American Ballet

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American Ballet was the first professional ballet company George Balanchine created in the United States. The company was founded with the help of Lincoln Kirstein, and was populated by students of Kirstein and Balanchine's School of American Ballet. After failing to mount a tour, American Ballet began performing at the Metropolitan Opera House. After being allowed to stage only 2 dance performances (Orfeo and Eurydice in 1936, and an evening of dances choreographed to the music of Igor Stravinsky in 1937), Balanchine moved the company to Hollywood in 1938. The company was restarted as the American Ballet Caravan and toured North and South America, although it too folded after several years.