American Ballet Theatre

Contents
ABT History...................................................................3
Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie..........................7
This is ABT Select Dancer Profiles...................... 8
Innovation and Choreographers.........................15
Touring.......................................................................... 17
Artist-in-Residence Alexei Ratmansky.............18
ABT Audience and Patrons...................................19
Board of Trustees.....................................................20
75th Diamond Anniversary...................................21
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Partnership.................................................................25
75th Diamond Anniversary
Spring Gala.................................................................26
Spring Season...........................................................30
The Sleeping Beauty New York Premiere......32
Fall Gala NYC.............................................................33
Fall Season 2015.......................................................37
75th Anniversary Holiday Celebration ...........38
ABT’s The Nutcracker in OC............................... 40
The Nutcracker Family Gala.................................42

3
the most brilliant artists of the time—
Jerome Robbins, Agnes de Mille,
Oliver Smith, Lucia Chase and Aaron
Copeland— helped form America’s
first ballet company, Ballet Theatre, to
present classic dance masterpieces,
and to encourage the creation of new
works by gifted young choreographers.
In 1940,

ABT continues to play a profound role in the future of an
art form, revitalizing the greatest ballets of the past and
performing many of the world’s most celebrated works of
the 20th and 21st centuries.
75 years later,

“Ninety of the world’s most celebrated dancers, many now
woven into the fabric of global pop culture, bring to the stage
gasp-producing bravura…the most spectacular dancing
in the world.” —The New York Times

“ABT’s success is a victory for American dance and
their happy influence on our cultural landscape only
grows with each season.” —San Francisco Chronicle
Officially declared America’s
National Ballet Company by
an act of Congress in 2006,
American Ballet Theatre is part
of our cultural pantheon, and
one of the preeminent dance
companies in the world.

7
THIS IS ABT
During his remarkable 22-year tenure as Artistic Director for American Ballet Theatre,
Kevin McKenzie has overseen the meteoric success of a world-class ballet company.

8
At eight years old, David Hallberg became inspired
after watching an old Fred Astaire film on TV. At nine, he
brought his new tap shoes to show-and-tell at his school
in South Dakota, when all the other boys brought their
hockey sticks.
Twenty years later, as an ABT principal dancer, Hallberg
made history as the first American to join the storied
Bolshoi Ballet in an equivalent role. He was not only the
first American premier dancer with the Bolshoi, but the
first foreigner.
Recently Hallberg has leapt from ballet star status to the
pop-culture main stage, being photographed by Annie
Leibovitz for Vogue, featured in Travel+Leisure, W,
Flaunt, Muse, CR Fashion Book, even appearing on “The
Colbert Report.”
Hallberg recently launched The David Hallberg Scholarship,
an annual mentorship for aspiring male dance students.
He is being honored with the Princess Grace Statue Award
in 2014.
David Hallberg
THIS IS ABT

9
Gillian Murphy
When principal dancer Gillian Murphy’s longtime boyfriend
(himself a former ABT principal dancer) proposed to her on
the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House on the Opening
Night of the Season — it made perfect sense, as Gillian
virtually grew up with ABT.
Raised in a small town in South Carolina, she initially took
ballet lessons as just another physical activity alongside
soccer. Now perhaps the world’s leading interpreter of the
Odette/Odile role in Swan Lake, Gillian first danced the
Black Swan role at age eleven.
Spotted while training in her home state, she joined American
Ballet Theatre at seventeen after finishing high school. Even as
a member of the corps, Gillian earned feature roles, debuting
in Le Corsaire to ecstatic reviews, which she also performed in
the PBS television special.
Milestones from the proposal to her 3,600 mile motorcycle
ride across the country are covered in major media because
of her personality as well as her exceptional talent. She
recently starred in the feature film Giselle and played herself
in an episode of Gossip Girls.
THIS IS ABT

