Emily Coates – Tell Me Where It Comes From, Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, USA

Choreographer, writer, and filmmaker Emily Coates told the rest of the story with her latest dance composition, Tell Me Where It Comes From, at the Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. What started as a work in progress based on the dance composition archives of the legendary George Balanchine with a working title of The Scattering which we experienced in March 2025, came full circle with the culmination of Tell Me Where It Comes From, performed at the Quick Center for the Arts on October 9 and 10, 2025. Daring, provocative, and engaging, Emily continues to explore new mediums to tell both the story of George Balanchine, as well as her own.

We attended the production on Thursday, October 9, 2025, and as with The Scattering, the audience sat onstage for Tell Me Where It Comes From providing us with a unique opportunity to not only witness the unveiling of the new work in an up-close and intimate setting but also to become an integral part of the program.

Emily Coates, Derek Lucci – Tell Me Where It Comes From – photo by Chris Randall

It is important to note that George Balanchine was born in St. Petersburg, Russia on January 22, 1904. In 1933, Lincoln Kirstern invited him to come to the United States, and he traveled to Hartford, Connecticut, where the intention was to set up a school. Balanchine decided against that and decided on New York City instead. Together with Lincoln, George created the School of American Ballet in 1934 and the New York City Ballet in 1948. Balanchine was actively involved in dance from 1929 until 1983, when he died in New York City on April 30, 1983.

Emily explained after the performance that we saw in March 2025, that unlike modern productions, where performances are recorded, for archival performances, there are no recordings available, there are only photographs, and there are no annotations from which to reference and re-create past dance works. While this can be viewed as either limiting in that past ballets cannot be accurately reproduced, it can also be freeing, in that it allows current choreographers to create new works inspired by the photographs of the past.

As a former member of the New York City Ballet, as well as her experience doing three duets with Mikhail Baryshnikov (White Oak Dance Project), Emily had principal roles in ballets by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, and performing with Twala Tharp, and Yvonne Rainer, to create new works for the future.

Emily Coates & Derek Lucci – Tell Me Where It Comes From – photo by Chris Randall

For Tell Me Where It Comes From, Emily had expanded the composition from a pas de deux (Emily and Derek Lucci), to also include a cameo by Henry Seth, whose impressive resume includes dancing with the New York City Ballet Company, strengthening their ties to Balanchine. Paired with an original music composition by Charles Burnham, performed by Charles on violin, and Dr. Melvin Chin on piano, Emily’s new dance composition provided another inspired look at George Balanchine, and how he continues to impact current and future dancers.

Until next time, keep enjoying and supporting the arts!

About Tell Me Where It Comes From

“Tell Where It Comes From” is commissioned by Works & Process. The iterative development has included a Works & Process LaunchPAD residency at The Church (2025) in Sag Harbor, home to George Balanchine’s grave. The project continued to be supported with a Works & Process LaunchPAD residency at the Catskill Mountain Foundation in Hunter, New York where Jacques d’Amboise lived for seven decades. Additional developmental support was provided by the Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University, and the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. Supported by the New England Foundation for the Arts Dance Fund. Tell Me Where It Comes From was created in part during a residency at the Pillow Lab at Jacob’s Pillow. With additional support from the O’Donnell-Green Music and Dance Foundation.”

Emily Coates – Tell Me Where It Comes From

To learn more about the Quick Center for the Arts upcoming programs, or to purchase tickets, please visit their website: https://quickcenter.fairfield.edu/upcoming-events/ or call the Box Office: +1-203-254-4000 X 2973.

A Sampling of Upcoming Programs at the Quick Center for the Arts 2025 – 2026 

Quick Center for the Arts
Fairfield University
1073 North Benson Road
Fairfield, Connecticut 06824
Box Office: +1-203-254-4000 X 2973
Website: https://quickcenter.fairfield.edu/
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