A Dazzling Dance of Dreams: The Great Gatsby Comes to Live on Stage
In the shimmering world of F. Scott Fitzgerald's, The Great Gatsby, the pursuit of the American Dream unfolds against a backdrop of opulence and disillusionment.
Daisy Buchanan’s poignant words, “I hope she'll be a fool -- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool,” set the stage for a drama rich with the complexities of desire and tragic romance.
As the curtain rises on the World Ballet Company’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby, producer Gulya Hartwick’s creative vision emphasized the goal of capturing the essence of Fitzgerald's timeless tale while transforming it into a cinematic and immersive experience.
“From the beginning, our vision was to honor Fitzgerald’s story while making it feel cinematic, immersive and deeply emotional through dance,” Hartwick explained. “We wanted to bring Gatsby’s glittering world to life by creating an atmosphere where the audience could truly “feel” the story.”
“This involved blending ballet with Broadway-style staging, live singing, projections and theatrical effects. We didn’t want this to feel like a museum piece — our aim was to make Gatsby come alive on stage in a way that’s accessible and exciting for everyone.”
Other accessible elements designed to resonate with contemporary viewers included multimedia elements of projection, lighting and sound design to make the show feel very modern.
“Dance gives us a powerful way to express the emotional highs and lows behind the themes of love, ambition and the American Dream. Gatsby’s ambition is reflected in sweeping, dramatic choreography — full of momentum and hope. His love for Daisy? That’s told through more delicate, tender movement, filled with longing and nostalgia.
And the American Dream — the chase, the illusion — that’s woven through the entire show. Sometimes the steps feel confident and grand, other times they're full of struggle or collapse. The movement tells the story behind the story. Also, the emotional themes of love, identity, ambition, and longing feel just as relevant now as they did in the 1920s. We also love hearing from audiences who’ve never seen ballet before — this show helps break down the idea that ballet is only for certain people. Everyone can connect with it.”
“Then there’s the music, composed by Anna Drubich which mixes vintage jazz influences with a cinematic score that feels right out of a movie. The music is truly the heartbeat of the show. Composer Anna Drubich took on the huge task of creating an original score that blends sweeping cinematic sound with jazz undertones. She approached the score like a film — each character, each moment has a musical identity and it helps carry the story forward without any dialogue. It adds both depth and drama in a way that makes the whole experience feel bigger than life. It’s bold, emotional and unforgettable — we often hear that people leave the show with the music still stuck in their heads.”
Some unique aspects Hartwick brings to the interpretation for the characters Gatsby and Daisy that may interest the audience is their humanity. ”Gatsby and Daisy are often seen as symbols, but we really wanted to show their human sides. Gatsby isn’t just a mysterious millionaire — he’s a dreamer, deeply vulnerable, trying to rewrite his past. Our dancers bring out that emotional contrast — strength on the outside, aching on the inside.
Daisy, too, is often misunderstood. We’ve worked hard to show her inner conflict — her pull between comfort and desire, between reality and illusion. Through dance, we can capture those contradictions without saying a word.
We want people to feel it all — the glitz and excitement, but also the heartbreak and fragility behind the dream. There’s a real message here about chasing something that may not be real, and what we lose along the way. Hopefully the audience leaves thinking not just about Gatsby, but about their own dreams and what truly matters.”
Creating the visual aspect of the ballet plays a significant role in the storytelling and the costumes were designed to evoke the elegance and sparkle of the Jazz Age — “think sequins, silk, tuxedos and feathers — while still allowing our dancers to move freely. We wanted each look to reflect both the era and the emotional world of the characters. One of the critics called this "lavish costumes which could have leapt straight from the pages of vintage Vogue." Party scenes dazzle, while more intimate moments are stripped back to let the emotion shine through. The wardrobe plays a huge part in pulling the audience into Gatsby’s world.”
Immerse yourself in the jazzy world of flappers and champagne with this new and entirely original production from World Ballet Company. Dance into the Roaring Twenties with this dazzling Broadway-style ballet and experience the glitz, glamor and tragic romance of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless novel LIVE on stage, featuring a multinational cast, lustrous hand-crafted costumes, and sweeping Art Deco-inspired sets, brought to life by WBC’s all-star creative team.
World Ballet Company’s “The Great Gatsby” is the must-see show of the season. Dress to impress, raise a glass and get swept away in an unforgettable night of elegance, drama, and breathtaking artistry.
