New York City Ballet

New York City Ballet
General Information
Name	New York City Ballet
Previous names	American Ballet Ballet Caravan American Ballet Caravan The Ballet Society
Year founded	1948
Founders	George Balanchine Lincoln Kirstein
Founding choreographers	George Balanchine Jerome Robbins
Principal venue	David H. Koch Theater Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts New York City Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY.
Website	www.nycballet.com
Artistic Staff
Ballet Master in Chief	Peter Martins
Ballet Mistress	Rosemary Dunleavy
Music Director	Vacant position
Other
Orchestra	The New York City Ballet Orchestra
Official School	School of American Ballet
Associated schools	New York Choreographic Institute
Formation	Principal Dancer Soloist Corps de Ballet

New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine^[1] and Lincoln Kirstein.^[2] Léon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. City Ballet grew out of earlier troupes: the Producing Company of the School of American Ballet,^[3] 1934; the American Ballet,^[4] 1935, and Ballet Caravan, 1936, which merged into American Ballet Caravan,^[5] 1941; and directly from the Ballet Society,^[6][7] 1946.

History

The company was named New York City Ballet when it became resident at City Center of Music and Drama in 1948.^[8][9] Its success was marked by its move to the New York State Theater, now David H. Koch Theater, designed by Philip Johnson to Balanchine's specifications. City Ballet went on to become the first ballet company in the United States to have two permanent venue engagements: one at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater on 63rd Street in Manhattan, and another at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, in Saratoga Springs, New York. The School of American Ballet (S.A.B.), which Balanchine founded, is the training school of City Ballet.

After the company's move to the State Theater, Balanchine's creativity as a choreographer flourished. He created works that were the basis of the company's repertory until his death in 1983. His vision influenced dance both across the United States and in Europe. He worked closely with choreographer Jerome Robbins, who resumed his connection with the company in 1969 after having produced works for Broadway.

NYCB still has the largest repertoire by far of any American ballet company, and it often stages 60 ballets or more in its winter and spring seasons at Lincoln Center each year and 20 or more in its summer season in Saratoga Springs. City Ballet has performed The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream and many more. City Ballet has trained and developed many great dancers since its formation. Also, many dancers with already developed reputations have joined City Ballet as principal dancers.

Allegra Kent Arthur Mitchell Edward Villella Gelsey Kirkland

Jacques d'Amboise Jillana Kyra Nichols Maria Tallchief

Melissa Hayden Merrill Ashley Mikhail Baryshnikov Patricia McBride

Suzanne Farrell Tanaquil LeClercq Peter Martins, balletmaster in chief

Salute to Italy

In 1960 Balanchine mounted City Ballet's Salute to Italy with premieres of Monumentum pro Gesualdo and Variations from Don Sebastian, called the Donizetti Variations since 1961, as well as performances of his La Sonnambula and Lew Christensen's Con Amore. The performance was repeated in 1968.

Stravinsky Festival

In 1972 Balanchine offered an eight-day tribute to the composer, his great collaborator, who had died the year before. His programs included twenty-two new works of his own dances, plus works by choreographers Todd Bolender, John Clifford, Lorca Massine, Jerome Robbins, Richard Tanner and John Taras, as well as repertory ballets by Balanchine and Robbins. Balanchine created Symphony in Three Movements, Duo Concertant and Violin Concerto for the occasion. He and Robbins co-choreographed and performed in Pulcinella. Balanchine produced an earlier Stravinsky festival as balletmaster of the American Ballet while engaged by the Metropolitan Opera in 1937. The composer conducted the April 27th premiere of Card Party.

Ravel Festival

In 1975 Balanchine paid his respects to the French composer Maurice Ravel with a two-week Hommage à Ravel. Balanchine, Robbins, Jacques d'Amboise, and Taras made sixteen new ballets for the occasion. Repertory ballets were performed as well. High points included Balanchine's Le Tombeau de Couperin and Robbins' Mother Goose.

