
BRITANNIA TATKO, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
The Future of Dance

What is Serenade?
Serenade Performing Arts is named after George Balanchine's first ballet in America, "Serenade." Set to Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings in C, Balanchine choreographed the dance on his students at the School of American Ballet in 1934.
Like most Balanchine works, the ballet is plotless, nonetheless an emotional current intensifies through the piece. Balanchine incorporated many experiences working with his students into the piece; a dancer is "late", girl falls down out of a turn, dancers cover their faces from light, etc. Serenade has become the signature piece of the New York City Ballet., and arguable American ballet itself.
To me, the making of Serenade is about creating a masterpiece out of nothing.
Throughout many times in my life, Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings has spontaneously played. When I was contemplating what to name new studio, Serenade came on the radio.
