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American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre logo.png
General information
Name American Ballet Theatre
Previous names Ballet Theatre
Year founded 1939; 86 years ago (1939)
Principal venue Metropolitan Opera House
New York City
Website abt.org
Artistic staff
Artistic Director Susan Jaffe
Other
Associated schools Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
Formation

The American Ballet Theatre (often called ABT) is a famous classical ballet company. It is based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant, it is known as one of the best classical ballet companies in the world.

Each spring, ABT performs for eight weeks at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center). They also have a shorter season in the fall at the David H. Koch Theater. The rest of the year, the company travels and performs all over the world. ABT also runs the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. In 2006, the United States Congress officially called ABT "America's National Ballet Company."

History of ABT

In 1939, Richard Pleasant and Lucia Chase decided to create a big ballet company. They wanted it to perform many different kinds of ballets. They formed a group called Ballet Theatre. Their very first show was on January 11, 1940. Lucia Chase worked hard to build the company's collection of ballets. She included famous full-length ballets and new, original dances. The company often faced money problems. In 1945, Oliver Smith joined Ballet Theatre. He became a co-director with Chase.

In 1957, the company changed its name to American Ballet Theatre. It kept focusing on classic ballets. But financial challenges continued. In the 1960s and 1970s, things got better. More private money helped the company. During this time, American Ballet Theatre started to focus on hiring star dancers. In 1977, the company began its spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center). This became their main performance home.

Mikhail Baryshnikov became the artistic director of American Ballet Theatre in 1980. He helped improve many classical ballets. He made the company's classical style even stronger. In 1989, Jane Hermann and Oliver Smith took over as artistic directors. Then, in 1992, Kevin McKenzie became the artistic director. McKenzie made sure the company performed many full-length story ballets. This pleased traditional ballet fans. He also helped the company survive tough financial times. In 2004, he started an official ballet school. It was named the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. In 2009, McKenzie brought in Alexei Ratmansky as an "Artist in Residence." This was the first time in a long while the company had an in-house choreographer.

McKenzie left the company in late 2022. Susan Jaffe was chosen to take his place. She became the new artistic director at the end of 2022. Ratmansky left the company in June 2023.

Artistic Leadership

This section lists the main people who have led the American Ballet Theatre.

Artistic Directors

  • Lucia Chase and Oliver Smith (1940–1980)
  • Mikhail Baryshnikov (1980–1989)
  • Jane Hermann and Oliver Smith (1989–1992)
  • Kevin McKenzie (1992–2022)
  • Susan Jaffe (2022–present)

Executive Directors

  • Rachel S. Moore (2003–2016)
  • Kara Medoff Barnett (2016–2021)
  • Janet Rollé (2021–2023)
  • Barry Hughson (2024–present)

Resident Choreographers

Music Directors and Conductors

  • Ormsby Wilkins (music director) (current)
  • Charles Barker (principal conductor) (current)
  • David LaMarche (conductor) (current)
  • Benjamin Bowman (concertmaster) (current)

Dancers of ABT

American Ballet Theatre has four levels for its dancers. They are, from lowest to highest:

The principal dancers are the lead performers. Soloists perform important individual roles. The corps de ballet are the dancers who perform together as a group. Apprentices are new dancers learning the ropes.

See also (related category): American Ballet Theatre principal dancers

Current Principal Dancers

Hee Seo and Jared Matthews, American Ballet Theatre, May 17, 2014
Hee Seo and Jared Matthews performing in 2014.
Name Nationality Joined ABT Promoted to Principal
Joo Won Ahn  South Korea 2014 2020
Aran Bell  USA 2017 2020
Isabella Boylston  USA 2007 2014
Skylar Brandt  USA 2011 2020
Daniel Camargo  Brazil 2022 Joined as Principal
Misty Copeland  United States 2001 2015
Herman Cornejo  Argentina 1999 2003
Thomas Forster  United Kingdom 2007 2020
Catherine Hurlin  United States 2014 2022
Gillian Murphy  United States 1996 2002
Calvin Royal III  United States 2011 2017
Hee Seo  South Korea 2006 2012
Christine Shevchenko  Ukraine 2008 2017
Cory Stearns  United States 2006 2011
Devon Teuscher  United States 2008 2017
Cassandra Trenary  United States 2011 2020
James B. Whiteside  United States 2012 2013
Roman Zhurbin  Russia 2005 2022

Current Soloists

See also (related category): American Ballet Theatre soloists
Name Nationality Joined ABT Promoted to Soloist
Jarod Curley  United States 2018 2024
Zhong-Jing Fang  China 2004 2018
Carlos Gonzalez  Spain 2016 2024
Breanne Granlund  United States 2016 2022
Sung Woo Han  South Korea 2013 2022
Blaine Hoven  United States 2004 2016
Betsy McBride  United States 2015 2022
Chloe Misseldine  United States 2021 2022
Luciana Paris  Argentina 2001 2015
SunMi Park  South Korea 2022 2022
Jake Roxander  United States 2022 2024
Katherine Williams  United States 2008 2018

Famous Ballets and Performances

A curtain call for Hee Seo and Aran Bell after performing Swan Lake at the Metropolitan Opera House in 2022
A curtain call for Hee Seo and Aran Bell after performing Swan Lake at the Metropolitan Opera House in 2022

Many famous choreographers have created works for ABT. Antony Tudor, a great British choreographer, first performed in America with this company. Agnes de Mille also staged most of her ballets with ABT.

Other well-known choreographers who have worked with ABT include George Balanchine, Michel Fokine, and Léonide Massine. Later, artists like Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, and Alvin Ailey also created dances for the company.

In 1976, ABT's performance of The Nutcracker became very famous. It starred Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland. This show was shown on TV the next year and is still a holiday classic.

ABT's main season is in the spring at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in New York City. Shorter seasons are held in the fall at the David H. Koch Theater. During the holiday season, you can see Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The company also travels a lot, performing across the United States and around the world.

Schools and Programs

ABT offers special programs to train young dancers.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School

The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School (ABT/JKO School) is the official school of American Ballet Theatre. It is located in the Flatiron District of Manhattan, New York City. The school has different divisions for different ages. The Children's Division is for ages 4 to 12. The Pre-Professional Division is for ages 12 to 18. There is also the Studio Company, a special program for dancers aged 16 to 20. Cynthia Harvey, a former ABT dancer, is the artistic director of the school.

Studio Company

The ABT Studio Company is a small group of 12 talented young dancers. They are usually between 16 and 20 years old. These dancers are chosen by ABT. It is the highest level of training at American Ballet Theatre. The program helps these dancers get ready to join ABT's main company or other professional ballet companies. ABT describes it as "a bridge between ballet training and professional performance."

Project Plié

Project Plié is a special program started in 2013. It aims to make ballet more diverse. The goal is to have more dancers of different backgrounds in ballet companies. This program was inspired by ABT principal dancer Misty Copeland. It works with communities and other ballet groups. It also offers scholarships and chances for young dancers of color to experience ballet. Since 2013, Project Plié has given scholarships to young people aged 9 to 18. These scholarships help them attend the ABT/JKO School and ABT's summer programs.

See Also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: American Ballet Theatre para niños

  • A Dancer's Life, a 1972 documentary film about the company
  • List of productions of Swan Lake derived from its 1895 revival
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