Union Jack (ballet)

Union Jack is a ballet made by New York City Ballet co-founder and founding choreographer George Balanchine to traditional British tunes, hornpipe melodies and music-hall songs, ca. 1890–1914, adapted by Hershy Kay. The premiere took place on 13 May 1976, at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center, to honor British heritage in the United States its bicentennial with costumes by Rouben Ter-Arutunian, original lighting by Ronald Bates and current lighting by Mark Stanley. At the finale the ensemble spells out "God Save the Queen" in semaphore code and the Union Jack unfurls. Principal dancer Jock Soto included an excerpt from Union Jack in his farewell performance in June 2005.

This article is about Balanchine's 1976 ballet. For other uses (Union jack redirects to Union flag), see Union flag (disambiguation).

Music

The music includes Scottish military tattoos and folk-dance forms; a music-hall pas de deux for the costermonger Pearly King and Queen; hornpipes, sea songs, work chants and jigs.

selections

Costermonger pas de deux

finale

Casts

Original

2008 Dancers' Choice benefit

2009 Dancers' Choice benefit

2011
t.b.a.

2012
t.b.a.

Footnotes
  1. All performers in Dancers' Choice appeared for the first time in the rôles which they danced.

References
  • Playbill, New York City Ballet, Friday, 27 June 2008

Articles

Reviews
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