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Illuminating Movement: The Sarasota Ballet’s Season of Celebration
With a rich legacy steeped in passion, precision and a global reputation that precedes it, The Sarasota Ballet is one of America’s leading Ballet companies.
With a rich legacy steeped in passion, precision and a global reputation that precedes it, The Sarasota Ballet is one of America’s leading Ballet companies.
The Sarasota Ballet continues to define itself as a Company that bridges legacy and innovation—bringing the world of dance to Sarasota and Sarasota to the world. This season, audiences are invited to experience movement that inspires and storytelling that endures.
Honoring the past while leaping boldly toward the future, The Sarasota Ballet’s 2025–2026 Season is a masterful blend of history, creative choreography and artistic expression that reflects the grace and spirit of Florida’s Cultural Coast®.
A Season of Celebration
Photo by Christopher Duggan
The Sarasota Ballet ushered in its 2025–2026 Season with Program One: Intrinsic—a triple bill that embodies the company’s signature balance of classical excellence and contemporary vision. This season-opening program not only highlights the Ballet’s commitment to artistic innovation but also honors the timeless legacy of the art form itself.
Honoring Ballet’s Legacy
This landmark program pays tribute to one of ballet’s most revered figures: Dame Alicia Markova, whose debut with influential ballet company The Ballet Russes marks its 100th anniversary. The Sarasota Ballet commemorates this milestone with Markova’s own production of Fokine’s Les Sylphides, lovingly staged by Margaret Barbieri and Iain Webb. The ethereal masterpiece, with its poetic choreography and romantic Chopin score, remains a cornerstone of classical ballet.
Featuring World-Class Talent
Misa Kuranaga & Ricardo Rhodes in Les Sylphides, photo by Frank Atura
Adding even greater brilliance to the stage, Resident Guest Principal Misa Kuranaga joins the cast of Les Sylphides. Renowned for her expressive power and technical precision, Kuranaga brings international acclaim and artistry to Sarasota audiences—enriching the company’s already exceptional roster of performers. Her presence underscores The Sarasota Ballet’s role as a cultural beacon, continually attracting elite talent to our region.
A Landmark World Premiere
Sierra Abelardo in The Lorenz Butterfly, photo by Christopher Duggan
Pushing the boundaries of dance and visual art, The Sarasota Ballet proudly presents the world premiere of Jessica Lang’s The Lorenz Butterfly. Inspired by both chaos theory and color theory, this new work explores the fluid intersection of art, science and emotion. Lang’s choreography, known for its sculptural beauty and modern elegance, promises a transformative stage experience—where movement, light and sound converge in breathtaking harmony.
Sarasota’s Spirit on Stage
Kennedy Falyn Cassada & Gus Payne in Changing Light, photo by Frank Atura
Program One concludes with Will Tuckett’s Changing Light, a luminous ballet inspired by Sarasota’s coastal beauty. Set to an evocative score, the work celebrates resilience, renewal and the human capacity for hope through music and scenery. Mirroring the ever-shifting hues of Sarasota’s skies and skies and sea, Changing Light serves as both a love letter to the city and a reminder of art’s power to reflect and uplift a community.
Experience the Ballet
Performances take place throughout the season at the historic Sarasota Opera House, FSU Center for the Performing Arts and Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, offering audiences the chance to witness world-class dance in iconic settings.
Plan your visit, explore upcoming performances and experience Sarasota’s vibrant arts scene firsthand. Learn more and purchase tickets at SarasotaBallet.org.