Los Angeles Ballet

Los Angeles Ballet is a professional ballet company based in Los Angeles, California that presents classical and contemporary ballet seasons, educational programs, and community initiatives. Founded in the early 21st century, the company stages productions at major Southern California venues, collaborates with choreographers and orchestras, and develops dancers who perform nationally and internationally. Its activities intersect with institutions, festivals, and cultural organizations across the United States and abroad.

History

The company was established during a period of renewed interest in regional ballet companies that included San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Early seasons featured collaborations with figures associated with Royal Danish Ballet, Ballet West, The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, and repertory linked to choreographers from Balanchine Trust, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Dutch National Ballet. Funding and support came from foundations akin to Guggenheim Foundation, Ford Foundation, and local bodies similar to Los Angeles County Arts Commission and private patrons connected to institutions like Walt Disney Concert Hall and LACMA. Over time the company developed relationships with touring presenters such as Dance Theatre of Harlem, Staatsballett Berlin, Het Nationale Ballet, and summer festivals including Jacob's Pillow, Vail Dance Festival, and Spoleto Festival USA.

Artistic Leadership and Dancers

Artistic leadership has included directors and choreographers who trained at conservatories and academies such as Royal Academy of Dance, School of American Ballet, The Ailey School, Paris Opera Ballet School, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, and Harkness House. Guest teachers and répétiteurs have been drawn from companies including Kirov Ballet, English National Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Miami City Ballet. Principal dancers, soloists, and corps members have origins in organizations like San Francisco Ballet School, School of American Ballet, The Royal Ballet School, Royal Danish Ballet School, and Rotterdam Dance Academy, and alumni have joined ensembles such as Houston Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Bayerisches Staatsballett, and Dutch National Ballet. Resident choreographers and frequent collaborators include artists affiliated with Christopher Wheeldon, Jerome Robbins, Alexei Ratmansky, Kenneth MacMillan, and William Forsythe repertoires. Musical partnerships have involved conductors and soloists from Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and guest musicians from New York Philharmonic.

Repertoire and Productions

Seasons combine full-length classics and contemporary works drawn from the oeuvres of creators linked to Marius Petipa, George Balanchine, August Bournonville, Michel Fokine, and Frederick Ashton. The company’s holiday programming often presents narrative ballets inspired by versions performed by The Royal Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, and historical stagings associated with Sergei Diaghilev and Diaghilev's Ballets Russes choreographers. Contemporary commissions have involved choreographers who worked with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Martha Graham, Twyla Tharp, Jerome Robbins, and Mark Morris. Productions have integrated design teams from collaborations with costume houses and scenographers linked to Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, Opéra National de Paris, and film and television designers connected to Hollywood Bowl and Dolby Theatre. Special programs feature premieres presented with orchestras, chamber ensembles, and guest artists from Los Angeles Opera and touring ballet stars associated with American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet.

Education and Community Outreach

Educational initiatives partner with conservatories, charter schools, and community centers resembling Los Angeles Unified School District, California Institute of the Arts, USC Thornton School of Music, UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture, and youth programs connected to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Outreach includes master classes and residencies patterned after exchanges with School of American Ballet, Royal Ballet School, Alonzo King LINES Ballet School, San Francisco Ballet School, and programs modeled on Dance for PD and Dance/USA partnerships. Scholarship and trainee programs mirror structures at Joffrey Ballet School, Royal Danish Ballet School, and School of Classical Ballet while community performances take place at public sites similar to Grand Park and cultural hubs like Little Tokyo and Olvera Street. Educational collaborations extend to healthcare initiatives with institutions like UCLA Health and arts-in-correction programs informed by partnerships with foundations akin to CalArts.

Venues and Touring

Home performances are staged at major Los Angeles venues including spaces comparable to Alex Theatre, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Ahmanson Theatre, and outdoor stages such as Hollywood Bowl. Touring has included regional presentations at theaters comparable to Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Kaufman Center, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and international appearances at festivals like Jacob's Pillow, Vail International Dance Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Spoleto Festival, and European engagements in cities served by houses such as Teatro alla Scala, Opéra Bastille, Gran Teatre del Liceu, and Teatro Real Madrid. Collaborations with presenters and producers mirror relationships with organizations like Cal Performances, LA Opera, LA Phil, and major touring circuits that bring repertoire to audiences across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Category:Ballet companies in the United States