10
Marcelo Gomes
When Marcelo Gomes joined ABT almost 20 years ago,
the dancer born in the heart of the Amazon rushed to
rent a furnished apartment in NYC. Now a housewarming
for his micro-condo in Hells Kitchen is covered by The
New York Times.
At age 5 in Brazil, he performed jazz dance routines
to Madonna hits. At 13, he left Rio de Janeiro to train.
Since joining ABT in 1997 he has performed leading
roles in virtually every full-length classical ballet in the
Company’s repertoire and is recognized as one of the
best dance partners in the world.
Marcelo is one of the most sought-after male ballet
dancers today and his journey fascinates. A recent
Kickstarter campaign successfully crowd-funded a
new documentary, Marcelo Gomes: Anatomy of a Male
Dancer, which follows him at ABT, on his tours around
the world and his new additional role as a choreographer.
THIS IS ABT

11
As a student in St. Petersburg, Diana Vishneva received the
highest scores in the history of the academy.
As a principal dancer with ABT and Mariinsky Theater, she
not only performs across the world, the 36-year-old danced
in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics. She
is the subject of the art exhibition Diana Vishneva through
the Lens of Patrick Demarchelier, and has been profiled by
countless media.
She recently launched the Diana Vishneva Foundation to
increase access to ballet for all social classes, establish new
dance projects and assist young and retired performers.
Vishneva is on the Honorary Board of the Russian Children’s
Welfare Society.
Diana Vishneva
THIS IS ABT

12
Herman Cornejo
As a small child in Argentina, Herman Cornejo loved
to watch his older sister Erica at her dance class and
could be found standing on his tiptoes, nose pressed
to the glass window of the studio.
Eventually Herman and his sister visited NYC and
decided to take a class with ABT. After the class
the artistic staff invited them both to join the Studio
Company. Brother and sister both became soloists
with ABT — with Herman still with the Company as
principal dancer. And both return to Buenos Aires
each year to teach master classes.
Called the best male dancer in America, perhaps the
world, Herman was named Dancer of the Year by The
New York Times, Latin Idol by Hispanic Magazine, has the
personality and popularity to be profiled in Vanity Fair.
Herman is a UNESCO peace messenger.
THIS IS ABT

13
Misty Copeland, whose memoir Life in Motion: An Unlikely
Ballerina is being made into a feature film, has performed
with Prince at Madison Square Garden, serves on President
Obama’s fitness council, and appeared as a guest judge on
So You Think You Can Dance.
Misty has been profiled in Elle, Glamour, Self, Time, The New
Yorker, Vogue, BET, thefashionspot.com and Slate.com. Her
recent video for Under Armour currently has 6 million views
on Youtube. AND…this brilliant talent didn’t have a single
dance lesson until 13 years old when she took a free class
at a local Boys & Girls Club — and three months later was
known as a dance prodigy. Misty was offered a full scholar-
ship to attend ABT’s Summer Intensive Program and by
the end of the summer, she was invited to become a part of
the ABT Studio Company.
American Ballet Theatre’s Project Plié partners with the Boys
& Girls Club of America and offers scholarships and other
programs for dancers and teachers of color. Misty told ESPN,
“Life was so hard that I think that I almost needed to become
a ballet dancer to develop as a person.” This year Misty makes
history again as the first African-American ballerina to dance
the lead in American Ballet Theatre’s Swan Lake.
Misty Copeland
THIS IS ABT

14
Roberto Bolle
ABT principal dancer Roberto Bolle has soloed at the
Winter Olympics, at Young People’s Day in St Peter’s
Square, for Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee at Buckingham
Palace and on the world’s great stages. Bruce Weber’s
photography book, An Athlete In Tights, celebrates Bolle.
Famed artist Robert Wilson created a series of 30 video
portraits featuring Bolle, projected on giant screens in
Times Square. The annual gala “Bolle and Friends”
has been held at the Coliseum in Rome, Duomo Square
in Milan, in Venice, Athens, Instanbul, Beijing, Tokyo, and
finally at New York City Center in 2013. Roberto was
recently awarded Young Global Leadership Award from
the World Economic Forum at Davos. Bolle has served
for 15 years as Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.
THIS IS ABT

ABT is famously open to fresh ideas,
commissioning groundbreaking
new works from the most innovative
choreographers across the world and
across dance disciplines.
As the quintessential
American Ballet Company,

Artistic giants George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille,
Jerome Robbins, Antony Tudor, Twyla Tharp, José Limón,
Alvin Ailey, Merce Cunningham, Christopher Wheeldon,
Liam Scarlett, Alexei Ratmansky and Mark Morris have all
premiered major works with American Ballet Theatre.

