Happy Birthday, New York City Ballet: Stars of Vintage Dance

Today I'm taking you all on a trip to my ballet world and celebrating the Birthday of one of the world's greatest ballet companies...

On this day in 1948, New York City Ballet made its on-stage debut!!!! 

New York City Ballet was the brain child of Lincoln Kirstein 

and George Balanchine. 

Kirstein  and Balanchine met in London in 1933 and formed the School of American Ballet. The school went through at lot of drama and changes throughout the years including a postponed first performance and Lincoln having to go off to war during WWII. 

Following Kirstein's return from war, he and Balanchine formed Ballet Society, and used students from the school as dancers in his works. Ballet Society presented it's work at City Center in NYC. Chairman of City Center's finance department saw the performance and approached Kirstein  about turning Ballet Society into a full fledged ballet company...

From there New York City Ballet (or NYCB) was formed.

NYCB's first season opened on October  11, 1948 with 3 ballets choreographed by George Balanchine: Concerto Boracco, Symphony in C and Orpehus.  Dancing in that first show was 

Maria Tallchief, 

Marie-Jeanne

Tanaquil Le Clercq

And other famous dancers that have gone down in ballet history

And the rest,as they say, is history

NYCB has gone on to become of the the world's greatest, most well known ballet companies.

Every year it presents George Balanchine's The Nutcracker to thousands of people at NYC's Lincoln Center. It's a beautiful production that has become one of the wife and my holiday traditions!!! It's a great way to get in the holiday spirit and see some super cute dancing children and BEAUTIFUL dancing from the company!! If you ever get the chance... Go!!! And that's not just the dancer/ballet teacher in me talking!! 

NYCB has inspired so many people, dancer and non-dancers alike. It's been able to survive since the 40's (which unfortunately, most ballet companies of the time weren't able to do) and move on to today with the same artistry and class as it had way back when.

If you ever make it to NYC, or they happen to tour to your city... It's well worth the ticket to see a part of history!!! 

I didn't do a FULL history of the company... But I'm thinking that I will! NYCB has a juicy (and gossip worthy) history!!!