Delibes Duet
Delibes Duet is a dazzling classical pas de deux, choreographed by Artistic Director Ethan Stiefel, set to music by Léo Delibes.
“Traditionally, male and female dancers have certain roles to fill. From the attire to how they stand on stage, their expectations are split by gender. Stiefel challenges that expectation. A few bars in, the female dancer stands in a pose more commonly taken by the prince in full-length ballets; one straight leg, toes pointing slightly out and the other leg bent slightly at the knee with the heel tucked against the other foot. It may seem like nothing, but it’s a pose rarely done by a ballerina in pointe shoes and a tutu.” – The Ballet Herald
“The pas de deux, luscious and provocative in its subtle challenges of the status quo, is absolutely refreshing.”
The Ballet Herald
Choreographer | Ethan Stiefel
Ethan Stiefel is an internationally recognized artist, educator and leader in the performing arts. Stiefel was the Principal Guest Instructor at American Ballet Theatre (ABT) from 2016-2021 and the Artistic Director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) from 2011-2014. Just before being appointed the RNZB’s Artistic Director, he served as Dean of the School of Dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) from 2007-2011.
Stiefel began his professional career at age 16 with the New York City Ballet where he quickly rose to the rank of Principal Dancer. He was also a Principal Dancer with Ballett Zürich and joined American Ballet Theatre as a Principal Dancer in 1997.
During his career, Stiefel performed leading roles in all of the full-length classics and danced in an extensive range of shorter works created by the industry’s foremost classical, modern and contemporary choreographers. Read more about Ethan Stiefel here.
Music | Léo Delibes
Léo Delibes (February 21, 1836 – January 16, 1891) was a French composer of Romantic music. Leo Delibes combined his music education in piano, voice, chorus and composition to excel in the dramatic arts of light opera and the ballet. Delibes’ work is known to have been a great influence on composers such as Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saëns and Debussy.
Costume Design | Janessa Cornell Urwin
Janessa Cornell Urwin (Costume Designer) began her career as a ballet dancer before transitioning into costuming. She has designed costumes for numerous classical ballets and contemporary dance pieces for American Repertory Ballet, Stockton University Dance Program, Traverse City Dance Project, The Nutmeg Ballet, Rutgers University, Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers, and Nacre Dance Company, among others. She has worked with esteemed choreographers Kirk Peterson, Starr Foster, Riccardo De Nigris, Michael Nickerson-Rossi, and Meredith Rainey. Urwin also has a short film design credit and has designed for Athena Theatre Company. She holds a certificate in Costume Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Most recently she designed Ethan Stiefel’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the costumes for Movin’ + Groovin’. Urwin is also ARB’s Wardrobe Supervisor.
Lighting Design | Jason Flamos
Jason Flamos (Lighting Designer) Credits include: (Mile Square Theatre) Pipeline, I and You, It’s a Wonderful Life, The 39 Steps, Betrayal; (Shakespeare Theater NJ) William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play; (10 Hairy Legs) Heist, Cruise Control, Brian, Quadrivium; (Thingamajig Theatre Company) The Pillowman, Cabaret, The Little Mermaid, A Few Good Men. Flamos was the Associate Lighting Design for the Off-Broadway productions of Clever Little Lies and The Other Josh Cohen at Westside Theater, F***ing A at Signature Theater, The Producers and Benny and Joon at Paper Mill Playhouse, and Rags at Goodspeed Opera. He was the lighting supervisor for 10 Hairy Legs and is the current lighting supervisor at American Repertory Ballet.
Photos by Kyle Froman Photography
Video editing by Michelle Quiner
Rehearsal video by David Fernandez
Running Time
8 minutes, 55 seconds
Number of performers
2 dancers
Tech Rider
Available upon request
Link to full performance video
Available upon request