Oklahoma City Ballet
Encyclopedia
The Oklahoma City Ballet is a professional dance company and school located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
. The Oklahoma City Ballet’s earliest beginnings were in 1963 as the Oklahoma City Civic Ballet. Located in the Science and Arts Foundation building on the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds, it was brought together by the foundation’s civic ballet committee and chief benefactors, Mr. and Mrs. John E. Kirkpatrick. The company began under the artistic direction of Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
dancers Yvonne Chouteau
and Miguel Terekhov.
The Oklahoma City Ballet Society was incorporated in 1967 to support the company. That same year the Ballet joined the newly formed Arts Council of Oklahoma City and performed in the first ever Festival of the Arts celebrating Oklahoma’s 60th year of statehood.
In 1970 the Board of Trustees formed a new group, Oklahoma City Metropolitan Ballet Society and with the generous support of Vernon Pellow, Sr. the company began as the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Ballet with Yvonne Chouteau staying on as founding artistic director. Internationally acclaimed ballerina and Oklahoma native Maria Tallchief
worked together with Ms. Chouteau to audition dancers for the company.
Yvonne Chouteau was succeeded by New York City Ballet
principal dancers Conrad
and Joy Ludlow, who directed the Company from 1973–1979. The Ludlow’s founded the company’s affiliate school and joined Oklahoma City's Allied Arts organization. During this time the Company and School used studios on the campus of Oklahoma City University
and performed at the Kirkpatrick Theater also on the OCU campus.
In 1979 American Ballet Theater dancers Bojan Spassoff and Stephanie Wolf-Spassoff assumed direction of the Company. This was the beginning of the change from a civic company to a semi-professional company which was now performing three productions plus The Nutcracker
in a season. In 1980 the company name was changed to Ballet Oklahoma and in the spring of 1981 the company moved into a newly renovated facility. The building was donated by Robert Hefner, III and a campaign to raise funds for renovations was chaired by Ann Simmons Alspaugh. Rand Elliott provided the architectural design and the renovations were completed by Bill McNatt Construction. The company is still housed in this facility.
In 1983 New York City Ballet star Edward Villella
joined the company as artistic director and directed the company for three seasons bringing the work of George Balanchine
into the repertory. In 1986 Dallas Ballet dancers Bryan Pitts and Laura Flagg-Pitts joined the company as artistic director and assistant to the director respectively.
In 2008, for the first time, the Board of Trustees pulled from within the company by appointing dancer, choreographer and former Ballet Nouveau Colorado
director Robert Mills
the new artistic director. That same year the name of the company was changed to Oklahoma City Ballet. In 2009 the name of the affiliate school was changed to The Dance Center of Oklahoma City Ballet.
Oklahoma City Ballet’s repertory includes works by George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, Robert Mills, Helen Pickett, Lee-Wei Chao, Amy Seiwert, Jessica Lang, Alan Hineline, Jacob Sparso, Perrot, Coralli
, Fokine, Petipa
and Bournonville. Oklahoma City Ballet has also presented special dance attractions as part of its role in serving the community. In the past, it has sponsored performances by Mikhail Baryshnikov
, Rudolf Nureyev
, the San Francisco Ballet
, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
.
The Dance Center of Oklahoma City Ballet continues to train students interested in becoming professional ballet dancers as well as others who want recreational ballet classes. Students trained in the school have been regularly accepted into summer sessions and advanced classes at the School of American Ballet
, Houston Ballet
, Pacific Northwest Ballet
, the San Francisco Ballet and others. Former students have gone on to professional careers with the Aspen/Santa Fe Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, David Parsons Dance and American Ballet Theatre among others, while some have gone on to “graduate” into the Oklahoma City Ballet as professional dancers in the company.
Oklahoma City Ballet is the resident dance company of the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City and tours as part of the Oklahoma Arts Council’s touring program. It also tours under the auspices of the Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts Dance Touring Program and the Heartland Arts Fund.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
. The Oklahoma City Ballet’s earliest beginnings were in 1963 as the Oklahoma City Civic Ballet. Located in the Science and Arts Foundation building on the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds, it was brought together by the foundation’s civic ballet committee and chief benefactors, Mr. and Mrs. John E. Kirkpatrick. The company began under the artistic direction of Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo was a ballet company created by members of the Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo in 1938 after Léonide Massine and René Blum had a falling-out with the co-founder Wassily de Basil...
dancers Yvonne Chouteau
Yvonne Chouteau
Myra Yvonne Chouteau is one of the "Five Moons" or Native prima ballerinas of Oklahoma. In 1962 she and her husband founded the first fully accredited university dance program in the United States, at the University of Oklahoma. A member of the Shawnee Tribe, she is also of ethnic French...
and Miguel Terekhov.
The Oklahoma City Ballet Society was incorporated in 1967 to support the company. That same year the Ballet joined the newly formed Arts Council of Oklahoma City and performed in the first ever Festival of the Arts celebrating Oklahoma’s 60th year of statehood.
