, and rhapsodic piece that deepens the ballet’s emotional texture.
This ballet unfolds under the backdrop of a moonlit garden party framed by lilacs in Edwardian England. The setting evokes the refined social decorum and hidden tensions of the Edwardian era.
The movement is perfectly matched to Ernest Chausson’s Poème, a lush, moody, and rhapsodic piece that deepens the ballet’s emotional texture.
“Love, regret, and emotional restraint are timeless human experiences, making the ballet as powerful today as when it was first performed,” states Sarasota Ballet’s website.
“The Waiting Room” closes out the program.
Gemma Bond has been recognized with prestigious honors, including the Princess Grace Award, a Bessie Award, and fellowships from New York City Center and the New York Choreographic Institute.
Her choreography has captivated audiences at major venues like The Royal Opera House, Jacob’s Pillow, The Joyce Theater, and the Metropolitan Opera House.
Bond has created original works for a wide range of top-tier companies, including American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Nacional de Cuba, and The Washington Ballet.
“Notes Unspoken” is a chance to witness a world premiere by one of today’s most exciting choreographers.
Performances are Friday, Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 31 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Monday, Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
For tickets, visit https://www.sarasotaballet.org/productions/p4-notes-unspoken/ or telephone 941-359-0099.
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.