Tschaikovsky Festival

In 1981 Balanchine planned a two-week NYCB festival honoring the Russian composer Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky. Balanchine, Joseph Duell, d'Amboise, Peter Martins, Robbins and Taras created twelve new dances. In addition to presenting these and repertory ballets, Balanchine re-choreographed his Mozartziana from 1933. Philip Johnson and John Burgee's stage setting of translucent tubing was designed by to be hung and lit in different architectural configurations throughout the entire festival.^[10]

Stravinsky Centennial Celebration

In 1982 Balanchine organized a centennial celebration in honor of his long-time collaborator Igor Stravinsky during which twenty-five ballets set to the composer’s music were performed by City Ballet. Balanchine made three new ballets, Tango, Élégie and Persephone, and a new version of Variations.^[11]

New York State Theater 20-Year Celebration

On April 26, 1984, NYCB celebrated the 20th anniversary of the New York State Theater. The program started with Igor Stravinsky's Fanfare for a New Theater, followed by Stravinsky's arrangement of The Star-Spangled Banner. The ballets included: three of Balanchine's works, Serenade, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and Sonatine; and Jerome Robbins' Afternoon of a Faun. The performers included Maria Calegari, Kyra Nichols, Heather Watts, Leonid Kozlov, Afshin Mofid, Patricia McBride, Helgi Tomasson, Karin von Aroldingen, Lourdes Lopez, Bart Cook, and Joseph Duell.^[12]

Peter Martins

After Balanchine's death in 1983, Peter Martins was selected as balletmaster of the company. Martins has maintained the New York City Ballet's financial security and the musicality and performance level of the dancers but has not emphasized the Balanchine style to the extent that many expected he would.^[13]

American Music Festival

For its 40th anniversary, Martins held an American Music Festival, having commissioned dances from choreographers Laura Dean, Eliot Feld, William Forsythe, Lar Lubovitch and Paul Taylor. He also presented ballets by George Balanchine and Robbins. The programs included world premieres of more than twenty dances. Martins contributed Barber Violin Concerto, Black and White, The Chairman Dances, A Fool for You, Fred and George, Sophisticated Lady, Tanzspiel, Tea-Rose and The Waltz Project.^[10]

Jerome Robbins celebration

A major component of the Spring 2008 season was a celebration of Jerome Robbins; major revivals were mounted of the following ballets:

2 and 3 Part Inventions Afternoon of a Faun Andantino Antique Epigraphs Brahms/Handel Brandenburg The Cage The Concert Dances at a Gathering Dybbuk

Fancy Free Fanfare Four Bagatelles The Four Seasons Glass Pieces The Goldberg Variations I'm Old Fashioned In G Major In Memory of ... In the Night

Interplay Ives, Songs NY Export: Opus Jazz Les Noces Opus 19/The Dreamer Other Dances Piano Pieces A Suite of Dances Watermill West Side Story Suite

Dancers' Choice

Friday, June 27, 2008 the first Dancers’ Choice benefit was held for the Dancers' Emergency Fund. The program was initiated by Peter Martins, conceived and supervised by principal dancer Jonathan Stafford, assisted by Kyle Froman, Craig Hall, Amanda Hankes, Adam Hendrickson, Ask la Cour, Henry Seth and Daniel Ulbricht, and consisted of:

Beethoven Romance

Flit of Fury/The Monarch[14]

and excerpts from:

Ecstatic Orange Jewels Emeralds Rubies

Square Dance Interplay Dances at a Gathering Glass Pieces

Union Jack Stars and Stripes Mercurial Manoeuvres Symphony in C

Sunday June 14, 2009 the second Dancers’ Choice benefit was held at a special evening performance, the program included: Sleeping Beauty and Union Jack.^[15][16] This program was supervised by principal dancer Jenifer Ringer.

Programming

NYCB performs winter and spring repertory seasons at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center as well as George Balanchine's Nutcracker during November and December; they have a summer residency at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and regularly tour internationally.

Fourth Ring Society and Talks

City Ballet's Fourth Ring Society offers discounted tickets to members. Membership is open to the general public.^[17]

Introductory talks about the current performance, called Dancer Chats or First Position Discussions,^[18] are held before some performances or during some intervals; the docents are volunteers and include laymen as well as former dancers.

