Cincinnati Ballet closes its 2025-26 season with two contrasting programs at the Aronoff Center for the Arts. Artistic Director Cervilio Miguel Amador’s first full season at the company concludes with “Liberty in Motion” (April 10-12), a triple bill celebrating the evolution of American choreography, followed by “Pinocchio” (April 16-19), presented by CB2 and students from the Otto M. Budig Academy.

“Liberty in Motion” features three works spanning decades of American ballet. George Balanchine’s “Serenade” (1934), set to Tchaikovsky and the first original ballet Balanchine created in America, opens the program. Justin Peck’s “The Times Are Racing,” set to an electronic score by Dan Deacon and performed in sneakers, occupies the center slot, followed by Claudia Schreier’s neoclassical “First Impulse,” set to music by Eino Tamberg. The program was framed in part as a reflection of America’s 250th anniversary.

The family-oriented “Pinocchio,” choreographed by Bruce Wells, runs approximately one hour with narration throughout. Two dancers portray the title character — one as puppet, one as real boy — with pre-show activities beginning an hour before curtain. A sensory-friendly performance is scheduled for April 18. The season also included “The Great Gatsby,” choreographed by Septime Webre in its North American premiere, and “Swan Lake” performed with live Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra accompaniment.

Source: Cincinnati CityBeat