Miami City Ballet
Encyclopedia
Miami City Ballet is an American ballet company
based in Miami Beach, Florida
. It was created in 1986 by former New York City Ballet
principal dancer Edward Villella
and flourishes today as one of America's most respected ballet companies. A bulk of the company's repertoire is made up of the work of George Balanchine
, Villella's mentor, though the company also performs works by Jerome Robbins
, Twyla Tharp
, Mark Morris
, Trey McIntyre
, and others, in addition to traditional full-length classics like "Giselle" and "Don Quixote".
, and most recently at the New York City Center
; while theaters and festivals in Europe, Central America, South America, and Israel have hosted the company. The company celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2006.
, houses rehearsal studios, administrative offices and the school.
Ballet company
A ballet company is a group of dancers who perform ballet, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-round basis, except in the United States, where contracts for part of the year are the norm...
based in Miami Beach, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It was created in 1986 by former New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
principal dancer Edward Villella
Edward Villella
Edward Villella is an American ballet dancer and choreographer, frequently cited as America's most celebrated male dancer at the time....
and flourishes today as one of America's most respected ballet companies. A bulk of the company's repertoire is made up of the work of George Balanchine
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
, Villella's mentor, though the company also performs works by Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins was an American theater producer, director, and choreographer known primarily for Broadway Theater and Ballet/Dance, but who also occasionally directed films and directed/produced for television. His work has included everything from classical ballet to contemporary musical theater...
, Twyla Tharp
Twyla Tharp
Twyla Tharp is an American dancer and choreographer, who lives and works in New York City.-Early years:Tharp was born in 1941 on a farm in Portland, Indiana, and was named after Twila Thornburg, the "Pig Princess" of the 89th Annual Muncie Fair in Indiana.she spend hours working on it to help her...
, Mark Morris
Mark Morris
Mark William Morris is an American dancer, choreographer and director whose work is acclaimed for its craftsmanship, ingenuity, humor, and at times eclectic musical accompaniments...
, Trey McIntyre
Trey McIntyre
Trey McIntyre is an American dancer and choreographer. McIntyre was born in Wichita, Kansas. He trained at North Carolina School of the Arts and Houston Ballet Academy...
, and others, in addition to traditional full-length classics like "Giselle" and "Don Quixote".
The Company
The Miami City Ballet features an international ensemble of over 55 dancers, hailing from a diverse array of places including Cuba, Venezuela, China, Switzerland, France, Japan, and Germany. The company has an active repertoire of 88 ballets and performs over 100 times annually. Miami City Ballet serves as the resident ballet company in major theaters in the Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and West Palm Beach areas, calling four South Florida counties its home. In addition, the company regularly tours both domestically and internationally. Its North American appearances include the Kennedy Center, the 1996 Olympic Arts Festival, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, the Orange County Performing Arts CenterOrange County Performing Arts Center
The Orange County Performing Arts Center is a performing arts complex located in Costa Mesa, California, United States.The Center offers the world’s leading dance companies, Broadway shows, award-winning classical, jazz and cabaret artists, family entertainment, special events and year-round...
, and most recently at the New York City Center
New York City Center
New York City Center is a 2,750-seat Moorish Revival theater located at 131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan, New York City. It is one block south of Carnegie Hall...
; while theaters and festivals in Europe, Central America, South America, and Israel have hosted the company. The company celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2006.
Education
The company operates a ballet academy, the Miami City Ballet School, which was opened in 1993. The school, directed by Linda Villella, trains students via the regimen Edward Villella developed from his time as a dancer at the New York City Ballet. Approximately 375 students attend the academy during the school year, while 200 are accepted to the annual Summer Intensive hosted by the school.History
The Miami City Ballet is currently headquartered at the Ophelia & Juan Js Roca Center in Miami Beach, Florida. This facility, designed by ArquitectonicaArquitectonica
Arquitectonica is an international architecture, landscape architecture, interior design and urban planning corporation headquartered in Miami, Florida, United States in the Coconut Grove neighborhood, with offices in ten other cities throughout the world...
, houses rehearsal studios, administrative offices and the school.