New York Choreographic Institute

City Ballet's Choreographic Institute was founded by Irene Diamond and Peter Martins in 2000 . The institute has three main programmatic programs: choreographic sessions, providing choreographers with dancers and studio space; fellowship initiatives, annual awards in support of an emerging choreographer affiliated with a ballet company; and choreographic forums, symposia and round-table discussions on choreography, music, and design elements.

Present

Balletmaster in chief

Peter Martins, who first danced with City Ballet in 1967 joined the company as a principal dancer in 1970,^[19] in 1981 was named balletmaster, a title shared with Balanchine, Robbins and John Taras. Martins served as co-balletmaster in chief with Robbins from 1983 to 1989 and assumed sole directorship of the company in 1990.

Balletmistress

• Rosemary Dunleavy

Balletmasters

Karin von Aroldingen Albert Evans

Jean-Pierre Frohlich Susan Hendl

Lisa Jackson Russell Kaiser Sara Leland

Christine Redpath Richard Tanner Kathleen Tracey

Assistant to the balletmaster in chief

• Sean Lavery

Teaching associate

• Merrill Ashley

Children's Ballet Mistress Garielle Whittle

Assistant children's Ballet Master Dena Abergel

The New York City Ballet Orchestra

The 66 member NYCB Orchestra is an important symphonic institution in its own right, having played for virtually all of the thousands of performances NYCB has given over the decades. It is one of the most versatile orchestras in the world, on any given week performing perhaps three or four times the repertoire that another symphony might be expected to do.^[20] Principal players of the orchestra also perform the majority of the concertos, other solos, and chamber music the ballet performs to. The orchestra accompanies the ballet on all of its North American Tours, and while the ballet uses local orchestras on its international tours, often, members of the NYCB Orchestra will go along as soloists or extras.

Besides the members of the orchestra, the NYCB has six other musicians (pianists) on full-time staff. All of them perform in the pit with the orchestra on a regular basis.

The NYCB Orchestra also occasionally accompanies other dance companies when they visit The David H. Koch Theater from other cities. These engagements have included the Australian Ballet in the spring of 2012,^[21] and the San Francisco Ballet^[22] in the fall of 2013.

Music Director

Vacant position. Early in 2012, Maestro Fayçal Karoui announced that he would be leaving his position in the Spring of 2012 to pursue concert opportunities in Europe.

Staff Conductors

Clotilde Otranto, Andrews Sill (Assistant Music Director, acting Music Director 2012), Daniel Capps. Ryan McAdams (associate conductor 2011)

Historical music directors

Leon Barzin 1948-c1963, Robert Irving ("The Duke") c1963-1989, Gordon Boelzner 1989-2000, Andrea Quinn 2000-2006 Fayçal Karoui 2006-2012.

Other conductors of note

Hugo Fiorato (retired 2004) (Conductor Emeritus), Maurice Kaplow (retired 2010)

Dancers^[23]

Principal dancers

Jared Angle Tyler Angle [Janice Levin 1] Ashley Bouder [Janice Levin 2] Adrian Danchig-Waring Joaquín De Luz Megan Fairchild[24] Robert Fairchild

Chase Finlay Gonzalo Garcia Sterling Hyltin [Janice Levin 3] Maria Kowroski Rebecca Krohn Ask la Cour Sébastien Marcovici

Sara Mearns Tiler Peck [Janice Levin 4] Amar Ramasar Teresa Reichlen [Janice Levin 5] Jenifer Ringer Ana Sophia Scheller Jennie Somogyi

Abi Stafford [Janice Levin 6] Jonathan Stafford Janie Taylor Daniel Ulbricht [Janice Levin 7] Andrew Veyette Wendy Whelan

Soloists

Antonio Carmena Craig Hall Anthony Huxley [Janice Levin 8] Lauren King

Ashley Laracey Megan LeCrone Lauren Lovette[Janice Levin 9] Savannah Lowery

Georgina Pazcoguin Justin Peck Erica Pereira

Brittany Pollack Taylor Stanley [Janice Levin 10] Sean Suozzi

Corps de ballet

Sara Adams Devin Alberda Marika Anderson Daniel Applebaum Faye Arthurs Harrison Ball Likolani Brown Zachary Catazaro Stephanie Chrosniak Cameron Dieck Alina Dronova

