Union Jack (ballet)

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Union Jack is a ballet made by New York City Ballet's founder and ballet master, George Balanchine, to traditional British tunes, hornpipe melodies and music-hall songs, ca. 1890-1914, adapted by Hershy Kay:

"Keel Row"
"Caledonian Hunt's Delight"
"Dance wi' My Daddy"
"Regimental Drum Variations"

"Amazing Grace"
"A Hundred Pipers"
"The Sunshine of Your Smile"
"The Night the Floor Fell In"

"Our Lodger's Such a Nice Young Man"
"Following in Father's Footsteps"
"A Tavern in the Town"
"Rule Brittania"

and the Scottish theme from Händel's Water Music.

The premiere took place on May 13, 1976, at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center to honor British heritage in the United States its bicentennial. It includes Scottish military tattoos and folk-dance forms; a music-hall pas de deux for the costermonger Pearly King and Queen; hornpipes, sea songs, work chants and jigs. At the finale the ensemble spells out "God Save the Queen" in semaphore code and the Union Jack unfurls. Principal dancer Jock Soto included an excerpt from Union Jack in his farewell performance in June 2005.