“Hollywood Version”
Choreographed by Pam Tanowitz
Photo by Alex Markow courtesy of NWS
Photo by Alex Markow courtesy of NWS
Choreographic Concerto Part II
The Choreographic Concerto was a world-premiere collaboration between the New World Symphony (NWS) and the Miami City Ballet, held at the New World Center in Miami Beach from April 17–19, 2026. It featured five newly commissioned works pairing 10 of today's leading composers and choreographers. All five works had costume designs by Spiridonakou.
Michael Abels (credit: Eric Schwabel) and Pam Tanowitz (credit: George Etheredge)
About the Music
Polymnia is a piece inspired by electronic dance music. Not just the musical tropes of the genre, but the idea of dance as escape, as stress relief, as a celebration and reclamation of joy in response to injustice or adversity. A pathway to joy that is accessible to anyone, not just professional dancers. Although Terpsichore is the Greek muse of joyful dance, I chose Polymnia because of her association with sacred dance, with hymns and meditation. The pursuit and preservation of joy is crucial in troubled times, and in that context could be considered a sacred act. The piece is roughly an arch form, fueled by a kick drum and even phrases. The melodic material is derived from happy results of overlapping an idea at staggered rhythmic intervals, a technique achieved in EDM via digital delays, but here performed live by musicians. The piece is also called Polymnia as a nod to the delicious polyrhythms that are a feature of EDM — again, performed live here rather than programmed.
— Michael Abels
About the Choreography
Hollywood Version is a new ballet set to Michael Abels' score Polymnia. The piece uses old and new material from my choreographic vocabulary. The dance specifically explores decorative movements alongside practical/structural movements, releasing them from the comfort of convention and habit and forcing them into a new spaces.
I throw a net over material from sources as varied as 19th-century ballet, early modern dance, American jazz and the movement of pedestrians. An abiding and persistent love is the vocabulary clipped from ballets of the modern era. All of these can be recognized and relished in new forms as I fashion them into objects and transform them into a formal resolution.
— Pam Tanowitz
Watch an Excerpt
Except from New World Symphony’s WALL CAST performance of the “Hollywood Version” (Part II of the Choreographic Concerto), on April 18th, 2026 at the New World Center in Miami Beach, FL.
Hollywood Version Concept © Spiridonakou
Unique Confections
To create the special colorway intended for Tanowitz’s style, each unitard was hand-dyed to match a specific Pantone color. Each skirt was individually draped to create the full, bouncy pleats that added a playful aesthetic to the ballet.
To learn more about the special details in the making of the pieces, stay tuned for the Choreographic Concert documentary coming soon to NWS YouTube channel.