Meaghan Dutton-O'Hara Emilie Gerrity Joseph Gordon Amanda Hankes Brittany Hillyer Spartak Hoxha Ralph Ippolito Ashly Isaacs Dana Jacobson Russell Janzen Megan Johnson

Emily Kikta Claire Kretzschmar Austin Laurent Meagan Mann Jenelle Manzi Gwyneth Muller Lars Nelson Allen Peiffer David Prottas Aaron Sanz Troy Schumacher

Andrew Scordato Kristen Segin Mary Elizabeth Sell Gretchen Smith Joshua Thew Lara Tong Christian Tworzyanski Giovanni Villalobos Sarah Villwock Peter Walker Lydia Wellington [25]

Former dancers

Former principal dancers

Albert Evans Alexandra Ansanelli Allegra Kent Arthur Mitchell Bart Cook Benjamin Millepied Charles Askegard Damian Woetzel Daniel Duell Darci Kistler Diana Adams Edward Villella

Gelsey Kirkland Gen Horiuchi Jacques d'Amboise James Fayette Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux Jillana Jocelyn Vollmar Jock Soto John Clifford Judith Fugate Karin von Aroldingen Kyra Nichols Leonid Kozlov

Lourdes Lopez Margaret Tracey Maria Calegari Maria Tallchief Melissa Hayden Merrill Ashley Mikhail Baryshnikov Miranda Weese Monique Meunier Nikolaj Hübbe Nilas Martins Patricia McBride Patricia Neary

Patricia Wilde Peter Boal Peter Martins Philip Neal Peter Frame Robert La Fosse Robert Tewsley Robert Weiss Sofiane Sylve Stephen Hanna Suzanne Farrell Tanaquil LeClercq Yvonne Borree Yvonne Mounsey

Former soloists

Ellen Bar Elyse Borne Jason Fowler Jean-Pierre Frohlich Susan Gluck

Tom Gold Gloria Govrin Susan Hendl Adam Hendrickson Arch Higgins

Katrina Killian Carla Körbes [Janice Levin 11] Edwaard Liang Kathryn Morgan [Janice Levin 12][26] Seth Orza

Christine Redpath Rachel Rutherford Carol Sumner Jennifer Tinsley-Williams Diana White

Former corps de ballet

Aaron Severini Amy Barker Briana Atkins Briana Shepherd [27] Callie Bachman Cara Copeland Courtney Muscroft Dara Johnson Darius Barnes [27] Darla Hoover

Deborah Wingert Dena Abergel Elizabeth Walker Ellen Ostrom Emily Coates Glenn Keenan Henry Seth Kaitlyn Gilliland [Janice Levin 13] Katie Bergstrom [27] Kristin Sloan

Kyle Froman Lindy Mandradjieff Mary Helen Bowers Matthew Renko Max van der Sterre [27] Maya Collins Megan Bonneau Pauline Golbin Rachel Piskin Robert Lyon

Roger Peterson Sam Greenberg Sarah-Rose Williams Saskia Beskow Shoshana Rosenfield Sophie Flack [27] Stephanie Zungre Susan Borree Tabitha Rinko-Gay Vincent Paradiso

Janice Levin dancers

1. ↑ 2007–2008 Tyler Angle
2. ↑ 2002–2003 Ashley Bouder
3. ↑ 2005–2006 Sterling Hyltin
4. ↑ 2006–2007 Tiler Peck
5. ↑ 2004–2005 Teresa Reichlen
6. ↑ 2000–2001 Abi Stafford
7. ↑ 2003–2004 Daniel Ulbricht
8. ↑ 2010–2011 Anthony Huxley
9. ↑ 2012–2013 Lauren Lovette
10. ↑ 2011–2012 Taylor Stanley
11. ↑ 2001–2002 Carla Körbes
12. ↑ 2008–2009 Kathryn Morgan
13. ↑ 2009–2010 Kaitlyn Gilliland

References

Bibliography

• Balanchine. A Biography, Bernard Taper. Collier Books Edition.
• The New York City Ballet. Thirty Years, Lincoln Kirstein.
• The New York City Ballet, Anatole Chujoy. Knopf. 1953.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to New York City Ballet.

