A Boston premiere, The Dream is a one act ballet that tells the story of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream with intricate dancing, elaborate costumes, and lighthearted humor. It is one of Ashton’s most widely performed ballets and a true British classic.

“Two pairs of mortal lovers journey through a series of high-spirited misadventures, their fates at the hands of Oberon, King of the Fairies, and Titania, his Queen. They are joined by Bottom, whose humorous cavorting only adds to the jollity.”
–The Royal Ballet

“I should say that a knowledge of technique is essential to the full understanding of ballet but not necessary for its appreciation; for the latter I think that emotional or intellectual reaction to the music, movement and decor is quite enough.”
–Sir Frederick Ashton

Ashton joined the Vic-Wells (later the Sadler’s Wells and then the Royal) Ballet in 1933 and distinguished himself as a mime and character dancer in such roles as Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty, as well as the versatile choreographer of ballets that include Cinderella, Sylvia, Daphnis and Chloë, and the film Tales of Hoffmann (1951). He was the Royal Ballet’s principal choreographer from 1933 to 1970, during which time he also served as its associate director (1952–1963) and its director (1963–1970). Ashton was knighted in 1962, and in 1970, he retired from his administrative position in order to devote his time exclusively to choreography.

Intrigued by the visual architecture of bodies in space, My’Kal Stromile’s new work will explore themes of governance, restriction, and possibility, where movement becomes a negotiation and redefinition of boundaries. Through a progression from explicit structures of power and control, the work delves into a more nuanced exploration of freedom—especially within limitations. Dancers will test the edges of their physicality, suggesting a generative act that proves laws and traditions don’t simply dissolve when challenged, but can be expanded, reinterpreted, and made more inclusive.

“As an artist, I see choreography as a dialogue with the world—a continual exchange that engages with the intricacies of culture, history, and human experience. The body holds an extraordinary capacity to convey stories, whether abstract or narrative, and I view dance as a means of exploring the emotional and visual architecture that shapes them. My work seeks to create spaces where movement becomes a means of discovery, allowing dancers to express complexity, challenge boundaries, and connect meaningfully with the world they occupy.”
–My’Kal Stromile

My’Kal Stromile trained with Kim Abel, Ceyhun Ozsoy, Dereque Whiturs, and Anna-Marie Holmes before earning his BFA from The Juilliard School in 2018. He has performed with Bruce Wood Dance, Disney Productions, and Repertory Dance Company I, with repertoire including works by William Forsythe, Aszure Barton, Crystal Pite, Dwight Rhoden, and Jerome Robbins. A U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, he received Choreographic Honors at Juilliard and the Hector Zaraspe Prize in Choreography. Stromile joined Boston Ballet II in 2018, where he created two works, before joining Boston Ballet as an artist in 2019. He premiered Form and Gesture for Boston Ballet in 2023 and was commissioned to choreograph Word for Word for the Paris Opera Ballet in 2024, collaborating with CHANEL. That same year, he participated in the New York Choreographic Institute, marking his full-time transition into choreography.