New Ballet presents 'Giselle' performances

New Ballet presented “Giselle” at the Hammer Theatre Center in downtown San Jose on May 16 and May 17, according to the company’s season page and the theater’s event listing. The run included full-length performances at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, plus an 11 a.m. Sunday children’s version billed as “My Very First Ballet.” New Ballet described the production as a “world premiere re-staging” by artistic director Dalia Rawson, rooted in the ballet’s original choreography. The company said Symphony San Jose performed at the full-length shows under conductor Thomas Shoebotham. ### What exactly was onstage in San Jose this weekend? The 2026 production was “Giselle,” a 19th-century Romantic ballet centered on a peasant girl who dies after being deceived by a nobleman, according to New Ballet’s event page. The company’s description said the second act follows Giselle among the Willis, the spirits of betrayed young women who rise at night to seek revenge on men. Dalia Rawson, New Ballet’s artistic director, was credited with the re-staging. (newballet.com) New Ballet said her version offered “a fresh interpretation rooted in the ballet’s original choreography,” while maintaining the work’s established dramatic structure. ### Which performances were full-length and which one was for children? May 16 featured two full performances, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and May 17 added a third full performance at 2 p.m., according to New Ballet listings carried by the company, Hammer Theatre Center and San Francisco Classical Voice. (newballet.com) Those listings matched the dates in the DoTheBay event page referenced for tickets and details. The 11 a.m. performance on May 17 was a shortened family version titled “My Very First Ballet: Giselle.” Hammer Theatre Center said the program used carefully excerpted selections from both acts and was intended for toddlers, preschoolers and their families. ### Who performed and where was the production held? Hammer Theatre Center, at 101 Paseo de San Antonio in San Jose, was the venue for all four performances, according to the theater and event listings. (dothebay.com) The production was presented by New Ballet, a San Jose company whose performance page said the cast included the company and students from New Ballet School. (hammertheatre.com) Symphony San Jose was scheduled to accompany the full-length performances, and Thomas Shoebotham was listed as conductor. New Ballet’s season page said the orchestra appeared at “all performances” of the main production. ### Why is New Ballet calling this a “world premiere re-staging”? New Ballet used the phrase “world premiere re-staging” in its spring production page and in event descriptions distributed through arts listings. (celebratefamily.us) The company did not describe the production as a newly written ballet; instead, it framed Rawson’s version as a new staging of the established classic. The ballet itself dates to 1841, according to New Ballet’s synopsis. (celebratefamily.us) That timeline is part of the company’s explanation for presenting the San Jose run as a new re-staging of a canonical work rather than a premiere of a new title. ### What did tickets cost and where were they being sold? San Francisco Classical Voice listed the price range for the event at $20.50 to $122. CelebrateFamily, which carried the schedule from New Ballet’s materials, listed tickets at $29.50 on its event page, while DoTheBay directed users to the event detail page for purchasing information. (newballet.com) Hammer Theatre Center also hosted a ticketing page for the production. (newballet.com) As of May 17, the theater, New Ballet and DoTheBay each carried event information for the San Jose run. ### What comes after this weekend’s “Giselle” run? May 17 was the final day listed for New Ballet’s 2026 “Giselle” performances at the Hammer Theatre Center. New Ballet’s 2025-2026 performance page showed no additional dates for this production beyond the Sunday 2 p.m. performance and the 11 a.m. children’s matinée. (celebratefamily.us) Ticket and event details remained available through New Ballet, Hammer Theatre Center and DoTheBay on Sunday, May 17. (hammertheatre.vbotickets.com) The venue listing identified the site as Hammer Theatre Center in downtown San Jose. (dothebay.com) (newballet.com)