It may seem an odd pairing at first, but there is a thematic connection between the ballets on this program. George Balanchine’s Serenade, which had its first performance in 1934 and was officially premiered in 1935, is the first ballet the young master made on American soil. It contains his vision of an American style of classical dancing. Cathy Marston’s Of Mice and Men (a world premiere) is based on John Steinbeck’s 1937 novel about two male field workers in California, who dream of someday having their own land to work. Marston has choreographed a number of classic novels and puts the stress on storytelling. Serenade, too, tells a story, but one without an original text, and therefore much more mysterious. —Laura Jacobs