American Ballet Theatre truly
brings the best in dance to
America and the best American
dance to the world. ABT is the only
major American dance company to
tour the United States every year,
and tours internationally more than
any other U.S. ballet company.
Recognized as a cultural ambas-
sador, ABT has performed in 136
cities in 43 countries, including
historic firsts in Beijing, Havana
and Oman, and triumphant recent
tours to Australia, Barcelona,
Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul, Tokyo
and Moscow.
Touring

Called “the most sought-after man in ballet”
by The New Yorker and “the most gifted” by the
The New York Times, Ratmansky joined ABT in
2009 as Artist-in-Residence.
“Ratmansky has done more to revitalize classical
ballet than any other living choreographer,” writes
the UK Telegraph.
Like ABT itself, Alexei moves the field of ballet
in powerful new directions while honoring the
majesty of the past.
Alexei Ratmansky

19
American Ballet Theatre draws a unique span
of age and income groups. The Company is also
supported by a number of active donor groups.
The Junior Council are young professionals
who hold a number of innovative fundraisers
throughout the year.
Golden Circle members donate from $1,200
to $6,000 annually, while ABT Partners start
at $10,000 and the Chairman’s Council Donor
Group starts at $25,000 a year, typically
considerably more.
Audience
and Patrons

20
Ballet Theatre Foundation, Inc.
BOARD OF GOVERNING TRUSTEES
Lucia Chase and Oliver Smith,
Founders
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
(1929–1994),
Honorary Chairman Emerita
OFFICERS
Donald Kramer, Chairman
Andrew F. Barth,
Mildred C. Brinn,
David H. Koch,
Vice Chairmen
Sharon Patrick, President
Brian J. Heidtke,
Vice President & Treasurer
Nancy Havens-Hasty,
Secretary
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Donald Kramer, Chairman
Anne M. Tatlock, Honorary
Chair, Executive Commitee
Andrew F. Barth, Honorary
Vice Chair, Executive Committee
David C. Blowers, Chair,
Audit Committee
Beth Chartoff, Co-Chair,
Development Committee
Melissa A. Smith, Co-Chair,
Development Committee
Brian J. Heidtke, Co-Chair,
Education Committee
Ann L. Hicks, Co-Chair,
Education Committee
Valentino D. Carlotti,
Co-Chair, Finance Committee
Nancy Havens-Hasty,
Co-Chair, Finance Committee
Martin Sosnoff, Chair,
Investment Committee
Ali Wambold, Chair,
Nominating Committee
Sharon Patrick, Chair,
Strategic Planning Committee
Mildred C. Brinn
Lisa Smith Cashin
Christian Keesee
Leslie Ziff
TRUSTEES
Linda Allard
Sarah S. Arison
Francesca Macartney Beale
Arlene J. Blau
Hamish Bowles
Audre D. Carlin
Nancy Chemtob
Amy R. Churgin
Susan Feinstein
Lynne Flexner
Sonia Floria
William J. Gillespie
Wendy Evans Joseph
Theresa Khawly
Paula Mahoney
Andrew J. Martin-Weber
Nancy McCormick
Bill McIntosh
Kevin McKenzie
Rachel S. Moore
Ruth Newman
Howard S. Paley
Anka K. Palitz
Matthew Rubel
Sutton Stracke
Jean Volpe
John L. Warden, Esq.
Joseph A. Wilson
Douglas C. Wurth
CHAIRMEN EMERITI
Charles H. Dyson
Edward A. Fox
Stephen J. Friedman
Hamilton E. James
Peter T. Joseph
Lewis S. Ranieri
Melville Straus
HONORARY TRUSTEES
Ricki Gail Conway
Alexander C. Ewing
Deborah, Lady MacMillan
Robin Chemers Neustein
Mrs. Byam K. Stevens, Jr.
Blaine Trump
Nancy Zeckendorf

