Dayton Ballet
| Dayton Ballet | |
|---|---|
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| General information | |
| Name | Dayton Ballet |
| Previous names |
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| Year founded | 1937 |
| Founders |
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| Principal venue |
Victoria Theatre Dayton, Ohio United States 
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| Website | www.daytonballet.org |
| Senior staff | |
| Executive Director/President | Paul A Helfrich- Dayton Performing Arts Alliance |
| Artistic staff | |
| Artistic Director | Karen Russo Burke |
| Other | |
| Associated schools |
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| Formation | Company Dancer Apprentice Trainee |
The Dayton Ballet is a ballet company based in Dayton, Ohio.
It was founded in 1937, making it the second oldest regional ballet company in the United States. It is also called the "Company of Premieres" as it is committed to presenting new works, including a new full-length ballet every two years. Dayton Ballet seasons typically comprises four works—familiar traditional ballets, the classic, family-friendly holiday staple The Nutcracker, as well as new and innovative works—and over 40 performances.
The Dayton Ballet performs in the historic 1,139-seat Victoria Theatre and the state-of-the-art, 2,300-seat Schuster Center.
Part of The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, which also oversees the Dayton Opera and the Dayton Philharmonic, the Ballet receives administrative and operational leadership and support from its parent organization. Karen Russo Burke has been the Artistic Director of the Dayton Ballet since 2011.
Dayton Ballet had its beginning when Josephine (Jo) Schwarz and her sister Hermene opened The Schwarz School of Dance in 1927. Jo Schwarz later studied ballet and danced in Chicago, in New York at the School of American Ballet, and in Europe. She danced on Broadway, but was forced to return home to Dayton after being injured while performing there. In May 1938, Jo and Hermene gathered together the school's finest dancers, named the troupe "The Experimental Group for Young Dancers," and staged a performance at the Dayton Art Institute. This was the first performance of what is now the Dayton Ballet.
Jo was a pioneer of the American regional ballet movement of the mid-20th century. Through years of persistence, she made Dayton a center of dance. In 1958, the company restructured as the Dayton Civic Ballet, with a board of directors, and federal tax-exempt status. In 1959, the Dayton Civic Ballet became a chartered member of the Northeast Regional Ballet Association. The Schwarz sisters organized many regional dance festivals and choreography conferences. In 1978, the company dropped the "Civic" designation and became the fully professional Dayton Ballet.
Stuart Sebastian, a student of Josephine and Hermene Schwarz, assumed directorship of the company in 1980 at the invitation of Josephine Schwarz. He had danced professionally for the Dayton Ballet and the National Ballet of Washington before assuming the role. He had also choreographed in New York, Germany and England. Sebastian led the Dayton Ballet for 10 years, in which time the company rose in stature and status. After watching the company in 1981, dance critic Walter Terry wrote in Dance Magazine, "In just one year the Dayton Ballet has moved from first-rate amateur rank into the category of professional ballet. Of particular importance is the stature of the new choreography on view in Dayton. Good dancers are now numerous; gifted choreographers remain a rare species. Stuart Sebastian is one of this special breed."
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Wikipedia