Glen Tetley Legacy

04/29/2026

The Glen Tetley Legacy welcomes King Charles and Queen Camilla to New York City today! 

The Royal Family’s longtime patronage of British ballet companies has supported a cultural ambassadorship of American choreographer Glen Tetley’s works presented in England since the 1960’s by Ballet Rambert, The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, and London Festival Ballet; including most recently in February 2026 with the performances of Glen Tetley’s Pierrot Lunaire at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre as part of the Glen Tetley Centenary.

Photo 1: Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award from the Royal Academy of Dancing presented to Glen Tetley in 1981. Glen Tetley Archives.

Photo 2: Royal Ballet production of Glen Tetley’s Pierrot Lunaire, February 2026. Photo by Andrej Uspenski and Camilla Nervi. Featuring: as Pierrot, as Columbine and as Brighella.

04/25/2026

Tonight is opening night for the “Tribute to Tetley” triple-bill program at Stuttgart Ballet ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Three iconic Glen Tetley choreographies can be seen on the historic Stuttgart stage through May 8, 2026: Voluntaries, Ricercare, and Le Sacre du Printemps.

Let us know in comments below if you will be attending!

04/14/2026

03/30/2026

The Glen Tetley Legacy joins the ballet community mourning the loss of Ben Stevenson, O.B.E., Artistic Director of Texas Ballet Theater.

A world-renowned choreographer himself, Ben Stevenson was a passionate supporter of Glen Tetley’s choreography for several decades. In 1976, soon after being appointed Artistic Director of the Houston Ballet, Stevenson expanded the company’s repertory by acquiring the works of the world’s most respected choreographers including 3 ballets by Glen Tetley: “Praeludium”, “Daphnis and Chloe”, and “Rite of Spring”. Stevenson also commissioned new works which included “Lux in Tenebris” by Glen Tetley in 1999 and would come to be Tetley’s final creation.

This generosity to share the stage and support other choreographers is reflective of Stevenson’s artistic vision, professionalism, and devote servitude to dance.

In 2004, Stevenson accepted the position of Artistic Director of Texas Ballet Theater and introduced Tetley’s signature piece “Voluntaries” into the repertory (which TBT continued to perform, most recently in 2016).

Ben Stevenson was a cherished member of the Glen Tetley Legacy Board of Trustees. GTL thanks him for a lifetime of service to dance and his support of Glen Tetley’s choreography and legacy.

‘’If Glen Tetley came to me and he said, ‘I’ve got this idea to do a ballet about two twins who are joined at the head or something,’ I’d say, ‘Oh, great.’ ‘’ -Ben Stevenson, New York Times, March 13, 1997

📸 Left: Betsy McBride in Texas Ballet Theatre production of Glen Tetley’s “Voluntaries”. Photo by Ellen Appel.
📸Right: Portrait of Ben Stevenson. Photo courtesy of Texas Ballet Theater

02/21/2026

“The whole evening delivers, but in the stunning hands — and legs — of the Joffrey dancers, “Voluntaries” lifts the program to the heavens.”
- Martha Bayne, Chicago Sun Times

02/10/2026

The Glen Tetley Centenary Celebration begins tonight with a sold out performance Tetley’s “Pierrot Lunaire” opening at the Royal Opera House Linbury Theatre, London, England!

Toi toi toi to all the dancers! 👏

📸 Poster for “Pierrot Lunaire” outside the Linbury Theatre.
📸 Glen Tetley outside the Royal Opera House, c. 1970s. Photo by Donald Southern.

02/03/2026

Join us to celebrate the GLEN TETLEY 100th!

The Glen Tetley Legacy announces the 2026 Centenary Celebration today, February 3, 2026, on what would have been choreographer Glen Tetley’s 100th birthday. The Glen Tetley Legacy’s 2026 Centenary Celebration will be an international extravaganza showcasing and celebrating the choreographic works of American Choreographer Glen Tetley. Choreographies to be performed include Glen Tetley’s Pierrot Lunaire (1962), Ricercare (1966), Voluntaries (1973), The Rite of Spring (Sacre du Printemps) (1974), and a brilliant revival of The Firebird (1981). The works will be staged by Glen Tetley Legacy Choreologists Bronwen Curry and Peter Ottmann and Rèpètiteur Alexander Zaitsev.

PARTICIPATING COMPANIES: (in order of performance date)
THE ROYAL BALLET, London, England
JOFFREY BALLET, Chicago, USA
NORWEGIAN NATIONAL BALLET, Oslo, Norway
BALLET AM RHEIN, Düsseldorf, Germany
COLORADO BALLET, Denver, USA
STUTTGART BALLET, Stuttgart, Germany
KOREAN NATIONAL BALLET, Seoul, Korea
LONDON CITY BALLET, London, England

Please visit our website for more information!

Photo: Glen Tetley receives applause after a Norwegian National Ballet performance.
Photographer unknown.

01/10/2026

“Mr. Nureyev is a marvelous Pierrot —it has a drama that perhaps his Petrushka has lacked. He gets more out of this crumpled, misguided clown. than he does from Fokine’s version of mankind’s eternal idiot.” Clive Barnes’ review for the New York Times, March 2, 1977.

📸 Rudolf Nureyev as Pierrot in Glen Tetley’s “Pierrot Lunaire”. Photos by Francette Levieux/ Rudolf Nureyev Foundation

01/06/2026

In Memoriam: Carmen de Lavallade (1931-2025)
Part 3/3

Excerpts from a televised broadcast “1966 Dance: USA” depicting Glen Tetley choreographing a new work called “Lovers” on Carmen de Lavallade and Scott Douglas. This piece premiered April 1, 1966 at Hunter College in New York with designs by Willa Kim and music by Ned Rorem.

01/06/2026

In Memoriam: Carmen de Lavallade (1931-2025)
Part 2/3
When Glen Tetley started up a dance company of his own, Carmen was a member and a muse originating roles in 6 of his ballets. In a 1969 performance of Tetley’s “Pierrot Lunaire”, New York Times dance critic Anna Kisselgoff described Carmen’s performance as Columbine “lovely and expressive”.

📸 Carmen de Lavallade with Glen Tetley and other members of the Glen Tetley Dance Company, 1969. Photo by Jack Mitchell.