22
The 75th Anniversary Celebration will honor
the Company’s illustrious past, present
pre-eminence and pivotal role shaping the
future of the art form for new audiences
across the world.
A year long celebration

24
New Library of Congress permanent exhibit
“American Ballet Theatre: Touring the Globe
for 75 Years”
New American Ballet Theatre 75th Anniversary
Photography Book by world-renowned fashion
photographer Fabrizio Ferri
World premiere of Ric Burns’ documentary about
ABT, nationally broadcast on Public Television
New celebratory ABT exhibitions at the
Guggenheim Museum and Metropolitan
Opera House
Six-month exhibit of ABT items from the
Library of Congress at Walt Disney Concert
Hall in Los Angeles
New productions by the world’s foremost
choreographers, including the World Premiere
of Alexei Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty
Week-long series of stunning revivals of historic
ABT masterpiece ballets
Launch of the new ABT partnership with Seger-
strom Center for the Arts in Southern California
Free large-screen simulcasts of the World
Premiere of The Sleeping Beauty in NYC and
Orange County
The Celebration will be marked with countless high-profile
events and milestones that include:

25
Segerstrom Center for
the Arts Partnership
ABT has toured to Orange County for the past 28 years,
holding major performances at Segerstrom Center for
the Arts, including the spectacular World Premiere of
Firebird by Alexei Ratmansky three years ago. In 2015,
ABT is expanding this powerful bi-coastal relationship:
The centerpiece of the 75th Anniversary Season —
Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty — held its World
Premiere at the Center in March 2015.
ABT’s critically-acclaimed annual The Nutcracker
will move from BAM in NYC to Segerstrom Center
for the Arts with its West Coast Premiere and new
permanent home.
An inaugural The Nutcracker Family Day will be held
at the Center campus.

26
Chaired by such luminaries as Caroline Kennedy and First Lady
Michelle Obama, it was covered by the top fashion, business, arts
and culture media, and attended each year by celebrity A-listers,
well-known philanthropists and top socialites, making the annual
American Ballet Theatre Spring Gala a highlight of the New York
social and cultural calendar.
On May 18, 2015, the 75th Diamond Anniversary Spring Gala was
more brilliant than ever, as a key marker of the 75th Anniversary.
Spring Gala

27
75TH DIAMOND
ANNIVERSARY SPRING GALA
1,200 prominent guests mixed and mingled at a celebratory
champagne reception at the magnificent Metropolitan Opera
House, followed by performances on stage highlighting
the Company’s classic and current repertory, film clips from
75 years of ABT performances and special guest speakers.
Then dinner and dancing with the world-class dancers in a
festive tent in Lincoln Center.
Table prices ranged from $25,000 to $100,000 and helped
raise funds for ABT and its renowned education and outreach
programs. The 2015 Spring Gala raised over $2.3 million and
was covered across the media world.

