Photo credit: American Ballet Theatre, All images © Rosalie O'Connor.
1, 2, 10: Cast of ZigZag
3: Devon Teucher, Lucianna Paris, Cory Stearns, Blaine Hoven
4: Calvin Royale III
5: Devon Teucher with Erica Lall, Betsy McBride, Sierra Armstrong, Isadora Loyola
6: Devon Teucher
7, 8: Abby Marrison, Lauren Bonfiglio, Tyler Maloney, Sung Woo Han, Javier Rivet
9: Cassandra Trenary and Lucianna Paris
ZigZag
Choreography: Jessica Lang
Creative Associate: Kanji Segawa
Music: Tony BennettCostume Designer: Wes Gordon
Set Designer: Derek McLane
Lighting Designer: Nicole Pearce
Length: 30 minutes
Number of Dancers: 14
Commissioned by American Ballet Theatre, Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie
World Premiere October 26, 2021 at the David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center
"Jessica Lang’s “ZigZag,” a 2021 work making its Pacific Northwest Ballet debut in the current “All Lang” repertory, is one of those dances that bursts off the stage directly into your heart...And oh, what a mood. Fourteen dancers — six in leading roles, eight in an ever-shifting, dazzlingly energetic backup ensemble — clearly had a ball with Lang’s jazzy choreography, filled with unexpected playfulness (have we ever seen a fish flop on PNB’s stage before?) and buoyant lightness....“Let the music never end,” crooned Bennett in the final song; surely all of us in the audience agreed"
- Moira MacDonald, The Seattle Times, June 1, 2026
Link to Review ALL LANG PROGRAM
"After seeing ZigZag, you’ll never hear these Tony Bennett classics the same way again, for Lang give his words new color. The only question is, why did it take nearly five years to bring this masterful work to Seattle? It is not just a brilliantly good time, but impactful in both its darker shadows and its vibrant optimism."
- Seattle Ballet Journal, June 4, 2026
Link to Review ALL LANG PROGRAM
"ZigZag was a highly popular way to end the evening; tons of fun and a fitting opportunity for the younger PNB dancers to strut their stuff..."
- Marcie Sillman, ... And Another Thing!, June 1, 2026
Link to Review ALL LANG PROGRAM
"In “ZigZag,” Lang’s choreography responds to the music with buoyancy and ease. The dancers appear technically sharp yet socially alive, and all the steps were exchanged like a conversation. On top of excellent comedic timing, costume design, and personality, this final sequence was wholly glamorous. In addition, it also made the ballet feel unusually welcoming. For viewers who might feel distanced by abstraction or unfamiliar classical references, “ZigZag” offers an immediate point of entry. Bennett’s music brings recognition, warmth, and nostalgia, and the choreography beautifully decorates the familiar songs. Better yet, the ballet absorbs such popular music without losing rigorousness. The dancers still rely on precision, line, and control, and ultimately place them in service of joy."
- Jolene Pollich, The Daily, June 4, 2026, ALL LANG PROGRAM
"While I expected the third and final piece of the evening, ZigZag, to be a little groovy, I did not expect to be lifted out of my metaphorical seat with joy...ZigZag has it all: beauty, heartache, silliness, even acrobatics. It’s a poppin’ good time."
- Melody Datz Hansen, NW Theatre, June 1, 2026
"The final dance was the clear audience favorite of the night. With 10 Tony Bennett songs (one with Lady Gaga) as a springboard, Jessica Lang‘s ZigZag accomplished just that...The playful fancifulness, merriment and waggery was pure adrenaline for patrons sick of COVID and war. You know the way you get cheered up watching Fred and Ginger? That’s ZigZag times 10."
- Tony Frankel, Stage and Cinema, March 18, 2022
"It’s a free-wheeling, hip-swaggering, fun-loving cast that gives an audience renewed vision of what dance is all about."
- Carolyn Keleman, Maryland Theater Guide, March 30, 2022
"ZigZag, the final piece, was an exciting and uplifting tribute to Tony Bennett..the lighthearted, jazzy choreography and extremely proficient dancers made the lyrics come alive... Each performer was highlighted during the ten songs, showing the strength and mastery of each, while we also got plenty of pizzazz and sincere enjoyment exuding from them. It made the night so fulfilling!
- Valerie-Jean Miller, Broadway World, April 4, 2022
"ZigZag frankly didn’t feel long enough, I could have watched an hour of just this ..."
-Cori Graham, Theatre Review, March 17, 2022
"Lang’s appealing tribute to Bennett and American show tunes, making its West Coast debut, was the evening’s highlight."
-Dyanne Weiss, Guardian Liberty Voice, March 19, 2022
"Like all Lang’s work, Zig Zag is intelligently put together and shows off the dancers."
-Marina Harss, DanceTabs, October 30, 2021
"...the piece is a nostalgic and very welcome love letter to New York. As such, it warmed the heart, with Ms. Lang’s playful and colorful choreography..."
- Adrian Dimanlig, Interludes, October 29, 2021
"Zig Zag is clearly entertaining – entertaining in a good way."
-Mark Kappel, New Notes Dance Blog, October 23, 2021
"Performed right after “Single Eye,” “ZigZag” felt like the extroverted cousin that is just there to hang out with everyone. The ballet, which ABT premiered in October 2021, had the audience roaring with applause, and several drew oohs and aahs as well...A choreographed curtain call that had the 14 dancers moving until the very last moment possible brought the audience to their feet."
- Ilena Peng, Fjord, July 7, 2022
"whimsical, all-out entertaining"
- Valerie-Jean Miller, Broadway World, April 4, 2022
"Jessica Lang knows who the star of ZigZag is: Tony Bennett...With a wink to mid-century musicals and films, she illuminates the subjects of Bennett’s songs: spring, cities and smiles. Smartly, she forgoes bravura feats for carefree gestures and visual puns...The company shimmies and shakes and slow dances, all with noticeable, appreciable charm. Lang keeps the madcap fun from sliding into outright goofiness thanks to brisk pacing and winsome tableaux. These are but two examples of her excellent artistry. So how come I kept tearing up? Because under the sunniness lingers a note of melancholy for the moments that have come and gone. Pay attention, Lang and Bennett seem to be saying, so you can remember it all later."
- Erin Bomboy, Bachtrack , July 10, 2022
"It was a dazzling display of movement, colors, and patterns from the dancers and a fitting tribute to Bennett. Grab a date, dress pretty, and revel in the beauty..."
- Kathy D. Hey, Third Coast Review, April 15, 2023
Co-commissioned by Abu Dhabi Festival
Performance History:
American Ballet Theatre
October 26-31, 2021 in New York, NY
March 16-19, 2022 in Orange County, NY
March 29-30, 2022 in Washington, DC
July 7-9, 2022 in New York, NY (Metropolitan Opera House)
March 4, 2023 in Stonybrook, NY
April 14-16, 2023 in Chicago, IL
May 6, 2023 in Iowa City, IA
Ballet Austin
February 14-16, 2025 in Austin, TX
Nevada Ballet
February 14-15, 2026 in Las Vegas Nevada
Pacific Northwest Ballet
May 29-June 7, 2026 in Seattle, WA