Cincinnati Ballet proudly presents the regional premiere of Septime Webre’s THE GREAT GATSBY; the return of the iconic SWAN LAKE; Director’s Vision: LIBERTY IN MOTION, which celebrates the evolution of American choreography for the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence – PLUS, The Kaplan New Works Series, THE NUTCRACKER presented by Sheakley Family and the annual Family Series: PINOCCHIO
CINCINNATI, OH (March 11, 2025) – Cincinnati Ballet is pleased to announce the repertoire slated for the 2025-2026 Season curated by Cervilio Miguel Amador in his first season since being named the Company’s permanent Artistic Director. The Season opens September 12 – 20, 2025 at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theatre with The KAPLAN NEW WORKS Series. Experience four world premiere commissions from choreographers Yoshihisa Arai, Caroline Dahm, Andonis Foniadakis, and Andrea Giselle Schermoly. Yoshihisa Arai is Director of Cincinnati’s Ballet’s Second Company – CB2 Director and Rehearsal Director. A former leading artist with Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet, Arai has choreographed for Colorado Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and Cincinnati Opera, among others. Caroline Dahm is a Los Angeles-based dancer and choreographer who has created works for Cincinnati Ballet, SALT Contemporary Dance, Newport Contemporary Ballet, Indiana University, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, UMKC Conservatory, and Wylliams Henry Contemporary Dance Company. Greek-born Andonis Foniadakis is an internationally-renowned choreographer who has collaborated with Martha Graham Dance Company, Sydney Dance Company, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Washington Ballet, among many others. South African-born Andrea Giselle Schermoly has choreographed nationally and internationally for companies such as Royal New Zealand Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and Kansas City Ballet, among others. She is also the Resident Choreographer for Louisville Ballet.
Leap into the jazz age and celebrate American culture in the 1920s with the regional premiere of choreographer Septime Webre’s opulent The Great Gatsby at the Aronoff Center, November 7 – 15, 2025. Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic 1925 novel, this production features stylish dancing, shocking scandals, and jazz music performed live.
No holiday is complete without a trip to the Land of Sweets for The Nutcracker presented by Sheakley Family at Music Hall, December 18 – 28, 2025. When a curious young girl named Clara receives a magical Nutcracker for Christmas, her dreams come to life in the Land of Sweets. With Tchaikovsky’s beloved score performed live by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Experience the breathtaking romantic tragedy, Swan Lake at Music Hall, February 13 – 21, 2026. Hailed as one of the greatest ballets of all time, this production features virtuosic choreography after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, with additional choreography by Kirk Peterson and live music performed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Spring will bring Director’s Vision: Liberty In Motion, A patriotic triple bill at the Aronoff Center, April 10 -12, 2026. The production features works from choreographers George Balanchine, Justin Peck, and Claudia Schreier. Peck’s The Times Are Racing draws inspiration from a variety of dance styles while matching Dan Deacon’s electronic score with youthful impulse and vigor. Schreier’s First Impulse is a neoclassical style rooted in contemporary ballet concepts. Balanchine’s Serenade is a milestone in the history of dance, as the first original ballet George Balanchine created in America.
‘Be brave, truthful, and unselfish.’ It’s the heartwarming story of a puppet who wants to be a real boy. A one-hour, narrated ballet at the Aronoff Center, April 16 – 19, 2026, Pinocchio features Cincinnati Ballet Second Company – CB2 dancers and young performers from the Otto M. Budig Academy. Arrive early for free lobby games, crafts, photos and more.
Subscriptions are on sale now for the 2025-2026 Season. Single tickets will go on sale August 1, 2025. For more information visit cballet.org.
Cincinnati Ballet 2024-2025 Season Sponsors:
Margaret and Michael Valentine, Julie and John Richardson | SugarCreek, ArtsWave, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation
About Cincinnati Ballet
Since 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works, regularly with live orchestral accompaniment. Cincinnati Ballet is a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world-premiere works and exploring unique collaborations. With a mission to enrich, expand, and excel in the art of dance through performance, a high-caliber academy, and impactful education and community engagement in local to global communities, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance. To that end, Cincinnati Ballet presents exhilarating performances, provides extensive education and community engagement programs, and offers top-level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 