New York City Ballet, one of the foremost American dance companies of the 20th cent. It was founded by Lincoln Kirstein Kirstein, Lincoln (kûr`stīn, kĭr`–), 1907–96, American dance and theater executive and writer, b. Rochester, N.Y.
..... Click the link for more information. and George Balanchine Balanchine, George (băl`ənshēn'), 1904–83, American choreographer and ballet dancer, b. St.
..... Click the link for more information. as the Ballet Society in 1946. In 1948 the company took its present name and began regular performances at the New York City Center. It moved to the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in 1964. Under Balanchine's direction the company developed a distinctly American style of dancing, combining Italian, French, and Russian traditions with an austere emotional control and flair for musicality. The company's works have ranged from the intensely dramatic Age of Anxiety (1950) and the highly comic Souvenirs (1955) to the formal abstractions of Agon (1958) and the lavish theatricality of A Midsummer Night's Dream (1962). Although Balanchine was closely identified with the company's development, other outstanding choreographers, including Jerome Robbins Robbins, Jerome, 1918–98, American choreographer and dancer, b. New York City as Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz. Robbins began his career dancing in musical comedy (1937).
..... Click the link for more information. , have also created works for it. Its roster of exceptional performers has included Maria Tallchief Marjorie Tallchief, 1927–, b. Denver Colo., was première danseuse with the Paris Opéra Ballet from 1957 to 1962. She also performed with many other companies, retiring in 1966.
..... Click the link for more information. , Melissa Hayden, André Eglevsky, Todd Bolender, Suzanne Farrell, Edward Villella Villella, Edward, 1936–, American ballet dancer, b. Long Island, N.Y. Villella studied at George Balanchine's School of American Ballet, joining the New York City Ballet in 1957.
..... Click the link for more information. , and Jacques d'Amboise d'Amboise, Jacques (zhäk dămbwäz`), 1934–, American dancer and choreographer, b. Dedham, Mass.
..... Click the link for more information. . The company has toured extensively throughout the United States and abroad. Balanchine, who was involved with the company up until his death in 1983, was succeeded by Peter Martins Martins, Peter, 1946–, Danish ballet dancer and choreographer. He studied at the School of the Royal Danish Ballet and performed with its company (1965–69).
..... Click the link for more information. and (until 1990) Jerome Robbins, who were named co-ballet masters in chief.

Bibliography

See study by L. Kirstein (1973, rev. ed. 1978); L. Garafola, ed., Dance for a City (1999).

New York City Ballet

Preeminent U.S. ballet company. The company is descended from the American Ballet, which was founded by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein in 1935 and revived as the Ballet Society in 1946; it assumed its current name in 1948. Under Balanchine's artistic direction, the company became the leading U.S. ballet troupe, combining European classical ballet with American characterization and innovation and exerting enormous influence on American dance. It moved to its permanent home, the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center, in 1964. Later artistic directors Jerome Robbins and Peter Martins contributed numerous works to its repertoire. Its leading dancers have included Maria Tallchief, Edward Villella, Jacques d'Amboise, and Suzanne Farrell.