L.A. Dance Project’s ‘Romeo & Juliet Suite’: A new world for a timeless tale
Our take
The recent performance of the L.A. Dance Project's retelling of *Romeo and Juliet* at the Park Avenue Armory serves as a vibrant reminder of how timeless stories can be reimagined in contemporary contexts. Choreographed by Benjamin Millepied, this innovative production invites audiences to engage with the classic tale of forbidden love through a fresh lens, employing modern elements like live video filming to enhance the emotional depth of the narrative. Such creative adaptations not only breathe new life into familiar tales, but they also challenge our perceptions of storytelling in dance, much like the inspiring narratives explored in works such as Infinite Steps: Thirty-three Dancers and Their Lives in Ballet and the upcoming recognition of actress Katie Holmes at the ABT’s 2026 Spring Gala.
The stark setting of a bare stage with a single red couch and a massive video screen signifies a departure from traditional ballet, encouraging a more intimate exploration of the characters’ emotions. This minimalism allows the audience to focus on the dancers' movements and the emotional narrative they convey, emphasizing the core themes of love, loss, and longing. By incorporating elements of technology into the performance, Millepied not only modernizes the storytelling but also reflects our current cultural landscape, where digital interaction is integral to human connection. This integration challenges the notion of performance art as a static experience, inviting viewers to reflect on how technology shapes our understanding of relationships in the modern world.
Moreover, the choice to present *Romeo and Juliet* in a more spacious context speaks to the universality of its themes. The expansive setting serves as a metaphor for the emotional distance often experienced in relationships, particularly in the face of societal pressures and expectations. As a fitness guru and someone who champions body positivity, I see parallels between dance and the empowerment of self-expression. Just as the dancers use their bodies to tell a story, we too can celebrate our individuality and embrace our unique journeys. This production highlights the importance of vulnerability in performance and in life, encouraging us all to embody our stories and to be unapologetic about our identities.
As we look toward the future of dance and performance art, it is crucial that we continue to support innovative works like the L.A. Dance Project's *Romeo and Juliet Suite*. These performances not only enrich our cultural landscape but also inspire conversations about love, identity, and the human experience. How can we, as a society, further embrace the intersection of tradition and modernity in the arts? As artists continue to push boundaries, we must remain open to new interpretations that reflect the world we inhabit.
Ultimately, the enduring appeal of stories like *Romeo and Juliet* lies in their capacity to resonate across generations. By allowing contemporary themes to intertwine with classic narratives, we not only honor the past but also pave the way for future explorations of love and identity in the performing arts. What new stories will emerge from this blending of the old and the new? The possibilities are as expansive as the stage itself, and I, for one, am excited to see where this journey takes us.
Park Avenue Armory, New York, NY.
March 14, 2026.
A tale as old as time, that of unrequited love, with some modern twists took the stage (and much of the other space) at the Park Avenue Armory in March, in a retelling of Romeo and Juliet by Benjamin Millepied and the L.A. Dance Project. Audiences entered into the grand drill hall to a bare stage, save for one red couch in its center. That, and a massive video screen suspended above the stage. In this production, the live filming element plays as much of a role as the dancing on the stage.
It’s a spacious telling of the story. There were wide liberties with story and characters. The leads, Romeo and Juliet, might be danced by two women, two men, or a woman and a man on any given night. In the way that love is limitless, Millepied unbinds the traditional gender pairing on some nights. On the eve of my attendance, we saw two men as the leads – identifiable by each standing next to their names (Romeo or Juliet) scribbled in chalk on the wall prior to their first entrance. For me, the gender did not influence the power of the story. That said, in conjunction with some of the other elements of the show, the characters throughout became confusing from time to time. As this production was far from a literal interpretation of the play, certain characters (both characters’ parents) were fully absent and others became absorbed in the ensemble. Without the bedrock of warring families, the tragedy of forbidden love between two of their youngest members is diminished. Certainly, the story can endure some simplification, but there’s a particular agony negotiating one’s family and one’s love, and that we did not see.
Visually, it’s stark. Aside from the couch, the only set pieces are long, fluorescent light tubes the dancers use to create various structures, barriers and elements. However, this is a cinematic work as well, and the live shooting takes the audience all over the Armory, which is anything but stark, and deeply ornate. The juxtaposition is odd in the sense that the action onstage feels modern, but the filmed portions show a more specific time (based on the architecture of the late 1800s, when the Armory was completed). Part of this process utilizes the idea that the location is its own character. This production, performed in several places globally, inherently produces a different a feeling each time, given the different architectural qualities.
According to Millepied, integrating the film work so much into the proscenium experience allows the audience to have a more intimate view of the dancers – in fact, the camera work is done by a former New York City Ballet dancer who viewed the task much like being a partner in a ballet. Mixing film and dance is an interesting task. Having a closer and more personal experience as a result of the filming feels raw and visceral, almost like being in the rehearsal room or onstage with the dancers. It offers value to audience members who may never encounter dance in that manner. It can also be difficult visually to volley from the filmed portions to the stage portions. I’ve felt this in past performances that employed a similar technique. It’s cool, but it’s also like being tossed between two worlds. Compared to the large screen, when the dancers were onstage, they seemed tiny. But their impact felt more real and more present on the actual stage without the barrier of digitized representation.
But we were all here for the dancing, and it was delightful. It was a bit more conventional than I expected, but exceptional in its execution. When dancers possess such high level technical skills and expression, the style takes a backseat. Given the boldness in the design of the show, seeing more typical choreography felt mildly misaligned, but on its own, pleasurable to watch.
A lot happened over the course of the performance, much of it juxtaposition. I enjoyed the experience of witnessing an old and well told story from a new perspective, even if that effort pulled me out of the new world created by Millepied from time to time. I like multi-media approaches to live performance, even if it takes my brain some time to adjust, and I liked being whisked through the depths of an old and grand building, even if the footage could have been shot anywhere, at any time. Art should be challenging, both for those who create it and those who consume it. I left with much to think about, both in what was presented and my response to it. Ultimately (and always), I greatly value anything that forces my mind to reconsider its patterns and expectations, and for that, this production delivered in many ways.
By Emily Sarkissian of Dance Informa.
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