Neo-classical/Balanchine Companies

[Chronus24]

Just trying to get some ideas as audition season approaches. I tend to lean more towards this style, ergo making it preferred, but not sure of how many companies could be considered this, especially some of the medium to smaller sized ones. Here's what I've got so far (excluding the big, obvious, and out-of-my-league ones...NYCB, SFB, PNB):

 

Carolina Ballet

NCDT

OBT

Kansas City Ballet

American Repertory Ballet

Pennsylvania Ballet

[Mel Johnson]

There's no quick way to list this characteristic, and no "one-stop" list exists, to my knowledge. One fairly reliable, but not invariable, way to tell is to look at the artistic director(s). If they were from NYCB for most of their performing life, then there's a good chance that the company style will lean toward Balanchine. If the repertoire currently or recently active has Balanchine choreography, then the chances also line up. Some companies used to be Balanchine satellites, but aren't any longer.

[pavlova]

I would add Los Angeles Ballet to that list. They also do Bournonville repertoire. They are listed on the audition thread.

[Hans]

I think Ib Anderson (sen?) directs a ballet company in Arizona.

[Arizona Native]

Just confirming -- yes, Hans, Ib Anderson is the Artistic Director of Ballet Arizona.

[pa07]

Miami City Ballet is also a Balanchine/ neo-classical ballet company.

Edited January 11, 2009 by pa07

[Hans]

Thank you, Arizona Native. I couldn't remember whether it was called Ballet Arizona or Arizona Ballet!

[Chronus24]

Ah! Some good ideas...yes, I do tend you use your method Major Mel, the problem I was having though was flushing out those smaller companies I've never heard of...one strategy was to keep googling "[state's/city's name] Ballet" and seeing what came up

[doublejoy]

The NYCB website has an alumni directory - browsing that might provide some more companies to research.

[Chronus24]

Richmond ballet is decently balanchine, or so they looked while I was there. Anyone familiar with Cincinnati Ballet??

[dance1soccer1]

Cincinnati has a definite Balanchine emphasis in many of their pieces and for the last several years Balanchine trust repetiteurs have set pieces on the company and on students in the summer intensive.

[blaise]

Off the top of my head:

 

There's the Suzanne Farrell Ballet which is dancing Balanchine better than NYCB these days (Miami City Ballet is, too) For ballet that's more contemporary than Balanchine, there's Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company (though I don't think Christopher Wheeldon is at the point where he can hire his own dancers instead of borrowing from other companies yet), the Forsythe Company, the New Chamber Ballet (they're very small but Miro Magloire is onto something), and the New York Theatre Ballet (also very small), Complexions Dance Company (I've never loved them), Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, and Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet.

 

That's probably not that helpful, but oh well.