American Ballet Theatre facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids American Ballet Theatre

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	Principal Soloists Corps de ballet Apprentice

American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is a classical ballet company based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant, it is recognized as one of the world's leading classical ballet companies. Through 2019, it had an annual eight-week season at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in the spring and a shorter season at the David H. Koch Theater in the fall; the company tours around the world the rest of the year. The company was scheduled to have a 5-week spring season at the MET preceded by a 2-week season at the Koch Theater beginning in 2020. ABT is the parent company of the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, and was recognized as "America's National Ballet Company" in 2006 by the United States Congress.

History

In 1939 Pleasant and Chase committed to the creation of "a large scale company with an eclectic repertory". The pair and a small group from Mordkin Ballet formed Ballet Theatre. Their new company's first performance was on 11 January 1940. Chase began developing the company's repertoire of well-known full-length ballets, as well as original works, amidst financial issues. In 1945 Oliver Smith joined Ballet Theatre and became co-director with Chase.

In 1957 the company changed its name to American Ballet Theatre. It continued to emphasize ballet classics, yet remained challenged by financial issues. During the 1960s and 1970s, the company's prospects brightened due to more favorable private funding. During this period, American Ballet Theatre shifted its ballet focus to the recruitment of star performers. In 1977, the company began its spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House, its new official venue.

Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1980 became artistic director for American Ballet Theatre. Baryshnikov staged, restaged, and refurbished numerous classical ballets and, according to the company, strengthened their classical tradition. Baryshnikov was replaced in 1989 by Jane Hermann and Oliver Smith, who remained as artistic directors until 1992, when Kevin McKenzie received the appointment. McKenzie satisfied the demands of the traditional ballet audience by prioritizing full-length narrative ballets. He also succeeded in keeping the company afloat during financially unstable times. In 2004 he established an official associate ballet school, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. After a long period of no in-house choreographer, McKenzie appointed Alexei Ratmansky as "Artist in Residence" in January 2009.

McKenzie stepped down from the company in late 2022, as announced in 2021. Susan Jaffe was appointed was announced as McKenzie's successor, and took over the company at the end of 2022. Ratmansky departed the troupe in June 2023.

Artistic staff

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 director and CEO

Rachel S. Moore Executive director (2003–2011) CEO (2011–2016)

Executive director

Kara Medoff Barnett (2016–2021)
Janet Rollé (2021–2023)
Barry Hughson (2024–present)

Resident choreographers

Antony Tudor (1940–1950)
Alexei Ratmansky (2009–2023)

Music directors, conductors, concertmasters (partial list)

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

Dancers

American Ballet Theatre has four levels within the company. They are (in ascending order): apprentice, corps de ballet, soloist, and principal.

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

Principals

Hee Seo and Jared Matthews (2014)

Name	Nationality	Training	Joined ABT	Promoted to Principal	Other companies (incl. guest performances)
Joo Won Ahn	South Korea	Y.J. Ballet People Academy Sun Hwa Art School Korea National University of Arts	2014	2020
Aran Bell	USA	Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet	2017	2020
Isabella Boylston		Academy of Colorado Ballet Harid Conservatory ABT Studio Company	2007	2014	Paris Opera Ballet Mariinsky Ballet Rome Opera Ballet Ballet Estable del Teatro Colón Royal Danish Ballet
Skylar Brandt		Scarsdale Ballet Studio ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School ABT II (now the ABT Studio Company)	2011	2020
Daniel Camargo	Brazil	John Cranko School	2022	N/A Joined as Principal	Stuttgart Ballet Dutch National Ballet
Misty Copeland	United States	San Pedro City Ballet Lauridsen Ballet Center San Francisco Ballet School ABT Studio Company	2001	2015
Herman Cornejo	Argentina	Instituto Superior de Arte at Teatro Colón School of American Ballet	1999	2003	Ballet del Teatro Argentino de La Plata Ballet Argentino Barcelona Ballet (former Corella Ballet Castilla y León) Compañia de Danza Comtemporánea de Cuba Boston Ballet New York City Ballet Sapporo Ballet
Thomas Forster	United Kingdom	Royal Ballet School Associate Programme Elmhurst School of Dance The Royal Ballet School ABT Studio Company	2007	2020
Catherine Hurlin	United States	Scarsdale Ballet Studio Westchester Dance Academy Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School ABT Studio Company	2014	2022
Gillian Murphy		University of North Carolina School of the Arts Columbia City Ballet	1996	2002	Kiev Ballet Mariinsky Ballet Royal New Zealand Ballet Royal Swedish Ballet Staatsballett Berlin
Calvin Royal III		Pinellas County Center for the Arts Academy of Ballet Arts Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School ABT II	2011	2017
Hee Seo	South Korea	Sun-hwa Arts Middle School Universal Ballet Academy John Cranko Ballet Academy ABT Studio Company	2006	2012	Mariinsky Ballet
Christine Shevchenko	Ukraine	Pennsylvania Ballet Rock School ABT Studio Company	2008	2017
Cory Stearns	United States	Seiskaya Ballet School Royal Ballet School ABT Studio Company	2006	2011	The Royal Ballet
Devon Teuscher		Champaign-Urbana Ballet Academy Vermont Ballet Theatre School Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School ABT Studio Company	2008	2017
Cassandra Trenary		Lawrenceville School of Ballet ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School ABT II (now the ABT Studio Company)	2011	2020
James B. Whiteside		D'Valda and Sirico Dance and Music Centre Virginia School of the Arts Boston Ballet II	2012	2013	Boston Ballet Ballet Philippines
Roman Zhurbin	Russia	LaGuardia High School Studio Maestro ABT Studio Company	2005	2022

