The Brevard Ballet Youth Company’s “Paquita and the Future of Ballet” paired the dazzling classical Paquita Grand Pas with new contemporary works — and welcomed guest artists Hitomi Nakamura and Alexey Minkin to the Satellite Beach stage.
What does the future of ballet look like? In the spring of 2026, the Brevard Ballet Youth Company offered an answer with “Paquita and the Future of Ballet,” a showcase that traveled from classical elegance to contemporary innovation in a single evening at the Performing Arts Center in Satellite Beach.
The Classical Half: Paquita’s Grand Pas
The evening’s classical anchor was Paquita — specifically its celebrated Grand Pas Classique, set to the music of Ludwig Minkus and Édouard Deldevez. Today, Paquita survives mainly as this showpiece: a lead ballerina and premier danseur framed by a series of demanding female variations for soloists. It is precisely the kind of work that displays a school’s depth, giving many dancers the chance to shine in individual variations — a perfect vehicle for showcasing “the future of ballet.”
Distinguished Guest Artists
The Paquita principals were danced by professional guest artists Hitomi Nakamura of Orlando Ballet — an award-winning dancer whose repertoire includes principal roles in Cinderella, Giselle, and Sleeping Beauty — and Russian principal dancer and ballet master Alexey Minkin, a recurring guest with the company. The pair also performed a Chopin Waltz pas de deux, giving BBA students the invaluable experience of sharing a stage with working professionals.
The demanding Paquita variations — the heart of the Grand Pas, where soloists take the spotlight one by one — were danced by the company’s most advanced students: Celeste, Havi, Enola, Isabella, Brooklyn, Pheonix, Maggie, and Daisy, with a full corps drawn from Ballet 3 through 5. It is exactly the kind of showcase that reveals a school’s depth — many dancers, each given a moment to shine.
The Contemporary Half: The Future
True to its title, the program balanced the classical Paquita with contemporary works, reflecting the academy’s belief that today’s dancers must be versatile. Under the guidance of BBA’s contemporary division — led by Juilliard-trained Colin Fuller — the company’s dancers moved from the strict classical vocabulary of Petipa into freer, more personal modern movement. Read more about contemporary dance at BBA.
Watch the Company Grow
From Swan Lake to Paquita, the Brevard Ballet Youth Company continues to raise the bar for pre-professional ballet in Brevard County. Explore the full repertoire and upcoming performances.
Train Toward the Company Stage
The company’s dancers all began in the studio. Contact Brevard Ballet Academy in Melbourne, FL to start.
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