How does one of the most respected ballet companies in the country break new ground? By performing five world premieres out of their 15 productions. That’s what the Sarasota Ballet will be doing across seven programs in their 2022-23 season. While it’s hard to focus on just one, keep your eyes out for Program 4, which will come to the FSU Center for Performing Arts from January 27th-30th, 2023. Although the Program opens with a world premiere from choreographer Arcadian Broad and ends with Sir Frederick Ashton’s Facade, the Sarasota premiere of a new Jessica Lang Ballet sticks out the most. “Jessica Lang, is without a doubt, the most sought after choreographer of today,” says Iain Webb, Director of the Sarasota Ballet. “The Sarasota premiere of her new ballet will take place after we perform its world premiere in New York City in Program 1.” Although Lang was just beginning to work on the ballet in Sarasota at the time of the interview, Webb was able to provide some sense of what the upcoming production would look like. “There’s going to be projections of roots and plants behind the dancers and a whole research process of how these roots respond to the music. Jessica, the way that she works is truly unique. I don’t think there’s anybody quite like her because not only is her choreography really interesting, but her visual capacity and the way that she sees things is extraordinary as well,” attests Webb.

The decision to put on a new ballet isn’t one that Webb takes lightly either. “It’s a very big deal because you’re investing in something. So when you learn a ballet that’s been done before, you know who the first cast was, how they danced it, and what their salary was. So you can’t change too much, but you also can’t keep it rigid because you can’t become a carbon copy of anybody,” Webb says. “With something brand new, however, you’re investing in it much more than if it’s something that’s already been done. It’s not only a great learning process, but you feel part of it moving forward.”