As he meticulously prepares for The Washington Ballet’s production of Giselle, renowned choreographer Edwaard Liang remains captivated by the enduring power of a ballet that he has loved since childhood.
His profoundly personal and strikingly modern reimagining of this beloved ballet is expected to take audiences on an unforgettable new journey, one that will take a familiar story and charge it with fresh emotional intensity, deeply resonating with each of us.
The Washington Ballet’s production of Giselle will ring in the New Year 2026 with performances in Sidney Harman Hall in Washington, D.C., from February 23 through March 8.
Liang began dance training at the tender age of five, and discovered his love for choreography as a member of the Nederland’s Dans Theater, a world-acclaimed modern company based in The Hague and the Netherlands.
“When I was a dancer, I truly loved performing, but I also loved my time in the studio. That was what gave me energy and passion,” Liang explains of his transition to choreographer.
“I loved figuring things out and working things out with my partner, or as a group. From the beginning, choreography gave me another layer of that kind of culture, and to be part of a team, including the costume design and the lighting design. It’s about creating life on the stage.”
As the Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet, Liang is one of only four people to have led the organization, and the first person of color. He is also the first Asian American to lead a major American ballet company.
One aspect of Giselle that inspires Liang is the timeless story he first fell in love with as a young boy. “It is timeless because it is the story of the love of dance, the loss of innocence, forgiveness, and overall, it is about love,” he said. “It has all of the dramatic components of betrayal involved in a romantic triangle. I also appreciate the music because the score helps tell the story. It has all the components of a universal betrayal and love story.”
He added that he believes that certain ballets, like Giselle, are iconic. “They're kind of like the distillation of the best of the best, and they still work within the next generation. What I appreciate is that it still touches, moves, and inspires people.”
He describes the current production of Giselle as “more deconstructed, a little bit more modern in terms of its aesthetic. I wanted to create something that is unique and goes beyond the traditional sets of costumes, but at the same time, it is still the classical production in terms of the steps.”
Beaming with pride over what his dancers are accomplishing as a result of extremely hard work and dedication, what makes The Washington Ballet unique is how inclusive the company is and how it provides an abundance of opportunities for its students.
“Our Nutcracker has 400 students, the most dance students in America participating with the main company by almost double,” he said. “It is inspiring to know that we can give transformative experiences like this to our young dancers.”
He is also proud that this relatively small ensemble dance company – which has 24 company dancers and 10 studio company dancers and no principal soloists – provides the opportunity for dancers in Giselle, The Nutcracker, and other productions, “to perform the principal role one night and perform in the quarter ballet or as a soloist the next night.”
When it comes to the future of The Washington Ballet, Liang says his focus is on collaborating with other choreographers to develop new ballets and innovative ways of telling stories, whether they're old or new.
“My vision for the company, and for our unique D.C. community, is to continue to expand our repertoire so that we have more access points ranging from ballets like Giselle or Cinderella all the way to more obscure contemporary choreographers that still have that spark of inspiration.”
He said that much of the ballet company's audience is curious, open-minded, and well-traveled, “so I believe that the more variety we can offer in terms of dance access, for our students, our dancers, and our audience base, will bode well for the future of The Washington Ballet.”
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A Deeper Look at The Washington Ballet’s Artistic Director, Edwaard Liang
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, and raised in Marin County, California, Edwaard Liang began dancing at age five with the Marin Ballet.
After training at the School of American Ballet, he joined New York City Ballet in 1993, the same year he won medals at the Prix de Lausanne International Ballet Competition and received the Mae L. Wien Award. He was promoted to Soloist in 1998.
In 2001, Liang joined the Tony Award-winning Broadway cast of the musical Fosse, later televised on PBS’ Great Performances. Through theater and dance, he found a profound sense of belonging.
“When I moved to New York City at 13, I found my people,” Liang said. “We had the same interests, the same type of insecurities, and all of the highs and lows involved in performing,” he recalled. “We loved that we were able to be seen.”
By 2002, he was invited by Jiří Kylián to join the acclaimed Nederlands Dans Theater, where he discovered his love for choreography. His works have been performed by leading companies worldwide, including the Mariinsky, Bolshoi, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and The Washington Ballet.
Liang was named Director of The Washington Ballet in 2023. His many accolades include an Emmy Award® for Vaulted, international choreography prizes, and nominations for Russia’s Golden Mask Award.