American Ballet Theatre 2026 in Abu Dhabi

American Ballet Theatre performs in Abu Dhabi on Saturday 21 November 2026 on an open-air terrace at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, as part of the 23rd Abu Dhabi Festival. The evening is billed as the Arab World Premiere of a four-work programme that includes a brand-new world premiere, moving from grand 19th-century classicism to contemporary choreography in a single night.

American Ballet Theatre in Abu Dhabi: The Company

American Ballet Theatre, widely known as ABT, is one of the most celebrated ballet companies in the world. It grew out of Ballet Theatre, founded in New York by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant, which gave its first performance on 11 January 1940 and took the name American Ballet Theatre in the 1950s. Since 1977 the company’s main spring season has been held at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, with shorter autumn seasons at the David H. Koch Theater.

The Abu Dhabi visit carries extra weight this year. The United States is the Country of Honour at the 2026 Abu Dhabi Festival, marking 50 years of diplomatic and cultural ties with the UAE, and ABT is one of the flagship American companies in the programme. The company also appeared earlier in 2026 at The Red Theater, NYU Abu Dhabi, during the festival’s spring programme in April, so this autumn date is a return to the capital.

The Four Ballets on the Programme

The evening runs as four works with two intermissions, designed to show the range of the company from formal classicism to modern movement.

Birthday Offering

Frederick Ashton’s classical showpiece, created in 1956 and set to music by Alexander Glazunov, is a display of ballerina technique, with each dancer given her own variation in an atmosphere of elegant celebration.

Nuages

Jiří Kylián’s abstract duet, created in 1976 and set to Claude Debussy’s Nuages, is the quiet heart of the evening: a slow, floating pas de deux that takes its mood from the music’s drifting clouds.

Trio élégiaque

The world premiere on the programme comes from inside the company. Brady Farrar, a choreographer from ABT’s own corps de ballet, has created a new work set to music by Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Abu Dhabi audiences are among the first anywhere to see it.

Paquita

The evening closes with Natalia Makarova’s staging after Marius Petipa, to music by Ludwig Minkus, finishing with the dazzling Grand Pas Classique, a sequence of virtuoso solos and ensemble passages that has long been a showcase for the company’s principal dancers.

Abu Dhabi Festival 2026 and the Emirates Palace Terrace

The 23rd Abu Dhabi Festival runs between 10 October and 19 December 2026 under the theme The Wisdom of Culture, founded and directed by Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo. Its performances are spread across Etihad Arena, Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Cultural Foundation and other venues, with Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental hosting several of the season’s signature evenings. Later in the month the same venue stages the Arab world premiere of Algarabía on 26 November and a gala marking the 125th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi’s death on 29 November.

For the ballet, the stage is set on an open-air terrace at Emirates Palace, on the Corniche at Al Ras Al Akhdar. Doors open at 7pm and the performance begins at 8pm. Latecomers are admitted only at intervals, and seats are not guaranteed for late arrivals. The venue is accessible, with ramps and accessible seating, food and drinks are available on site, and parking is available at or near the palace.

By car, follow King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street towards the palace. Bus routes 9, 34 and 69 stop at King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud St / Emirates Palace Hotel, about a ten-minute walk away.

Who Should Go, and House Rules

The performance is for ages 10 and over. Smart, elegant outfits are welcome, though there is no strict dress code, and a light layer is sensible for an outdoor evening in late November. Phones must be on silent, and photography and recording are not allowed during the performance. Outside food is not permitted, and food is not allowed during the performance itself. Smoking is only permitted in designated areas. Bring your ticket and valid photo ID, and expect bag checks at the entrance. All ticket sales are final.

For newcomers to ballet, this mixed bill is an ideal introduction: a grand classical showpiece, an intimate modern duet, a new creation and a virtuoso finale, each short enough to hold the attention. For seasoned balletgoers, the chance to see a world premiere from one of the great companies outdoors at Emirates Palace is reason enough.

Explore more of the festival season through our art and culture and shows and theatre guides, see the best things to do in Abu Dhabi and the full list of things to do in November.

World-class dance on a palace terrace under the night sky is a rare evening in the capital. Book your seats for American Ballet Theatre at Emirates Palace through the official ticket page.