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Welcome to City Ballet The Podcast, an exploration of New York City Ballet introduced by Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford, where we'll journey through our history, delve into our new and existing repertory, and reveal insider tidbits.

The Rosin Box with Claire Kretzschmar and Aarón Sanz

The Rosin Box gives you the opportunity to listen in on candid conversations with members of the New York City Ballet. Hosted by NYCB Soloist Aarón Sanz and recently retired Soloist Claire Kretzschmar, these episodes take you behind-the-scenes, offering you exclusive insight into the lives of the Company’s dancers.

New Combinations with Wendy Whelan

During our performance season, New York City Ballet showcases recent works from some of the most influential choreographers working today. Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan hosts the New Combinations episodes, where she talks to the choreographers and other artists behind the unique new works premiering this season at New York City Ballet.

Hear the Dance 

Explore our expansive repertory, from the earliest Balanchine works to more recent classics, with an insider’s take on the Company’s rich history with Hear the Dance. Taking on a new ballet each episode, the host is joined by many key players, from original cast members to ballet masters to current NYCB dancers, who share their personal experiences performing and coaching works from our illustrious repertory.

See the Music with Andrew Litton

In See the Music, New York City Ballet’s Music Director Andrew Litton takes us off the stage and into the orchestra pit, giving listeners an in-depth look at the scores from some of our most notable ballets, featuring discussions with both orchestra members and commissioned composers.

Sep 15, 2025

Hear the Dance host Silas Farley returns for a deep-dive discussion with former Principal Dancer Merrill Ashley and Repertory Director Glenn Keenan on George Balanchine's Ballade, a ballet returning to the NYCB stage after a hiatus of more than 20 years. Keenan shares that when she was a student at the School of American Ballet, Ashley's "humongous care and attention" as a teacher helped shape her approach to her current role, and that watching Ashley in the studio today has been both helpful and inspiring. Ashley recalls the surprise of learning that Balanchine had chosen to make this first work post-heart surgery on her; as he told her then, Ballade is "like skating," though she describes it as one of the most challenging ballets she ever performed. (1:02:43)

Written by Silas Farley 
Edited by Emilie Silvestri

Music:
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky
Ballade for piano and orchestra, Op. 19 (1881) by Gabriel Fauré
Music performed by New York City Ballet Orchestra with NYCB Solo Pianist Elaine Chelton, conducted by Hugo Fiorato

Reading List: 
Dancing For Balanchine by Merrill Ashley
Mr B: George Balanchine’s 20th Century by Jennifer Homans
Gabriel Fauré: A Musical Life by Jean-Michel Nectoux, Translated by Roger Nichols
Dancing Across the Atlantic: USA – Denmark, 1900-2014 by Erik Aschengreen and Grete Hvam