Oklahoma City Ballet

The Oklahoma City Ballet is a professional ballet company based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is the city's premier dance organization, known for its vibrant performances and extensive community engagement programs.

History

Founded in 1963 as the Oklahoma City Civic Ballet, the company was initially led by Artistic Directors Yvonne Chouteau and Miguel Terekhov, both former dancers with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo[1][2]. Over the years, the company has undergone several transformations, including a name change to Ballet Oklahoma in 1980 and another to Oklahoma City Ballet in 2008[1][2]. Notably, in 1973, Conrad and Joy Ludlow of the New York City Ballet took over as directors, establishing the company's affiliate school and integrating it into Oklahoma City's Allied Arts[1][2].

Productions and Outreach

Oklahoma City Ballet produces five main-stage productions each season, featuring a diverse range of classical and contemporary works. The company is also deeply committed to community outreach, offering programs such as BalletReach, ArtsReach, and BalletKids Club, which aim to make ballet accessible to all, including underserved communities[3].

Education and School

The official school of the Oklahoma City Ballet is The Oklahoma City Ballet Yvonne Chouteau School, which provides ballet classes from beginner to advanced levels, using a combination of French, Italian, and Russian training methods. The school is named in honor of Yvonne Chouteau, one of the company's founding directors[1][3].

Inclusion and Diversity

Oklahoma City Ballet emphasizes community, education, excellence, innovation, and inspiration, prioritizing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. The organization is committed to anti-racism efforts and strives to reflect the cultural and socioeconomic diversity of its community in its hiring practices, repertoire, and outreach programs[5].

Venue

Oklahoma City Ballet is the resident dance company of the Civic Center Music Hall, where it performs its main stage productions[1][3].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_Ballet [2] https://www.okcballet.org/company/history/ [3] https://citylifestyle.com/articles/ballet-for-everyone [4] https://www.okcballet.org/company/ [5] https://www.okcballet.org/company/our-values/