ZURICH TALKS DANCE

The next edition of "Zurich Talks Dance" on Sunday, 21 June 2026, focuses on three remarkable women of ballet who, as guardians of dance, keep the legacy of visionary choreographers alive in the present day. In conversation with hosts Michael Küster and Jason Beechey, they offer fascinating insights into the work that takes place in the ballet studio and shed light on the great responsibility involved in preserving these masterpieces.

As a former Principal Dancer of New York City Ballet and current Director of the School of American Ballet, Jenifer Ringer provides insights into the work of George Balanchine, whose choreographies she stages with leading companies around the world. Together with three dancers from Zurich Ballet, she will rehearse the iconic opening sequence from the legendary masterpiece "Serenade" live with volunteers from the audience. An excerpt from the ballet "Allegro brillante" will also be presented.

Jill Johnson, a longtime soloist with Ballet Frankfurt and close collaborator of William Forsythe, is dedicated to teaching and preserving Forsythe’s radical deconstructions of classical ballet. She demonstrates how his groundbreaking movement language is precisely transmitted to a new generation of dancers. This analytical artistry comes to life on stage through live excerpts from "The Second Detail" and "Hypothetical Study", performed by students of the Dance Academy Zurich.

Completing this distinguished trio is Anastacia Holden, who provides a link to the day-to-day repertory work of Zurich Ballet. She is responsible for the complex rehearsal process of "Nachtträume", the visually powerful and highly acclaimed work by Spanish visionary Marcos Morau. She speaks about the challenge of faithfully recreating Morau’s surreal imagery and theatrical dynamics in the ballet studio.