Soloists

See also (related category): American Ballet Theatre soloists

Name	Nationality	Training	Joined ABT	Promoted to Soloist	Other companies (incl. guest performances)
Jarod Curley	United States	Frederick School of Classical Ballet Next Generation Ballet John Cranko School	2018	2024
Zhong-Jing Fang	China	Shanghai Ballet School Shanghai Drama University	2004	2018
Carlos Gonzalez	Spain	El Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Fortea El Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Mariemma	2016	2024
Breanne Granlund	United States	Ballet Academy of Texas ABT Studio Company	2016	2022
Sung Woo Han	South Korea	Sun-hwa Arts Middle School Royal Ballet School	2013	2022
Blaine Hoven	United States	North Carolina School of the Arts ABT Studio Company	2004	2016
Betsy McBride		Ballet Academy of Texas	2015	2022	Texas Ballet Theater
Chloe Misseldine		Orlando Ballet School ABT Studio Company	2021	2022
Luciana Paris	Argentina	Colon Theater Superior de Art Institute	2001	2015	Colon Theater Ballet Ballet Camara Ballet Argentino
SunMi Park	South Korea	Sun-hwa Middle and High School of the Arts Korea National Institute of Gifted Arts ABT Studio Company	2022	2022
Jake Roxander	United States	Studio Roxander ABT Studio Company	2022	2024	Pennsylvania Ballet II
Katherine Williams	United States	Ballet Royale Academy Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School	2008	2018

Former dancers

The following is a partial list of former dancers with ABT, listed by their highest rank prior to leaving the company.

Former principal dancers

Stella Abrera (1996–2020)
Ivan Allen (1950s–1960s)
Alicia Alonso (1943–1948)
Nina Ananiashvili (1993–2009)
Victor Barbee (1975–2003)
Mikhail Baryshnikov (1974–1978)
Patrick Bissell (1977–1987)
Julio Bocca (1986–2006)
Karena Brock (1973–?)
Leslie Browne (1976–1993)
Erik Bruhn (1949–1958, 1961–1972)
Fernando Bujones (1972–85, 1990s)
José Manuel Carreño (1995–2011)
Lucia Chase (1940–1960)
Ángel Corella (1996–2012)
Eleonor D'Antuono (1961–1981)
Anton Dolin (1940–1946)
Irina Dvorovenko (1996–2013)
Alessandra Ferri (1985–2007)
Carla Fracci (1967–?)
Alexander Godunov (1979–1982)
Guillaume Graffin (1988–2005)
Cynthia Gregory (1965–1991)
Cynthia Harvey (1974–1986, 1988–1996)
Susan Jaffe (1980–2002)
Julie Kent (1993–2015)
Gelsey Kirkland (1974–1984)

Ruth Ann Koesun (1946–1969)
John Kriza (1940–1966)
Robert La Fosse (1977–1986)
Harold Lang (1943–1945)
Annabelle Lyon (1939–1943)
Natalia Makarova (1970–1986)
Vladimir Malakhov (1995–2008)
Alicia Markova (1941–1946)
Bruce Marks (1961–1968)
Kevin McKenzie (1979–1991)
Amanda McKerrow (1982–2005)
Kathleen Moore (1982–2006)
Veronika Part (2002–2017)
Kirk Peterson (1974–1980)
Danilo Radojevic (1978–1993)
Johan Renvall (1978–1996)
Keith Roberts (1987–1999)
Ethan Stiefel (1997–2012)
Marianna Tcherkassky (1970–1996)
Ashley Tuttle (1987–2004)
Martine van Hamel (1970–1992)
Edward Verso (1962–1968)
Michele Wiles (1998–2011)
Diana Vishneva (2005–2017)
Marcelo Gomes (1997–2018)
Roberto Bolle (2009–2019)
Sarah Lane (2004–2020)

