Iconique 2025 - Director’s note

It was a distinct honour to present the second season of Iconique this past March at the renowned Old Fort Bay Club on New Providence Island, in the Bahamas. Across the weekend of March 7th and 8th, our company had the privilege of performing a rich and diverse programme in an open-air setting that remains one of the most exquisite in the world.

For the first time, we also offered a children’s matinee on Sunday morning—an energetic and joy-filled performance led by the luminous Courtney Celeste Spears, which was met with enthusiasm and delight by the next generation of Bahamian dance lovers.Make it stand out

Photo credit - Eddy Raphael

The natural elements, once again, proved gracious. As the final notes of our dress rehearsal faded into the evening, the coastal winds calmed, blessing our opening night with near-perfect conditions and an atmosphere befitting the beauty of ballet beneath the stars.

Lauren Cuthbertson & Robbie Fairchild performing Christopher Wheeldon’s Mercurial Manoeuvres.

Photo credit - Eddy Raphael

Among the many artistic highlights of this year’s edition was the creation and world premiere of an original work conceived and brought to life by Bahamian talent. Collaborating with the extraordinary Courtney Celeste Spears and her partner Vernal Adley, alongside acclaimed Bahamian composer Giveton Gelin, we sought to honor the cultural vibrancy of the island itself.

With the generous support of six local patrons and the creative vision of fashion designer Phylicia Ellis, this new piece emerged as a heartfelt celebration of Bahamian artistry. It is a rare and meaningful occasion when a work speaks so directly to the place in which it is born—this was one such moment.

Photo credit: Robyn Damianos

To welcome choreographic works by some of the most significant figures in the canon of 20th and 21st-century ballet was both a privilege and a profound responsibility. The inclusion of George Balanchine, whose neoclassical innovations redefined the vocabulary of ballet; Maurice Béjart, whose theatrical vision electrified audiences and embraced the existential edge of dance; Benjamin Millepied, whose kinetic modernism continues to resonate with new audiences; and Christopher Wheeldon, whose seamless blend of classical structure and contemporary lyricism positions him as one of the leading choreographers of our time—each contributed to a program that celebrated the ever-evolving art of ballet.

Kateryna Chebykina & Alejandro Virelles performing George Balanchine’s Diamonds’ pas de deux.
Photo credit: Eddy Raphael

In particular, to present two works by Christopher Wheeldon—performed impeccably by Royal Ballet principal Lauren Cuthbertson and Broadway and New York City Ballet star Robbie Fairchild—was a personal milestone. That they accomplished such breath-taking performances with only five days of rehearsal, each learning a new piece in that time, speaks not only to their prodigious talent but to the passion and urgency that defines truly great artistry.

Lauren Cuthbertson & Robbie Fairchild performing Christopher Wheeldon’s Within the Golden Hour.
Photo credit - Eddy Raphael

Set to music by the likes of Georges Bizet, Sergei Prokofiev, and contemporary composer Ezio Bosso, our programme paid homage to the powerful union of choreography and musical composition—a cornerstone of ballet’s history from Petipa and Tchaikovsky to the present day.

Seojun Joon & Mikael Lafon performing Benjamin Millepied’s Nuits s'achève.

To work with a cast of this calibre, in a country of such beauty and warmth, and to contribute—however modestly—to the cultural dialogue of the Bahamas has been one of the great joys of my professional life. Ballet Iconique exists not only as a celebration of movement but as a living testament to ballet’s ability to evolve, to connect, and to inspire.

Matt Brady
Director

Curtain call
Photo credit - Eddy Raphael