Best One Act

Jiří Kylián’s Café Müller, created in 1997, is a one-act ballet exploring themes of isolation and yearning. The work features a largely male company performing within a stark café environment inspired by the music of Henry Purcell and fragments from John Banville's *Georgio*. It is notable for its m...

Martha Graham’s choreography for Stravinsky’s *The Rite of Spring* is a landmark work in modern ballet. The piece, originally staged in 1923, presents a dramatic exploration of pagan sacrifice through intensely expressive movement and dissonant music. It remains notable for its revolutionary approac...

In the Middle, Somewhere Elevated is a contemporary ballet exploring themes of isolation and connection through intricate choreography and a minimalist set design featuring stacked wooden blocks. The work focuses on a solitary dancer’s interactions with these structures to convey emotional depth and...

Strauss’s Salome, an opera composed in 1905, explores themes of desire and destruction through a dramatic narrative based on Oscar Wilde's play. Notable for its intensely chromatic orchestration and the iconic Dance of the Seven Veils, it remains a significant work within late Romantic operatic trad...

George Balanchine's *Dances at a Gathering* is a ballet set to Maurice Ravel’s "La Valse." Created in 1957, it portrays an energetic party atmosphere using distinctive, sharp movements and complex partnering. Robbins’ choreography highlights the music’s joyful and somewhat chaotic nature. The work i...

Agon, created by William Forsythe in 1990, is a significant neoclassical ballet that examines the dynamics of rivalry and physical interaction. The work’s innovative use of rotating sets and fragmented movement sequences, alongside music by Igor Stravinsky, distinguishes it within the 20th-century b...

Mark Morris’s *Apollo* is a significant neoclassical ballet created in the 20th century. The work explores Greek mythology through a dramatic narrative centered on the god Apollo’s travels. A chorus of muses adds to the complexity and scale of the piece. It's primarily intended for experienced balle...

Sergei Prokofiev's *The Firebird* is a ballet commissioned for the Bolshoi Theatre in 1910. It tells the story of Prince Ivan’s pursuit of the magical Firebird, a creature possessing immense power. Choreographed by Michel Fokine and featuring music by Igor Stravinsky, the work explores themes of goo...

Richard Strauss’s Elektra, Op. 58 is a profoundly intense expressionist opera completed in 1909. The work utilizes a colossal orchestra and explores themes of vengeance, guilt, and psychological torment through dissonant harmonies and dramatic orchestration. Notably, it represents a significant depa...

Petrushka is a one-act ballet exploring themes of love and loss through a compelling narrative. Stravinsky’s distinctive score, originally composed in 1911, alongside Michel Degrand's choreography, creates a vibrant depiction of a puppet’s desire for a human girl during a lively Moscow celebration....

George Balanchine’s Symphonic Variations is a groundbreaking ballet composed in 1942. It combines music by Igor Stravinsky’s *The Rite of Spring* with a complex pas de deux. The work showcases intricate partnering and rhythmic movement, notable for its abstract style and influence on 20th-century ch...

George Balanchine’s “Fancy Free,” originally created in 1953, is a one-act ballet for dancers of the New York City Ballet. The work utilizes Igor Stravinsky’s *The Rite of Spring* music and demonstrates exceptional technical skill. It's notable for its innovative narrative style and remains a signif...

*Bluebeard* is a one-act ballet composed by Benjamin Britten in 1943. Based on the classic fairy tale, it presents a dramatic exploration of obsession and guilt through music by Béla Bartók and choreography incorporating contemporary elements. The work’s stark aesthetic and unsettling narrative make...

Jiří Kylián’s Bella Figura is a striking one-act ballet created in 2006. The work utilizes Vivaldi's music to depict abstract emotions of loss and remembrance. It features complex partnering and visually arresting choreography intended for professional ballet companies and audiences interested in co...

Petite Mort is a one-act ballet by Christopher Wheeldon drawing on Mozart’s Requiem. The work presents an abstract narrative about obsession and mortality set in 19th century France. Kylian's choreography emphasizes intense partnering and dramatic character development. It is suitable for profession...

Quintett is a ballet score composed by Gavin Bryars featuring music by Forsyth. It’s notable for its contemporary interpretation of classical themes and its use within a single-act performance. The work explores psychological drama suitable for dance companies and performers interested in experiment...

George Balanchine created *Goldberg Variations*, a one-act ballet set to J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The work is notable for its abstract approach to music and dance, translating Bach's complex musical structure into rapid movement and intricate partnering. Choreographed by Balanchine with danc...

Jiří Kylián's "Song of the Earth" is a significant one-act ballet from the 20th century. The work uses abstract movement and lighting to portray a bleak, future world reflecting humanity’s connection with nature. Inspired by Mahler’s music, it’s appreciated by dance scholars, performers, and audienc...

L’Après-midi d’un Faune is a 20th-century ballet by Diaghilev featuring music by Debussy. It presents a surreal exploration of instinct and fantasy through evocative movement and design. The work is notable for its avant-garde approach and was initially performed with Nijinsky as the lead dancer, in...

Claude Debussy’s *The Moor’s Pavane* is a ballet score from 1904. It utilizes orchestral arrangements inspired by English composer Henry Purcell's music and Spanish court life. The piece is notable for its atmospheric textures and harmonic richness, evoking a specific scene through sound. It was ori...

*Parade*, choreographed by Jean Cocteau with music by Igor Stravinsky, is a groundbreaking ballet from 1917. It portrays the marriage of an officer to a ballerina within the context of a Parisian military parade. The work’s innovative use of jazz rhythms and lavish, modern sets – reflecting the city...

“One Flat Thing” is a contemporary ballet by Wayne McGregor using an IKEA catalog image as its foundation. The work explores themes of labor and repetition through precise movements in a minimalist space. It’s notable for its conceptual approach and is relevant to dancers, choreographers, and those...

Mark Morris’s *The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude* is a ballet exploring 17th-century court dances. The work meticulously recreates these movements through extensive research and musical collaboration with Schubert's lieder. It is notable for its commitment to historical accuracy and offers a chal...

Scheherazade is a one-act ballet composed by Sergei Prokofiev based on music by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The work draws directly from *One Thousand and One Nights*, specifically the story of Scheherazade. Notable for its rich orchestration and evocative depiction of Persian culture, it was choreogra...

Liebeslieder Walzer is a neoclassical ballet created by Jiří Kylián in 1994. It features choreography set to selections from Johannes Brahms’s Lieder und Fugen (Songs and Fugues). The work portrays a delicate courtship with precise partnering and restrained movement, notable for its evocative use of...

George Balanchine’s *Afternoon of a Faun* is a ballet commissioned for Margaret Harwood. Created in 1915, it portrays a solitary male dancer's private reverie following a performance. The work utilizes Claude Debussy’s music to evoke a dreamlike atmosphere and explores themes of artistic expression...

Georges Mendès France’s *Daphnis et Chloé* is a significant ballet from the 20th century. It tells the story of an idyllic love affair between Daphnis and Chloé, set within the world of ancient Greece. The work prominently features music by Maurice Ravel and choreography by Sir William Ashton. It's...

*Les Noces*, choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska for Igor Stravinsky’s 1923 ballet, presents a strikingly abstract depiction of a pagan wedding. The work utilizes dissonant musical textures and sharp, repetitive movements to evoke primal energy and conflict. It is notable for its rejection of tradi...

Marguerite and Armand is a ballet by Martha Graham, set to Liszt's Piano Sonata in B Minor. The work portrays a tragic love story between a young woman and a soldier, exploring themes of loss and sacrifice. Notable for its dramatic choreography and intense emotional depth, it is primarily performed...