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STORY BALLET is a contemporary reimagining of Hector Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique into a multidisciplinary quintet examining the intersections of mental health, escapism, and societal stereotypes premiering in 2026.

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The work utilizes the backstory of Hector Berlioz’s psychedelic symphony to create an ‘evening length ballet’. Berlioz’s original narrative objectifies “the/a woman” as an obsession. STORY BALLET queers this concept, redefining the symphony’s story as “dancing with the ghost of one’s self.” The cast of five embodies different facets of the central character, each grappling with their own obsessions and past selves. The fixation on physical identity and preservation within a dancer’s career serves as a framework for shaping each performer’s ghost. Noir lighting, holographic projections akin to 1800’s Pepper’s Ghost illusions, and live sound sampling reinforce this theme.

 

An incubatory residency for the work was held in Fall 2024 during slowdanger's residency as New Work Development Artists in Residents at Texas A&M’s College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts, and is slated to premiere art Kelly Strayhorn Theater in Fall of 2026.

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directed by: 

taylor knight  | anna thompson

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STORY BALLET collaborating artists:
Theo Bliss |  | Maree ReMalia

Christian Warner​

 

STORY BALLET design collaborators:

slowdanger (Sound)
ProjectileObjects (Visuals)

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advisory committee:

Morgan Peterson | Liana Manese | Kathleen Gaines

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creative producer:

Joshua Bristow

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STORY BALLET is supported by Opportunity Fund and the New Work Development Residency at Texas A&M's College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts​​