About the work
"FAST FORWARD" is a four-part ballet evening by Hamburg Ballett that premiered on 22 February 2026. The programme traces some ninety years of dance history – from George Balanchine's neoclassical landmark "Serenade" (1935) to a world premiere created in 2026. The title evokes exactly this "fast forward" through the evolution of theatrical dance: from the heritage of the 20th century to the choreographic signatures of the present day. Bringing together four very different pieces by choreographers from Europe and Asia, the evening exemplifies the company's programmatic opening toward a broad, internationally contemporary repertoire.
Plot
The evening is built from four self-contained choreographies. Balanchine's "Serenade", set to Tchaikovsky's "Serenade for Strings", is widely regarded as the first ballet he created after arriving in the United States; this abstract work for a large, predominantly female ensemble – with its hallmark blue light and long tulle skirts – is a cornerstone of neoclassical ballet. Angelin Preljocaj's "Annonciation" is an intense duet that translates the motif of the Annunciation into a charged, physical encounter. Marcos Morau, head of the Spanish company La Veronal, contributes a new version of his "Totentanz" – a piece for three dancers (one woman, two men) first created in 2023 at the Milan Triennale, bearing Morau's unmistakable fragmented, marionette-like movement language. The evening closes with "The Moon in the Ocean", a world premiere by the Chinese choreographer Xie Xin.
Cultural significance
By confronting a foundational work of American ballet with contemporary voices from France, Spain and China, "FAST FORWARD" makes the continuity and transformation of the art of dance tangible within a single programme. For Hamburg Ballett – shaped for decades by John Neumeier's narrative signature – such a mixed bill marks a turn toward a broader contemporary repertoire under the directorship of Demis Volpi (from the 2024/25 season). Setting Balanchine, Preljocaj, Morau and Xie Xin side by side invites audiences to compare choreographic lines of development across the 20th and 21st centuries directly.