BACK ON STAGE: Annie Johnson, Shaye Firer, and Erikka Reenstierna-Cates in Amy Seiwert’s “World, Interrupted,” among the works planned for American Repertory Ballet’s upcoming season. (Photo by Eduardo Patino. NYC)

American Repertory Ballet (ARB) has shared details of its 2021-2022 season under the new leadership of Artistic Director Ethan Stiefel.

“It is with great optimism that American Repertory Ballet returns to live performances after this extended intermission,” said Stiefel. “The 2021-2022 season embraces a sense of starting anew and creating fresh and diverse perspectives in ballet. Every program outside of The Nutcracker presents either world premieres, company premieres or works that have never been seen live by our audiences before. ARB invites everyone to come to the theater and once again connect, converse, and reaffirm the value and meaning dance and live performance have in uplifting our spirits and our communities.”

ARB will start the season with a month-long “bubble” residency at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, a 153-acre artist sanctuary located in upstate New York. Dancers and artistic staff, including ARB’s newly appointed Artistic Associate Gillian Murphy, will rehearse and develop new repertoire in this remote environment that can safely accommodate ARB’s growing roster of 13 company artists, three apprentices, and five ARB2 dancers.

The company returns to its home venue, New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, October 22-24, for a series of live performances, entitled “Emergence.” The program includes Stiefel’s Wood Work (created for The Washington Ballet in 2019); Amy Seiwert’s World, Interrupted; David Fernandez’s Mexican Music; and Saudade, created by ARB member Ryoko Tanaka. For tickets, visit secure.nbpac.org/emergence.

The Nutcracker returns to McCarter Theatre Center November 26-28; Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway, December 3 and 5; Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, Trenton, December 9-10; and State Theatre New Jersey, New Brunswick, December 17-19 (with live orchestra).

ARB revisits the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College in New York City on February 19, 2022, with a mixed repertoire program never-before-seen by New York audiences. The spring season continues with a series of world premieres, beginning with Stiefel’s reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center April 1-3.

Rounding out the 2021-2022 season, ARB will present a new works program titled Movin’ + Groovin’ at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center June 3-5, featuring world premieres by Ja’Malik, Caili Quan, and another choreographer to be announced soon.

Visit arballet.org for more information.