School of American Ballet

1934 - present

Located at 70 Lincoln Center Plaza, The School of American Ballet is the associated training program of New York City Ballet, a ballet company located a few blocks South in the heart of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The school trains students from age six and offers recreational programming, but it emphasizes professional vocational ballet training for students aged 11–18. As one of the top ballet-oriented educational organizations in the United States, it has trained some of the most celebrated dance artists in the world, including Jacques d'Amboise, Ohad Naharin, Wendy Whelan, Edward Villella, Gelsey Kirkland, and Michael Kidd. Established by legendary choreographer George Balanchine and philanthropist Lincoln Kirstein in 1934, the school is also strongly affiliated with the New York City Ballet, which Balanchine co-founded in 1948. With its distinct conservatory-style training methodology that emphasizes accuracy, momentum, and musicality, the school has a relentlessly competitive audition process, attracting talent from across the globe. Its recent curriculum includes traditional Western theatrical styles ranging from classical ballet to contemporary dance. Its faculty consists of the most revered teachers and choreographers in the field.

Ballet dancers dancing behind a glass wall with the letters "ABT" written on them in white letters
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Details

Category
Professional school
Instructional Level
Elementary/Grammar School, High School, Middle/Junior High School
Audience
Children, Teenagers
Founder(s)
George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein
Tags
Lincolncenter, dance, privateschools, culture, vocational

Connections

Location

  • 60 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, USA
    ? - ?

References

  1. https://www.proquest.com/openview/ac290f2ef8033282e3967d667380f869/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750
  2. Garafola, L. (2005). Lincoln Kirstein, Modern Dance, and the Left: The Genesis of an American Ballet. Dance Research, 23(1), 18-35.
  3. Zeller, J. (2016). Shapes of American ballet: Teachers and training before Balanchine. Oxford University Press.
  4. Lee, C. (2002). Ballet in western culture: a history of its origins and evolution. Psychology Press.