28
75TH DIAMOND
ANNIVERSARY SPRING GALA

29
First Lady Michelle Obama Caroline Kennedy Jessica and Jerry Seinfeld Blaine
Trump Laura Bush Anna Wintour Robert DeNiro Uma Thurman Chanel Iman
Lucy Liu David Koch Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia Carolina Herrera Prince
Matt Lauer Nigel Barker Renee Fleming Emmy Rossum Ashlee Simpson
Selena Gomez Sasha Cohen Dree Hemingway Sigourney Weaver Zoe Kravitz
Estelle Nicky Hilton Taye Diggs Chris Cornell of Soundgarden Star Jones
Alek Wek NaVorro Bowman with SF 49ers Prince Amukamara of NY Giants
Pilar Davis Susan Fales-Hill Christine and Steve Schwarzman Dayssi Kanavos
Bronson Van Wyck Valentina Zelyaeva Coco Rocha Karlie Kloss Emily Blavatnik
Jessica Stam Robyn Lawley Nina Rennert Davidson Nancy McCormick Kalliope
Karella Rena Mary Elizabeth Snow Senator Charles Schumer Sloan Lindemann
Barnett Josette Winograd Alexander Chatfield Burns Gillian and Sylvester
Miniter Tracy Snyder Karin Luter Monica G-S Wambold Tory Burch Fe Fendi
Renaud and Christine Dutreil Danielle Ganek Olivier Theyskens Diane Wilsey
Caryn Zucker Jean Shafiroff Daniel and Leslie Ziff Joseph and Jean Volpe
Cecile Andrau-Martel Victoria Phillips Valentino Carlotti Sutton Stracke Hamish
Bowles James Lipton Donna & Richard Esteves Martin & Toni Sosnoff Susan
Feinstein Sarah Arison Mark Tashkovich Julia Spillman-Gover
Recent attendees have included:

30
75th Diamond Anniversary Spring Season
This eight-week “jewel in the crown”
75th Diamond Anniversary Spring Season
included historic repertory selections and
major classical works to which the Company’s
famed dancers brought their dramatic artistry
and thrilling bravura.
Full length ballets included the NYC premiere of Alexei
Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty, as well as Othello, Giselle,
La Bayadere, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake and Cinderella
on one of the most beautiful stages in the world.
Presented on multiple evenings before a total audience of
approximately 158,000, the productions featured lavish sets
and costumes, and the iconic choreography that is the
hallmark of ABT’s aesthetic.

31
Seminal Ballets
In honor of the Anniversary, ABT opened
the 2015 Spring Season with a week of
seminal ballets from ABT’s 75-year history:
Fancy Free created for ABT by two gifted “emerging
talents” of the time—choreographer Jerome Robbins and
composer Leonard Bernstein.
Jardin Aux Lilas by Antony Tudor received its U.S. premiere
in 1940 as part of the debut season of ABT.
Pillar of Fire was the first ballet Antony Tudor created in
America, premiering at ABT in 1942.
Theme and Variations choreographed by George Balanchine
for ABT to the final movement of Tchaikovsky’s Suite No. 3,
premiered in 1947.
Les Sylphides, choreographed by Michel Fokine to music
by Chopin, with orchestration by Benjamin Britten,
commissioned for ABT in 1941 and until recently, thought
to be lost.

32
The Sleeping Beauty
New York Premiere
The New York Premiere of ABT’s all-new production of The Sleeping Beauty was held
on May 29 at the Metropolitan Opera House. Set to the classic score by Tchaikovsky,
with choreography by world-renowned Artist-in-Residence Alexei Ratmansky and
scenery and costumes by Tony Award-winner Richard Hudson, this production, which
had its World Premiere in March 2015 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, was
hailed by Alastair Macaulay of the New York Times as “a triumph of vivifying style.
It’s the finest reconstruction I’ve ever seen of a dance work.”

33
On October 21 New York’s social set will don
its black-tie best for ABT’s annual Fall Gala and
Opening Night of the Fall Season at the David H.
Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.
Over 700 patrons, sponsors, supporters, friends
and members of the Board of Trustees enjoy
a very special performance, followed by a
black-tie dinner and dancing on the Promenade
that is transformed into that evening’s theme.
The evening traditionally raises approximately
$1.5 million.
75th Diamond
Anniversary
Fall Gala

34
75TH DIAMOND
ANNIVERSARY
FALL GALA
For the very special 75th Diamond Anniversary Fall Opening
Night and Gala on October 21, 2015, ABT will present two
World Premieres: a new work choreographed by Mark Morris,
with costume design by Isaac Mizrahi, and a new work by
ABT principal dancer, Marcelo Gomes.

