Through dance, design, and facilitated dialogue, this ballet explores Poe’s search for beauty and justice in a world marked by suffering and cultural upheaval. Drawing from his works, The Raven, Annabel Lee, The Tell-Tale Heart, and Ligeia, the ballet unpacks Poe’s moral and metaphysical questions against the backdrop of a pre-Civil War America wrestling with slavery, grief, and gender inequality.
We ask: What does it mean to long for eternity while surrounded by loss? Can the soul endure when justice fails? And how do the imagined worlds of a man in torment reveal the spiritual yearnings of an entire culture?
Choreographer’s Note
The Curious Life of Edgar Allan Poe is a groundbreaking new ballet that reimagines Poe’s legacy—not as the father of horror, but as a prophetic voice grappling with the spiritual and moral tensions of his time. Set in a fractured, pre-Civil War America, this evening-length work explores themes of grief, beauty, divine justice, and human suffering through iconic tales like The Raven, Annabel Lee, The Tell-Tale Heart, and Ligeia.
Choreographed by Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager and Glorielle Niedfeldt, the production blends original movement, spoken word, sound design, and period-inspired visuals into an immersive theatrical experience. It invites audiences to engage Poe’s works not as escapist fiction, but as urgent, spiritual inquiries still relevant today.
The ballet is developed in collaboration with Dr. Harry Lee Poe—Charles Colson Professor of Faith and Culture at Union University, noted Poe scholar, and a direct descendant of the author. His insights shape the project’s literary and theological depth and will inform public programming and post-show conversations on the national tour.
Launching in the 2025–2026 season, the production will tour to 12–15 universities, seminaries, regional theaters, and faith-based institutions. Each performance includes a facilitated talkback exploring questions of moral injury, imagination, justice, and longing. Select discussions will be captured in a short-form video series and paired with an academic companion guide for classrooms and spiritual communities.
In an age marked by disillusionment and distraction, The Curious Life of Edgar Allan Poe offers space for reflection, wonder, and spiritual honesty. Rather than reducing Poe to caricature, this project restores him as a complex moral witness—one whose questions echo urgently in our own time.
Meet the Choreographers
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Julianna is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Ballet 5:8. A Mexican-American choreographer, she creates original ballets that explore faith, culture, and the human condition. Her works have been called “bold” and “visually arresting,” blending classical ballet with rich narrative and emotional depth. Julianna’s choreography centers marginalized voices and brings thought-provoking stories to stages across the country.
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Glorielle is a Chicago-based choreographer, dancer, and educator whose movement roots draw from ballet, West African, and Afro-Caribbean traditions. As co-choreographer for The Curious Life of Edgar Allan Poe, she brings a layered, rhythmically complex voice to the work. Her choreography examines historical memory and cultural resilience, creating space for dialogue and connection through dance.
