American Ballet Theatre (ABT) returns to Orange County Wednesday with “ABT Forward,” a mixed repertory program featuring choreography by Jessica Lang and ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky. The program also includes a world premiere piece by Alonzo King – his first for ABT.
And although it’s a first, it’s also a circling back for King, whose path crossed with ABT in years past by way of a summer intensive he attended as a young dancer and through his coaching of ABT principal dancer Natalia Makarova.
King said he is honored and excited ABT artistic director Kevin Mackenzie invited him to set a work on the company this season.
“I feel so fortunate,” King said. “Can you imagine? You’re doing what you love to do. That’s really not the case for most people on planet Earth … most people don’t get to elect what they’re going to do and then do it. It’s a real privilege and I don’t take it lightly.”