Dancing into 2026 with Saint Louis Dance Theatre

By Eric Dundon

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s recent Stravinsky and Debussy: Music in Motion concerts blended orchestral brilliance with dynamic dance in a standout collaboration with Saint Louis Dance Theatre at the Jack C. Taylor Music Center (January 10-11, 2026).

Conductor Stéphane Denève led a vivid program that opened with Stravinsky’s buoyant Concerto in E-flat (“Dumbarton Oaks”) and moved into his Pulcinella Suite, reimagined with original choreography by Kirven Douthit-Boyd and performed onstage with dancers, giving new visual life to the neoclassical score. This third collaboration between the SLSO and STLDT underscored a creative partnership that celebrates how dance can deepen audience engagement with orchestral works.

Audience and critic responses were highly positive, emphasizing both musical excellence and the creative integration of dance and orchestra. One local review described the evening as a “dazzling” experience that exceeded expectations on both musical and choreographic fronts, lauding the seamless interplay between the SLSO and the dancers and the strength of the performance overall. On social media, patrons echoed this enthusiasm, calling the performance “magical” and praising the program’s blend of powerful orchestral music and striking choreography, suggesting it felt like a perfect blend of sound and movement.

The evening also featured Claude Debussy’s Jeux, a ballet piece of shimmering impressionism, and Albert Roussel’s Suite from Bacchus et Ariane, rounding out a program rooted in early 20th-century French and Russian repertoire.

Eric Dundon is the SLSO’s Public Relations Director.