Choreographer Brian Reeder Talks About His New Ballet "Picnic"

Choreographer Brian Reeder had a chance to talk to Time Out New York about his new piece "Picnic," that was inspired by Peter Weir's 1975 film "Picnic at Hanging Rock." Reeder's new development stars Michele Wiles and Charles Askegard and it is for Ballet Next.

Reeder had worked with New York City Ballet, William Forsythe's Ballet and the Frankfurt and American Ballet Theatre. When asked what was his approach to ballet Reeder said.

"I'm not trying to reinvent dance. This is my tenth anniversary. My work, to me, is contemporary because I am. I don't hide that my backbone is ballet. In a piece like this, my hope is that I'm also trying to add something new, and the new can only be what's new about me. It's part of my imagination that hasn't been exposed to the public eye, so maybe that's the little edge."

Reeder was approached by Ballet Next to do the adaptation of the Weir piece but admitted he did have the idea to work on it in his thoughts.

"I was thinking, what's a good idea to go with the all-female cast? I've always been a fan of Picnic at Hanging Rock, and thought it might make an interesting point to start with in a piece. This seemed like the right moment to explore it," said Reeder.

This Brian Reeder piece will have more experience ballet dancers and said to be a spooky piece just in time for Halloween as the ballet is set to play at the Joyce Theater through Oct. 28.