After a 40-year absence, the iconic New York ballet company Dance Theatre of Harlem announces its long-awaited return to France from February 26 to 28, 2026, at the Palais des Congrès de Paris.
Founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook at the height of the civil rights movement, Dance Theatre of Harlem has championed an idea that is both simple and revolutionary: ballet belongs to everyone. Through its dance school, Arthur Mitchell sought to introduce children from underprivileged Harlem neighborhoods to classical ballet and to democratize access to artistic practice for the African American community. Two programs will be presented in alternation—Programs A and B—reflecting the multicultural vision defended by Arthur Mitchell, with ballets set to music as diverse as that of Johann Sebastian Bach, Stevie Wonder, Radiohead, and James Blake.
We will also celebrate the return to the stage of the legendary Firebird, presented exclusively in Paris. This emblematic company classic was first created in 1982 and captivated audiences from its very first world tour. For nearly 60 years, Dance Theatre of Harlem has occupied a unique place in the ballet world. Through innovative and bold new forms of artistic expression, the company has established itself as one of the most exciting in the world, offering a powerful vision of ballet in the 21st century.
PROGRAM A
Return – Robert Garland
Return was choreographed for the 30th anniversary of Dance Theatre of Harlem. Choreographer Robert Garland describes the ballet’s style as “postmodern urban neoclassicism—an attempt to fuse an urban physical sensibility with a neoclassical one.” Staged for 12 dancers and set to songs performed by James Brown and Aretha Franklin, Return is “…a spiritual fusion of ballet technique and street swagger whose irony toward rhythm and blues had audiences roaring with laughter.” (The New York Times)
World premiere: September 21, 1999
Dance Theatre of Harlem, City Center, New York, NY
Choreography: Robert Garland
Music: James Brown, Alfred Ellis, Aretha Franklin, Carolyn Franklin
Costume design and execution: Pamela Allen-Cummings
Lighting: Roma Flowers
Take Me With You – Robert Bondara
“The catchy percussive rhythm of Radiohead’s song Reckoner became the initial trigger and source of inspiration for the movement language and choreography. By delving deeper into the creative process and the song’s vague lyrics in a very personal way, the choreography reflects on our existence and our efforts to grasp the meaning of life despite its ‘bittersweet distractions.’ What is essential to the piece is the metaphysical experience—an elusive atmosphere that shapes the relationships between the dancers on stage.”
— Robert Bondara
This duet was created in 2016 for Polish National Ballet soloists Yuka Ebihara and Kristof Szabo. Take Me With You has since been performed by many leading dancers, including Roberto Bolle and Melissa Hamilton, in theaters around the world as well as on Polish, Czech, and Italian television. In 2021, Robert Bondara created a larger one-act ballet incorporating this duet for the Poznań Opera Ballet, and in 2022 it was staged by the West Australian Ballet.
World premiere: June 3, 2016
Polish National Ballet, Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera, Warsaw, Poland
Choreography, lighting, and costumes: Robert Bondara
Donizetti Variations – George Balanchine
The lively 26 minutes of Donizetti Variations present a series of effervescent dances set to music from the opera Don Sebastien, offering brilliant yet technically demanding roles for two bravura dancers and three supporting trios.
This ballet (originally titled Variations from “Don Sebastian”) was created for Salute to Italy, a 1960 New York City Ballet program celebrating the 100th anniversary of Italian unification.
World premiere: November 16, 1960
New York City Ballet, City Center, New York, NY
Choreography: George Balanchine, © The George Balanchine Trust
Music: Gaetano Donizetti
Costumes: Katy A. Freeman
Lighting: Andrea Sala
Staged for DTH by: Kyra Nichols Gray
Firebird
Magic. Love. Liberation.
In the legendary Firebird, the Russian folktale of love’s triumph over evil is reimagined in a lush Caribbean setting. John Taras’s choreography, paired with Stravinsky’s iconic score, comes alive through the vibrant sets and costumes of the incomparable Geoffrey Holder.
This production—an emblematic DTH classic—was first created in 1982 and captivated audiences from its very first world tour. “…it does something other versions don’t: it sends the audience into total rapture.” (The New York Times)
Prepare to be enchanted.
Firebird was reconstructed courtesy of the Holder Estate and under the supervision of Leo Holder, with the assistance of Clifton Taylor and Don Padgett.
World premiere: January 12, 1982
Dance Theatre of Harlem, City Center, New York, NY
Choreography: John Taras
Music: Igor Stravinsky (The Firebird Suite, 1945 version)
Original set and costume design: Geoffrey Holder
Original costume execution: Grace Costumes, Inc.
Original lighting: Clarke W. Thornton
Accessible seating (PRM / PSH): +33 (0)1 40 68 29 91 or ticket@viparis.com