Former soloists

Kristi Boone (2000–2014)
Ethan Brown (1981–2004)
Gabrielle Brown (1980–1996)
Sandra Brown (1987–2003)
Tener Brown (1979–1986)
Carmen Corella (1998–2007)
Lykke Håkansson (2007–2010)
Erica Cornejo (1998–2007)
George de la Peña (1970s–1985)
Joaquín De Luz (1997–2003)
Lisa de Ribere (1979–1984)
Melissa Hayden (1945–1947)
Yuriko Kajiya (2002–2014)
Elaine Kudo
Anna Liceica (1996–2007)
Carlos Lopez (2001–2011)
Charles Maple (1972–1983)
Jared Matthews (2002–2014)
Simone Messmer (2002–2013)
Monique Meunier (2002–2007)
Carlos Molina (1998–2007)
Sascha Radetsky (1995–2014)
Amy Rose (1979–1992)
Gennadi Saveliev (1996–2012)

Former corps de ballet

Susan Borree
Maria Bystrova (2000–2010)
Caroline Duprot (2009–2011)
Tobin Eason (2002–2012)
Aino Ettala (2010)
Hezekiah C. Fairbank (1999–2000)
Victoria (Born) Fornelli (1999–2000)
Jeffrey Golladay (2003–2012)
Meaghan Hinkis (2010–2011)
Carrie Jensen (2000–2009)
Clinton Luckett (1992–2002)
Ilona McHugh (1997–2005)
Patrick Ogle
Joseph Phillips (2008–2013)
Brendali Staana Espiritu
Isaac Stappas (2000–2011)
Sarawanee Tanatanit (2002–2008)
Mary Mills Thomas (2008–2011)
Melissa Thomas (2002–2009)
Simon Wexler
Jennifer Whalen
Katharine Wildish (1985–1987)

Renata Pavam (2002–)
Bo Busby

Repertoire

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

Perhaps no other choreographer was as closely associated with ABT as the great British choreographer Antony Tudor, who made his American debut with the company. The other continuous creative force was the legendary Agnes de Mille. She staged the majority of her ballet works with them. Many choreographers have mounted works especially for ABT, including George Balanchine, Adolph Bolm, Michel Fokine, Léonide Massine, and Bronislava Nijinska. Other renowned choreographers who have worked at ABT include Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, and Alvin Ailey.

ABT's 1976 production of The Nutcracker starring Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland was televised the following year and has become a broadcast classic.

The main season is held during the spring at New York City's Metropolitan Opera House, with shorter seasons in the fall previously held at New York City Center, now held at the David H. Koch Theater. Performances of Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker during the holiday season are held at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The company tours extensively throughout United States and the world.

Schools and programs

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School

The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre (ABT/JKO School) is the associate school of American Ballet Theatre located within the Flatiron District of Manhattan, New York City. The school comprises a Children's Division for ages 4 to 12, a Pre-Professional Division for ages 12 to 18, and the preparatory program Studio Company for ages 16 to 20. Cynthia Harvey, a former dancer with ABT, serves as the school's artistic director.

Studio Company

ABT Studio Company, formerly known as ABT II, is a small company of 12 young dancers, ranging from ages 16 to 20, handpicked by ABT. It is the top level of the American Ballet Theatre training ladder and is currently an extension of the ABT JKO school. These dancers are trained in the program to join ABT's main company or other leading professional companies, and the program is described by ABT as "a bridge between ballet training and professional performance".

Project Plié

Project Plié is a diversity initiative launched in 2013 by Rachel Moore, who was then ABT's executive director and CEO. Following her departure, the project was overseen by artistic director Kevin McKenzie and Mary Jo Ziesel, ABT director of education and training. The program was inspired by ABT principal dancer Misty Copeland, and aims to "increase racial and ethnic representation in ballet and diversify America's ballet companies". The initiative is made up of a combination of partnerships within the community and within the industry in addition to scholarships and opportunities for exposure for children of color. Annually, as of 2013, Project Plié has awarded scholarships to young people ranging from ages 9 to 18 including to the ABT/JKO School, ABT's summer intensive programs and ABT's Young Dancer Workshop.