Reflections: A Triptych

Commissioned by Van Cleef & Arpels, this triptych of contemporary ballets—Reflections (2013), Hearts & Arrows (2014) and On the Other Side (2016)—draws inspiration from the symbolic and emotional resonance of precious stones. Each work offers a distinct world where movement, music and design converge to reveal something luminous and intimate. Presented in its entirety for the first time in New York by Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) and Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels, this triptych marks the culmination of a creative journey spanning over a decade.

Reflections is a meditation on longing—sensual, sharp-edged and fleeting. Set to David Lang’s haunting score and framed by Barbara Kruger’s bold visual language, the ballet explores the tension between presence and absence, desire and memory.

Hearts & Arrows pulses with crystalline energy, carried by the precise, layered rhythms of Philip Glass. Liam Gillick’s sculptural design of shifting light and shadow becomes a silent partner to the choreography, where emotion takes on an architectural clarity.

On the Other Side is a deeply human work—intimate, emotional and communal. Set to a suite of Piano Études by Glass and enveloped by Mark Bradford’s immersive, painterly set, the ballet becomes a portrait of togetherness, tracing the bonds between individuals and the quiet strength of collective experience.