Laufey Collaborates with New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theater

Grammy Award–winning artist Laufey has unveiled the final two chapters of an ambitious four-part ballet film series, created in tandem with her sophomore album A Matter of Time. Shot inside the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright–designed rotunda of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the films reimagine the traditional boundaries between music and dance, weaving Laufey’s intimate live performance with newly commissioned choreography from former American Ballet Theatre soloist Gabe Stone Shayer and choreographer Stephanie Gotch. Speaking on the project Gotch said, “Former ABT soloist Gabe Stone Shayer and I co-choreographed the four dance pieces, and I served as the creative director for the dance element. As the way we consume content and experience the arts continues to evolve, we wanted to explore how ballet could exist beyond the traditional theatre — in spaces that still honor its artistry, while making it accessible and resonant in today’s world. Our goal was to highlight a collaboration between some of the world’s leading ballet dancers and Laufey’s new music.”  Directed by Gus Black, the series positions ballet not in the proscenium but within an architectural landmark, highlighting how sound, movement, and space can coalesce into a living artwork.

The films feature an extraordinary roster of dancers at the height of their careers. New York City Ballet principals Indiana Woodward and Joseph Gordon, alongside NYCB soloist Alexa Maxwell and former soloist Megan LeCrone, lend their virtuosity to Clockwork and Silver Lining. For Woodward the process was innate saying, “It was a dream to dance to Laufey’s music live. We created a beautiful marriage between song and dance as they used to do in the old Hollywood days and it was pure magic.” American Ballet Theatre’s Zimmi Coker joins Woodward and Gordon in Lover Girl, while Snow White sees Shayer himself take the stage with Coker in a layered duet that merges his choreographic vision with his own performance. Coker expressed the passion behind this project saying, “Whenever Gabe and I danced to Snow White, I always felt like a million different emotions sifting through me. This specific song holds a lot of weight. The lyrics are gut wrenching and truthful, and this allowed for us to be vulnerable.” Together, the works present a kaleidoscope of partnerships, shifting the lens on ballet’s familiar narratives by pairing Laufey’s lush, cinematic music with choreography that bridges classical lines and contemporary textures.

For Shayer, this project marks an important second act beyond the institutions where he first made his name. Both performer and co-choreographer, he is carving out new space for ballet artists to collaborate directly with musicians and filmmakers, situating dance within broader cultural conversations rather than preserving it in tradition. By anchoring Laufey’s new album in live movement, Shayer and his collaborators invite audiences to experience ballet not as rarefied spectacle but as an evolving language—capable of reflecting the rhythm and emotion of today’s music scene. Alexa Maxwell experience is rich with fervor explaining, “Dancing to Laufey in Polo Ralph Lauren’s costumes felt like stepping into a dream, a shared vision where music, fashion, and ballet come together to celebrate artistry at its highest. In a time when the world feels heavy, this creative union reminded us that art can shine a light, bringing back beauty, connection, and joy!”

Costuming further underscores the project’s synthesis of art forms. Polo Ralph Lauren designed custom looks for both Laufey and the dancers, including a hand-crocheted dress crafted especially for the singer. Valentino Beauty completed the stage-ready aesthetic with sculptural, luminous makeup. Together with Laufey’s songs—which propelled A Matter of Time to debut at #4 on the Billboard 200—the films become a meditation on collaboration: between music and dance, between tradition and reinvention, and between artists willing to dissolve boundaries to shape ballet’s future.

Written by BJ Panda Bear