• Official website
• Official website School of American Ballet
• New York City Ballet collected news and commentary at The New York Times

v t e Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Venues Alice Tully Hall Avery Fisher Hall Damrosch Park David H. Koch Theater Rose Hall Metropolitan Opera House Vivian Beaumont Theater Walter Reade Theater Resident companies Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Film Society of Lincoln Center Jazz at Lincoln Center Juilliard School Lincoln Center Theater Metropolitan Opera New York City Ballet New York Philharmonic New York Public Library for the Performing Arts School of American Ballet

v t e New York City Ballet repertory Winter 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 Spring 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 Saratoga 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 Fall 2013 2012 2011 2010 Nutcracker 2012 2011 2010 tours 2011 Summer 2011 Spring 2011 Winter 2009 Fall 2009 Winter 2008 Summer 2008 Winter talk 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008

v t e Dance companies in the United States Ballet Alonzo King LINES Ballet American Ballet Theatre American Repertory Ballet Anaheim Ballet Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Atlanta Ballet Ballet Arizona Ballet Austin BalletMet Ballet Quad Cities Ballet West Boston Ballet Carolina Ballet Cedar Lake Complexions Dayton Ballet Eugene Ballet Houston Ballet Joffrey Ballet Los Angeles Ballet Miami City Ballet Morphoses Mystic Ballet National Ballet Theater of Puerto Rico New Jersey Ballet New York City Ballet Oklahoma City Ballet Oregon Ballet Theatre Pacific Northwest Ballet Pennsylvania Ballet San Francisco Ballet Suzanne Farrell Ballet Texas Ballet Theater Tulsa Ballet The Washington Ballet Contemporary Alvin Ailey Ballet Nouveau Dayton Contemporary Dance Company Dominic Walsh Hubbard Street Lar Lubovitch Martha Graham Momix Paul Taylor Pilobolus Ririe-Woodbury sjDANCEco Urban Bush Women Other Ice Theatre of New York The LXD The Rockettes

v t e Ballet companies Africa Cairo Opera Ballet Company Cape Town City Ballet Americas American Ballet Theatre Anaheim Ballet Atlanta Ballet Ballet Magnificat! Boston Ballet Les Grands Ballets Canadiens Carolina Ballet Cincinnati Ballet Cuban National Ballet Dayton Ballet Houston Ballet Joffrey Ballet Los Angeles Ballet National Ballet of Canada National Ballet Theater of Puerto Rico New Jersey Ballet New York City Ballet Oklahoma City Ballet Oregon Ballet Theatre Pacific Northwest Ballet San Francisco Ballet Tulsa Ballet Royal Winnipeg Ballet Austro-Asia The Australian Ballet Ballet Manila Ballet Philippines Guangzhou Ballet Hong Kong Ballet Iranian National Ballet Company K-ballet Korea National Ballet National Ballet of China Philippine Ballet Theatre Queensland Ballet Royal New Zealand Ballet Shanghai Ballet Company Tokyo Ballet Universal Ballet West Australian Ballet Europe Barcelona Ballet Bavarian State Ballet Béjart Ballet Berlin State Ballet Birmingham Royal Ballet Bolshoi Ballet Royal Danish Ballet Donetsk Ballet Dutch National Ballet Eifman Ballet English National Ballet Finnish National Ballet Sukhishvili Georgian National Ballet Greek National Opera Hamburg Ballet Hungarian National Ballet Kiev Ballet La Scala Theatre Ballet Mariinsky Ballet Mikhailovsky Theatre Ballet National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Moldova The Monte-Carlo Ballet National Opera and Ballet Norwegian National Opera and Ballet Novosibirsk Theatre Ballet Paris Opera Ballet Perm Theatre Ballet Polish National Ballet The Royal Ballet (London) Rambert Dance Company Russian State Ballet of Siberia Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre Scottish Ballet Spanish National Dance Company Stanislavski Ballet Stuttgart Ballet Royal Swedish Ballet