In 1970 the Board of Trustees formed a new group, Oklahoma City Metropolitan Ballet Society and with the generous support of Vernon Pellow, Sr. the company began as the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Ballet with Yvonne Chouteau staying on as founding artistic director. Internationally acclaimed ballerina and Oklahoma native Maria Tallchief
Maria Tallchief
Maria Tallchief was the first native-American prima ballerina. From 1942 to 1947 she danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, but she is best known for her time with the New York City Ballet from 1947 to 1965.-Early life:...
worked together with Ms. Chouteau to audition dancers for the company.
Yvonne Chouteau was succeeded by 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 dancers Conrad
Conrad Ludlow
Conrad Ludlow is a former principal dancer with New York City Ballet under George Balanchine. He also danced at San Francisco Ballet and founded and directed Ballet Oklahoma...
and Joy Ludlow, who directed the Company from 1973–1979. The Ludlow’s founded the company’s affiliate school and joined Oklahoma City's Allied Arts organization. During this time the Company and School used studios on the campus of Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City University, often referred to as OCU, is a coeducational, urban, private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
and performed at the Kirkpatrick Theater also on the OCU campus.
In 1979 American Ballet Theater dancers Bojan Spassoff and Stephanie Wolf-Spassoff assumed direction of the Company. This was the beginning of the change from a civic company to a semi-professional company which was now performing three productions plus The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
in a season. In 1980 the company name was changed to Ballet Oklahoma and in the spring of 1981 the company moved into a newly renovated facility. The building was donated by Robert Hefner, III and a campaign to raise funds for renovations was chaired by Ann Simmons Alspaugh. Rand Elliott provided the architectural design and the renovations were completed by Bill McNatt Construction. The company is still housed in this facility.
In 1983 New York City Ballet star 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....
joined the company as artistic director and directed the company for three seasons bringing 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...
into the repertory. In 1986 Dallas Ballet dancers Bryan Pitts and Laura Flagg-Pitts joined the company as artistic director and assistant to the director respectively.
In 2008, for the first time, the Board of Trustees pulled from within the company by appointing dancer, choreographer and former Ballet Nouveau Colorado
Ballet Nouveau Colorado
Ballet Nouveau Colorado , a contemporary ballet company based out of Broomfield, Colorado is the second largest ballet company in the state...
director Robert Mills
Robert Mills
Robert Mills may refer to:*Robert Mills , American architect*Robert Mills , American physicist*Bob Mills , Canadian politician*Robert P...
the new artistic director. That same year the name of the company was changed to Oklahoma City Ballet. In 2009 the name of the affiliate school was changed to The Dance Center of Oklahoma City Ballet.
Oklahoma City Ballet’s repertory includes works by George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, Robert Mills, Helen Pickett, Lee-Wei Chao, Amy Seiwert, Jessica Lang, Alan Hineline, Jacob Sparso, Perrot, Coralli
Coralli
Coralli is a surname, and may refer to:* Claudio Coralli , Italian football striker* Jean Coralli , French dancer and choreographer...
, Fokine, Petipa
Petipa
Petipa or Petipas is a French surname, which may refer to* Jean-Antoine Petipa , French ballet dancer** Lucien Petipa , French ballet dancer, son of Jean-Antoine Petipa...
and Bournonville. Oklahoma City Ballet has also presented special dance attractions as part of its role in serving the community. In the past, it has sponsored performances by Mikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov is a Soviet and American dancer, choreographer, and actor, often cited alongside Vaslav Nijinsky and Rudolf Nureyev as one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century. After a promising start in the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, he defected to Canada in 1974...
, Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev was a Russian dancer, considered one of the most celebrated ballet dancers of the 20th century. Nureyev's artistic skills explored expressive areas of the dance, providing a new role to the male ballet dancer who once served only as support to the women.In 1961 he...
, the San Francisco Ballet
San Francisco Ballet
The San Francisco Ballet is a ballet company, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, under the direction of Helgi Tomasson. SFB is the first professional ballet company in the United States...
, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is an American dance company based in Chicago. HSDC performs in downtown Chicago and its metropolitan area and tours nationally and internationally throughout the year....
, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is a modern dance company based in New York, New York. It was founded in 1958 by choreographer and dancer Alvin Ailey...
.
The Dance Center of Oklahoma City Ballet continues to train students interested in becoming professional ballet dancers as well as others who want recreational ballet classes. Students trained in the school have been regularly accepted into summer sessions and advanced classes at the School of American Ballet
School of American Ballet
The School of American Ballet is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the New York City Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The school trains students from the...
, Houston Ballet
Houston Ballet
The Houston Ballet, operated by the Houston Ballet Foundation, is the fourth-largest professional ballet company in the United States, based in Houston, Texas. The foundation also maintains a ballet academy, the Ben Stevenson Academy, which trains more than half of the company's dancers...
, Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington in the United States. Founded in 1972 as part of the Seattle Opera and named the Pacific Northwest Dance Association, it broke away from the Opera in 1977 and took its current name in 1978. It is said to have the highest per...
, the San Francisco Ballet and others. Former students have gone on to professional careers with the Aspen/Santa Fe Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, David Parsons Dance and American Ballet Theatre among others, while some have gone on to “graduate” into the Oklahoma City Ballet as professional dancers in the company.
Oklahoma City Ballet is the resident dance company of the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City and tours as part of the Oklahoma Arts Council’s touring program. It also tours under the auspices of the Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts Dance Touring Program and the Heartland Arts Fund.