American Ballet Theatre

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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

75th Diamond Anniversary Spring Season ..........................................................30

The Sleeping Beauty New York Premiere ..... 32

75th Diamond Anniversary Fall Gala NYC ............................................................33

75th Diamond Anniversary Fall Season 2015 ...................................................... 37

75th Anniversary Holiday Celebration ...........38

ABT’s The Nutcracker in OC .............................. 40

The Nutcracker Family Gala ................................42

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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.

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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.

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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

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Gillian MurphyWhen 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

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Marcelo GomesWhen 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

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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

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Herman CornejoAs 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

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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

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Roberto BolleABT 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

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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

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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

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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

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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:

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Segerstrom Center for the Arts PartnershipABT 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.

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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.

75th Diamond Anniversary Spring Gala

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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.

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75TH DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY SPRING GALA

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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:

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75th Diamond Anniversary Spring SeasonThis 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.

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Seminal BalletsIn 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.

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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.”

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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

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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.

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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:

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75TH DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY FALL GALA

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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

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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

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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

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The NutcrackerThe 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

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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

43Hallberg photographed by Annie Leibovitz for American Vogue

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CONTACT

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE 212.477.3030 x1175

[email protected]

THE HOLMAN GROUP International Partnership Marketing

323.933.5697