Hear the Dance host Silas Farley returns for a deep-dive discussion with former Principal Dancer Merrill Ashley and Repertory Director Glenn Keenan on George Balanchine's Ballade, a ballet returning to the NYCB stage after a hiatus of more than 20 years. Keenan shares that when she was a student at the School of American Ballet, Ashley's "humongous care and attention" as a teacher helped shape her approach to her current role, and that watching Ashley in the studio today has been both helpful and inspiring. Ashley recalls the surprise of learning that Balanchine had chosen to make this first work post-heart surgery on her; as he told her then, Ballade is "like skating," though she describes it as one of the most challenging ballets she ever performed. (1:02:43)

Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri

Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Ballade for piano and orchestra, Op. 19 (1881) by Gabriel Fauré Music performed by New York City Ballet Orchestra with NYCB Solo Pianist Elaine Chelton, conducted by Hugo Fiorato

Reading List: Dancing For Balanchine by Merrill Ashley Mr B: George Balanchine's 20th Century by Jennifer Homans Gabriel Fauré: A Musical Life by Jean-Michel Nectoux, Translated by Roger Nichols Dancing Across the Atlantic: USA – Denmark, 1900-2014 by Erik Aschengreen and Grete Hvam