Philadelphia Ballet history

A former company member, hired by Barbara Weisberger in 1979, Mr.

In 1982, Nederland Dans Theatre Co-Founder Benjamin Harkarvy was appointed artistic director of what was then Pennsylvania Ballet.

In 1987, the million-dollar holiday production of The Nutcracker was unveiled, including Balanchine’s first act.

Despite Robert Weiss’s brilliant artistic direction, the company faced severe financial hardships, and, in 1990, the board hired Christopher d’Amboise as artistic director with the hope he would be able to walk the company back from the brink.

In March 1991, the community responded, and a volunteer group composed of dancers, musicians, theater staff, and others started a grassroots campaign called “Save The Ballet”. By the end of the month, the campaign had raised over a million dollars in donations.

In 2002, PBII, the Joyce and Herbert Kean Trainee Program, was created as a pre-professional training company that also serves as the organization’s community ambassadors, performing outreach and educational activities in area schools.

In August 2005, the company made its international debut at the Edinburgh International Festival with its highly acclaimed 40th anniversary commission of Swan Lake by Christopher Wheeldon.

In 2010, company dancers performed in Darren Aronofsky’s Academy Award-nominated film, Black Swan.