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Logo of the New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. The company grew from an earlier troupe known as the Ballet Society. The name was changed on the occasion of becoming the resident company of the New York City Center for Music and Drama. It went on to become the first ballet company in the United States to have two permanent venue engagements: one at Lincoln Center's New York State Theater on 63rd Street in Manhattan, and another at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, in Saratoga Springs. School of American Ballet is the associated school of New York City Ballet.
City Ballet, as it is known, was under Balanchine's direction a world-class American ballet company and still has the largest repertoire by far of any American ballet company, often staging 60 ballets or more in its winter and spring seasons at Lincoln Center each year and 20 or more ballets in its summer season in Saratoga Springs.
Peter Martins is currently the artistic director of New York City Ballet. The New York City Ballet has employed many great performers since its formation, including Jacques d'Amboise, Maria Tallchief, Diana Adams, Edward Villella, Melissa Hayden, Jillana, Gelsey Kirkland, Conrad Ludlow, Suzanne Farrell, Allegra Kent, Tanaquil LeClerq, Darci Kistler, Peter Martins (who went on to succeed Balanchine as artistic director) and Mikhail Baryshnikov. In addition the designers employed by the company are known as the best in the world including lighting designer Mark Stanley.
Edward Gorey was well-known for attending nearly every performance by the company for close to fifty years.
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