Cincinnati Ballet

The Cincinnati Ballet is a professional ballet company founded in 1958 in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States and had its first performance in 1964. The current artistic director is Victoria Morgan.

Founding

Organizing founders Nancy Bauer, Virginia Garrett, and Myrl Laurence first chartered the company as the “Cincinnati Civic Ballet” in 1958. Then in 1962, seven ballet teachers in the Cincinnati area, including Anneliese von Oettingen, Shirley Frame Elmore, Mac Vestal came together to officially form the company. The first official auditions were in 1963 at the YMCA where 41 dancers were chosen from the 200 audition hopefuls. Debut performances took place at the University of Cincinnati’s Wilson Auditorium in 1964 and 1965. The first performance included an original ballet by guest choreographer Joseph Levinoff, ''Chopin Piano Concerto in F Minor''. The repertoire consisted of ballets choreographed or staged by Oleg Sabline, Tania Karina, William Dollar, and John Taras.

Oleg Sabline, a European-trained dancer whose career had taken him through Europe and the United States, was appointed director for the first performances. He originally came to Cincinnati to teach ballet and stage the classics at The University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music (CCM).

Early history

In 1966, the directorship passed on to David McLain. He also headed the Dance Division of CCM. CCM gave the young company the advantages of studio space for classes and rehearsals, access to talented students, and the use of the Wilson Auditorium for performances. The dancers in the company also had to pay a fee of $10.00 per year to be a part of the company. As the organization outgrew the profile of a non-professional civic company, the company was re-named “Cincinnati Ballet Company” in 1968 and gained Carmon DeLeone as music director.

By 1970, professional status was achieved when ten salaried dancers were hired. CCM faculty member James Truitte began to train dancers in the contemporary technique created by the American choreographer Lester Horton. As the company dancers became proficient in Horton technique, they began to perform Horton's choreography. As a result, Cincinnati Ballet Company earned national recognition for keeping this historic work alive.

However, by the mid-1970s, CBC was still first and foremost a ballet company with classical works in the repertoire, including '' Les Patineurs'', ''Pas de Quatre'' and variations from '' The Sleeping Beauty'', along with two Balanchine ballets, ''Concerto Barocco'' and ''Serenade''. Performances took place at the Taft Theatre and tours were added in Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Jacob's Pillow and at New York City's Dance Festival in 1975.

''The Nutcracker'' was premiered in 1974 at Music Hall. Frisch's Restaurants from Cincinnati sponsored the performances and have continued to do so. Today ''Frisch’s presents: The Nutcracker'' is a Cincinnati tradition.

The Nutcracker was choreographed by Moscelyne Larkin, Roman Jasinski and Frederic Franklin. This led to Franklin's long tenure as Resident Choreographer and the period of his being Interim Director.

Beginning in 1978, regular repertoire performances were also held at Music Hall, and the schedule expanded from three series to five by 1980. The company's name was shortened to “Cincinnati Ballet”, and in 1983 a sister-city arrangement begun with New Orleans