OKLAHOMA CITY – OKC Ballet is back with “SHORTS,” their annual event that audiences and dance fans look forward to each year.
Typically running during the spring, “SHORTS” opens the Fall 2026 season for the ballet company this year instead.
The lineup brings perfect vibes for this time of year, presenting a varied mix of four dances in one performance, and the abbreviated nature of each piece in this collection ensures there is something for everyone.
The ballets presented offer an array of styles and themes, ranging from classic and recognizable to new and avant garde.
“SHORTS” runs for one weekend only, on the main stage at the Civic Center, with performances starting at 7:30 PM on Friday and Saturday, and a 2:00 PM matinee on Sunday, and an intermission between each dance provides a moment to reset, refill drinks, and check out the merch table.
All four of the dances in this year’s “SHORTS” are double cast, with performers alternating dances on different nights. Patrons need not worry; if their favorite dancer is not featured in one dance, they’ll be in the next one. Alternating performers keeps the dancers, and the pieces, fresh and diverse with each viewing.
“SHORTS”begins with DaYoung Jung’s “To Carry Our Own Names,” A ten-minute opener by OKC Ballet’s resident choreographer, featuring powerful imagery and breathtaking technical effects. Jung retired as a Principal Dancer with OKC Ballet in 2022 and joins the staff as their first-ever resident choreographer, bringing her experience and talent back to this elite company of dancers.
Next is “Serenade,” a classic work from 1934 by renowned choreographer George Balanchine. Set to Peter Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings,” this flowing dance is beautiful and moving, with moments both tender and powerful, and the athleticism on display is rivaled only by the emotion the dancers convey.
Principal artist Courtney Connor Jones shines in this piece, and her emotional and physical ranges are unparalleled as always. Callum Findlay-White and Randolph Fernandez are brilliant and strong in this dance, creating striking moments of powerful movement and feeling.
The third and most distinctive dance is Christopher Bruce’ “Hush.” A smaller cast of just six performers creates this routine inspired by silent films and featuring a dazzling starry night as the backdrop.
Mickayla González, Paige Russell and Erina Tanaka West are playful and curious throughout the piece, performing with their faces as much as their bodies. Callum Findlay-White, Alejandro González, and Randolph Fernandez complete the cast and perform beautifully in this engaging number. At times quirky, verging on eccentric, and wholly unique, “Hush” speaks volumes without saying a word.
Closing out the eclectic night of performances is Agnes de Mille’s “Rodeo.”
Another classical work, this one from 1942, “Rodeo” evokes the spirit of the American West. De Mille went on to choreograph the original Broadway production of “Oklahoma!,” and this work is a precursor to that iconic show that is undoubtedly familiar to Oklahoma-based audiences.
Oslaniel Castillo, Alejandro González, and Mayu Odaka are having the most fun in this piece, with moments that are irreverent and simply delightful to watch.
“SHORTS” is always an enjoyable, and unforgettable, night at the ballet. It’s here that the company gets the rare chance to create experimental, rarely done, and brand-new dances, and patrons get their fill of anything they want to see, whether they prefer the classics or more modern interpretations.
“SHORTS” remains an audience favorite and a staple of OKC Ballet’s seasonal lineup, setting the stage for another unforgettable ballet season.
Tickets are still available for “SHORTS,” which runs through October 25th at the Civic Center.
Tickets for their Christmas essential, “The Nutcracker,” which opens December 11th, are also on sale now at okcballet.org.
Adrienne Proctor is a theater and arts writer in Oklahoma City. She's been contributing to the arts reporting space since 2017.
