(Image Credit: Anita Buzzy Prentiss)
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre marks the nation’s 250th anniversary with America 250 with the PBT Orchestra, opening February 20 at the Benedum Center for four performances, February 20 – 22, 2026. The mixed repertory program brings together four ballets that reflect distinct strands of American culture and performance history, each presented with live accompaniment.
Artistic director Adam W. McKinney described the production as an opportunity to showcase works by influential choreographers while highlighting the range of the company’s dancers alongside the PBT Orchestra.
Program
Company B by Paul Taylor
First staged in 1991, Company B remains one of Taylor’s most widely performed works. Set to songs made popular by The Andrews Sisters, the ballet juxtaposes the buoyancy of social dance with the undercurrents of wartime America, blending jazz, jitterbug, and Taylor’s modern vocabulary.
Stars and Stripes Pas de Deux by George Balanchine
Drawn from Balanchine’s larger Stars and Stripes, this excerpt reflects the choreographer’s affinity for musicality and technical clarity. Performed to the marches of John Philip Sousa, the piece is rooted in classical form while projecting a distinctly American theatrical brightness.
Three Preludes by Ben Stevenson
Created in 1969, Stevenson’s pas de deux is set to Sergei Rachmaninoff’s music and follows two dancers through a narrative of rehearsal and romance. The work is noted for its lyrical style and emotional arc across three contrasting movements.
The Mighty Casey by Lisa de Ribere
Choreographed for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in 1990, The Mighty Casey draws inspiration from the poems Casey at the Bat and Casey—Twenty Years Later. The ballet revisits the familiar tale of failure and redemption through a theatrical lens, underscored by music associated with Americana traditions.
Together, the four works span modern dance, neoclassical ballet, narrative pas de deux, and company-created repertory, offering a cross-section of styles connected by American themes and musical influences.
TICKETS AND DETAILS:
PBT’s America 250 performances are February 20 – 22, 2026 at the Benedum Center. Tickets are available at pbt.org or by calling 412-456-6666.
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