35
James Mischka and Mark Badgle Sigourney Weaver Christina and
Chris Cuomo Maryna Linchuk James Marshall and Elettra Wiedemann
Natalie Portman Mila Kunis Michelle Ochs Sutton Stracke Nina
Rennert Davidson Caryn Zucker Julia Loomis Sarah Arison Joey
Lico Carlos Souza Zani Gugelmann Jessica Stam Jennie Tarr Coyne
Taye Diggs Olu Evans Genevieve Jones Bebe Neuwirth Crystal
Renn Jamme Gregor Chiu-Ti Jansen Hilary and Bryant Gumbel
Alix Devernoy David and Julia Koch Jean Shafiroff Brian Atwood
Mary-Louise Parker Amy Astley Fe Fendi Adrienne Arsht Daniel
Cappello Asha Talwar Guillaume Côté Nicky Hilton Emily Blavatnik
Nathalie Kaplan Andrew Martin-Weber Muffie Potter Aston Solange
Knowles Anne Grauso Leslie Ziff Christian Siriano Alan Cumming
Thom Browne Bronson van Wyck and Grace Hightower
Recent attendees include:

36
75TH DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY FALL GALA

37
From October 22 to November 1, 2015 at the David H. Koch Theater
at Lincoln Center, ABT will present historic repertory, the NYC premiere
by Mark Morris, and other ABT-commissioned pieces by emerging as
well as star contemporary choreographers.
Fall 2015 Season

38
Outside of New York, American Ballet Theatre
has performed in Los Angeles more than any
other city in the world. The bond is long-standing,
with ABT performing at the inaugural season of
the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion 45 years ago.
This connection continues today, with frequent
appearances both at the Los Angeles Music
Center and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts,
where ABT has performed since the Center
opened in 1987. Most recently, in March 2015,
ABT presented the World Premiere of its new
The Sleeping Beauty to rave international acclaim.
ABT will celebrate its annual Southern California
visit by presenting the 75th Anniversary Holiday
Celebration at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, home of
The Golden Globe Awards, on December 7.
ABT
75th Anniversary
Holiday Celebration

39
For 400–500 guests, the evening begins
with cocktails, followed by a one-night-
only performance by the Company’s dancers
of selections from their unrivaled repertoire,
and a special holiday dinner. Guests have
included celebrities, social and artistic leaders,
media and philanthropists including
Sutton Stracke, Catharine and Jeffrey Soros,
Lauren Leichtman and Arthur Levine, Robin
and Elliot Broidy, Leann and Ron Havner,
Laura and Jamie Rosenwald, Avery and Andy
Barth, Bob Barth and Nicole Frank, and
celebrities Jane Kaczmarek, Jane Seymour,
Neve Campbell, Nigel Lythgoe, Priscilla
Presley, Jenna Elfman and Derek Hough.
ABT 75TH ANNIVERSARY
HOLIDAY CELEBRATION

December 10–20, 2015 marks the
launch of the annual co-presentation
of ABT’s critically acclaimed
production of The Nutcracker at
Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
Inaugural West
Coast Residency
of The Nutcracker

41
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker, choreographed by ABT Artist-in-Residence
Alexei Ratmansky, is set to the Tchaikovsky’s majestic score.
With a cast of over 100 performers and sets and costumes
by Richard Hudson (Tony® Award-winner for The Lion King
set designs), American Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker is
ballet on the grandest scale.
“A production like no other, made with complete theatrical
authority from first to last.” —The New York Times

42
The inaugural West Coast Residency of The Nutcracker will run December 10–20, 2015,
further enhancing ABT’s role as a truly national company with a bi-coastal presence.
American Ballet Theatre and Segerstrom Center for the Arts will co-present a festive Nutcracker
Family Day in December 2015 to celebrate The Nutcracker’s new tradition in Orange County.
Nutcracker Family Gala
at Segerstrom Center

43
Hallberg photographed by Annie Leibovitz for American Vogue

44
CONTACT
AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE
212.477.3030 x1175
tlandi@abt.org
THE HOLMAN GROUP
International Partnership Marketing
323.933.5697

American Ballet Theatre

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