Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain is a ballet of quiet intimacy and profound emotional resonance. Created in 2005 for New York City Ballet, the work is best known for its hauntingly beautiful final pas de deux, set to Arvo Pärt’s minimalist masterpiece Spiegel im Spiegel. The music’s meditative simplicity becomes a canvas for movement that is both tender and transcendent.

The duet unfolds in a space of stillness and vulnerability. A woman, clad in soft hues, moves with trust and openness, supported by her partner in a series of gentle lifts and fluid transitions. Wheeldon’s choreography strips away ornamentation, allowing the dancers’ connection to speak volumes. Each gesture feels like a breath, a memory, a moment suspended in time.

Originally created as part of a larger work, After the Rain has taken on a life of its own, often performed as a standalone piece that offers audiences a moment of reflection and emotional clarity. Its themes—love, loss, renewal—are universal, yet deeply personal.

For The Washington Ballet, After the Rain offers a pause within the program’s dynamic arc—a chance to witness the power of simplicity and the depth of human connection. Wheeldon’s work reminds us that even in silence, dance can speak the language of the soul.

Choreography
Christopher Wheeldon

Music
Spiegel Im Spiegel (1978), Arvo Pärt

Costumes
Holly Hynes
courtesy of Miami City Ballet

Lighting
Mark Stanley