Little-Known Ballet Company Makes it Big

If you’re looking for an alternative source of classical ballet, New York Theatre Ballet—located at 30 E. 31st St. between Park and Madison avenues—is an option that will satisfy everyone from ballet connoisseurs to children. The company prides itself on the restoration of small works by canonized choreographers as well as presenting shorter, more accessible works based on children’s literature meant for younger generations.

The company’s New York season features a number of innovative programs and events. The Once Upon A Ballet series specializes in miniature works, approximately one hour long, based on famous ballets like The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. The choreography has been deemed by critics to be sophisticated enough to appeal to adults but simple and sweet enough to entertain children.

Signatures 08: A Celebration of Legends and Visionaries—a series to be presented in April—will feature a piece called Dance/Speak: The Life of Agnes de Mille, a dance/drama which tells the autobiographical story of choreographer Agnes de Mille, who achieved success in New York City theatre. The piece is a compilation of scenes from other well known shows such as Oklahoma! and Brigadoon, and through this montage of dances the artistic life of de Mille is revealed.

The series Dance on a Shoestring is ultimately designed for budding dancers to experiment with new ideas and roles in relatively smaller works that emphasize the Cecchetti aesthetic, named after the renowned ballet instructor Enrico Cecchetti of the late 19th century. This season’s Dance on a Shoestring will feature both new and classic works, with programs after the performances that allow company members to teach children special choreography from the NYTB training school.

The training school of the NYTB maintains nearly as prominent a role in the ballet scene of New York as the actual company does. The children’s division offers classes from pre-ballet through advanced levels, stressing a sense of theatre, style, and musicality over technique and strict form. The adult division offers a variety of classes for professional dancers, for intermediate dancers in both ballet and modern, as well as classes for nonprofessionals at the beginning and intermediate levels.

New York Ballet Theatre may not be as mainstream or groundbreaking as the divine New York City Ballet or providential American Ballet Theatre, but it’s a breath of fresh air compared to the cutthroat quality of these dominating New York companies. There’s something to be said for a ballet company that maintains its image as the “people’s company” rather than that with the best technique and most prestige in the world.