In 1964, Balanchine premiered his 8-minute homage to Italian folk dancing, Tarantella. Based on a common folklore story, the ballet involves only two dancers who, after being bitten by a tarantula, are forced to quickly step out the poison. See Tarantella on the Symphonic & Electronic program MAY 25 mat and 26 only: nycballet.com/symphonicelectronic | New York City Ballet

1.3K reactions · 175 shares | See all of your favorite characters magically come to life onstage in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®, now through December 31. George Balanchine's The Nutcracker® is generously sponsored by the Travelers Companies, Inc. | New York City Ballet | Facebook

Hopeless romantic, pure classicist, intellectual modernist — find out how George Balanchine's many different sides come across in his extraordinary body of work, and how he established the first truly American ballet company. | New York City Ballet