Every fall, the artistic directors behind Utah’s most treasured cultural institutions step forward and make their case — not with tidy mission statements but with the season itself: This is what’s worth your time. This is what they believe will move you. We asked five directors to share the production they’re most excited about this year, the show they’d recommend to a first-time audience member, and whether a common theme or artistic vision emerged as they carefully shaped the season ahead.
Ballet West
Season Summary: A polished season of Balanchine, classics, and contemporary work anchored by The Nutcracker.
ADAM SKLUTE, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
In Utah arts circles, the news is still sinking in that Adam Sklute will take his final bow at Ballet West after two decades as artistic director. Since arriving in 2007, Sklute has reshaped Ballet West into a company with unmistakable national ambition — one equally comfortable delivering pristine classical repertory and crowd-pleasing theatrical spectacle.
Along the way, he opened the studio doors wider than most ballet leaders would dare, even inviting reality television cameras behind the scenes for several seasons, turning the famously insular art form into unexpectedly addictive viewing.
That balancing act is on full display in his farewell season, which feels intentionally personal: part retrospective, part victory lap, part curtain call.
“This season is a big celebration of all the different aspects of what I’ve brought here,” Sklute says. “If you go to the entire season, you will get a sense of the entire scope.”
The season kicks off with the technically punishing Don Quixote, returning for the first time since 2012. Sklute clearly relishes the ballet’s athletic bravado and classical pedigree. “It’s the kind of work that shows off the ability of a ballet company to be a great classical ballet company,” he says.
The spring pairing of Carmina Burana with Balanchine’s Symphony in C pushes dancers in a different direction altogether. Sklute describes Symphony in C as so “technically pure” that there is “nothing to hide behind, just raw classical technique.” In ballet terms, it’s a white T-shirt role: deceptively simple, ruthlessly revealing.
Then there is Dracula, the company’s gothic fan favorite packed with flying effects, explosions, and enough stagecraft to keep the production crew sweating. “If you’re new to ballet, Dracula’s storytelling is unbeatable,” Sklute says. “If you’re interested in pure athleticism and power, Carmina Burana will blow you away.”
And because no Sklute season would feel complete without at least one curveball, November’s mixed repertory program includes a Utah premiere set to a fusion of Rolling Stones classics. “I’m always excited for new repertory work,” he says, “and this one is very unique.”
The result is a season that reads as ambitious in scale, wide-ranging in style, and clearly composed to reflect the breadth of his tenure at the company.
BALLET WEST 2026-2027 SEASON
2026 SEASON
Dracula || Oct 23-31
Rolling with the Stones || Nov 6-14
The Nutcracker || Dec 4-12
2027 SEASON
Don Quixote || Feb 12-20
Carmina Burana || Apr 9-17
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