Adam W. McKinney and Barbara Bears Discuss Their Experiences Performing Three Preludes
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) will perform Three Preludes as part of America 250 with the PBT Orchestra, February 20-22, 2026, at the Benedum Center.
This internationally award-winning work was created by Ben Stevenson, O.B.E., in 1969 and is performed to selections of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Preludes.” This romantic pas de deux centers on two dancers who fall in love while dancing in a ballet studio. The three movements develop in both speed and intensity as the dancers’ emotions evolve into passion.
Both PBT’s artistic director, Adam W. McKinney, and rehearsal director, Barbara Bears, have performed this work as dancers. Adam performed it during his time at Milwaukee Ballet, and Barbara performed it while dancing with Houston Ballet. We asked them to discuss what it is like to perform this classic ballet.
When and where have you performed Three Preludes?
Adam: I performed Three Preludes with Tatiana Jouravel-Malinkine at Milwaukee Ballet.
Barbara: I performed Three Preludes with Mark Arvin when I was in the Corps de Ballet at Houston Ballet around 1990 or 1991. I performed it every few years after that until I retired and even staged it once.
What was the experience like?
Adam: Learning and performing Three Preludes left an impression on me. Ben so effortlessly crafted the choreography to fit the music, making the movement circulate through the body; every moment seemed to hang on Rachmaninoff’s every note. The learning process was not easy. I recall that, during the first week of learning the ballet, because my muscles were so sore, I started our daily barre with a heating pad plugged into the wall socket next to my barre spot. For the male character, the partnering work relies heavily on strength, ensuring that the female has the freedom to extend past the limits of what she can do herself. For me, that is the essence of partnering — how far can we push the boundaries together as a unit? How can we express, expand together?
What was the most challenging part of the ballet?
Adam: The most challenging part of the ballet for me was transitioning from the second movement to the third movement. I remember being in the wings and being disoriented by the energy we had amassed — the pianist and us together. The lights rose, and Tatiana and I whisked each other onstage. It was a beautiful (and funny!) moment.
Barbara: It’s 13 minutes long, with three pas de deux, so you just don’t stop dancing the entire work. It also feels very intimate, and you need to convey the emotions realistically as a person, not dramatically, so it takes a bit of an emotional toll.
Where does it rank on your list of favorite ballets you have performed?
Adam: Three Preludes, of all pas de deuxs that I have danced, definitely ranks high on my list. It is a ballet that stands on its own and can be excerpted as well (as we have done for PBT’s annual outdoor performance, “Ballet Under the Stars” at Hartwood Acres), which speaks to the genius of Ben’s choreography — simple, beautiful, not over-adorned, real.
Barbara: I love the simplicity of Three Preludes. I enjoy performing it, and it is a sentimental ballet for me, but I always have difficulty ranking my favorites.
What is it about Three Preludes that makes it special and memorable?
Barbara: The narrative of the experience of first love and falling in love across a room is so romantic. People can relate to it because almost everyone has fallen in love. The audience gets interested in the story and wants to see what happens. It is not flashy, but rather memorable and emotional.
Why did you select it as part of America 250 with the PBT Orchestra?
Adam: Three Preludes was Ben’s first ballet that he created in the U.S. The ballet, in many ways, speaks to the important work of non-U.S. residents in our country and their impact on our society through arts and culture. It was important for me to highlight Ben’s work to represent and honor the work of immigrants in this way.
Barbara: I recommended it to Adam because it is simple and PBT has not performed it before. Adam and I both enjoyed dancing it, so it seemed like a good fit.
Additional Photos of Barbara Bears performing Three Preludes with Houston Ballet