“FANCY FREE”: The iconic work by Jerome Robbins, set in 1940s Manhattan, is among those to be performed in the 2026-27 season by the Philadelphia Ballet.
Philadelphia Ballet has announced its 2026/27 season, a celebratory year that brings together iconic American choreography, story ballets and the opening of its Center for Dance in September 2026, a new state-of-the-art 43,000-square-foot expansion and renovation of the Ballet’s current studios. Opening October 8 and running through May 9, 2027, the season at the Academy of Music will feature five productions presented across four repertory periods, including George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker in December.
“This season is a powerful reflection of who we are and where we are going,” said Artistic Director Angel Corella. “The repertory celebrates the power, diversity and innovation of ballet from quintessential American masterworks to sweeping classics that audiences treasure, while the opening of our Center for Dance signals a bold future rooted in access, creativity and connection.”
The season opens October 8-11 with Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free, a concert version of George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, Eliot Feld’s Variations on America, and Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes. From October 15-18, the company performs Christopher Wheeldon’s DGV: Danse a Grande Vitesse, Wayne McGregor’s Chroma, and Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room. Next is Balanchine’s The Nutcracker December 4-31, followed by Cinderella March 4-14. The final ballet is Don Quixote, April 29-May 9.
The company’s new home, the Philadelphia Ballet Center for Dance, designed as a hub for creativity, learning and connection. The 60-year-old company’s permanent home will house its studios, the School of Philadelphia Ballet, Community Education and Public Programs, the Music Department led by Beatrice Jona Affron, as well as the Ballet’s production, wardrobe and administrative teams. At the heart of this new home is the Barbara Weisberger Dance Innovation Lab, a flexible performance and gathering space created to welcome the public into the artistic process through performances, open rehearsals, conversations and community-driven programming.
“The Center for Dance is more than a building, it’s a promise,” said the company’s CEO Shelly Power. “It reflects our commitment to serving Philadelphia and beyond as a cultural and civic resource, opening our doors wider than ever before, and ensuring that ballet is accessible, relevant and inspiring for our community now and into the future.”
A three-day Center for Dance Grand Opening Celebration featuring a gala, ribbon cutting and community open house will take place September 17-19 at 323 North Broad Street. For more information and tickets to performances, visit philadelphiaballet.org.