MISSION
Through dance, we create authentic connections, engaging and inclusive educational opportunities, and transformative experiences.
VISION
We inspire individuals and communities to explore the boundless potential of the imagination.
VALUES
Community…is at the heart of everything we do.
Equity & Inclusion…ensures we are able to meet people where they are.
Respect & Integrity…is foundational to all of our practices, approaches, and interactions.
Creativity…drives us to innovate, to push boundaries, and to never stop learning.
Excellence… We continually strive to be an outstanding leader in the arts by demonstrating through words and actions our commitment to our mission and values.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
At Charlotte Ballet, we take a comprehensive view of inclusion, from the audiences we serve, to our dancers, staff, leaders, and volunteers. To cultivate an inclusive organizational culture that fosters belonging and acknowledges that the work is ongoing, Charlotte Ballet works to incorporate the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion in everything that we do.
To read our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement, click here.
ABOUT
Charlotte Ballet is known for its strong dancers and versatile repertoire, ranging from classical ballet like the Nutcracker, to bold, contemporary works. The company of 27 professional dancers, who make Charlotte their home, annually present five performance series in Charlotte typically spanning from October to May. With an international roster of choreographers, Charlotte Ballet is focused on bringing new works to Charlotte and the rest of the world.
Former New York City Ballet dancer Patricia McBride serves as a master teacher for Charlotte Ballet Academy, which serves approximately 1,000 students annually. In 2014, Patricia McBride was presented with a Kennedy Center Honor.
Charlotte Ballet has nationally recognized educational and community programs, including the Reach Scholarship Dance Program.
In 2010, the organization built the Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux Center for Dance in uptown Charlotte. The Center For Dance houses administrative and rehearsal spaces, as well as a 200-seat theater.
HISTORY
1970
Robert Lindgren, Dean of Dance at Winston-Salem’s North Carolina School of the Arts, founds North Carolina Dance Theatre.
1981
Gian Carlo Menotti invites the company to perform at both theSpoleto Festival U.S.A. & Spoletto, Italy.
1982
National Endowment for the Arts names NC Dance Theatre the nation’s highest rated touring company.
1984
NC Dance Theatre debuts its first fully self-produced full-length ballet, Norbert Vesak’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
1985
Salvatore Aiello becomes the company’s second Artistic Director.
1990
Aiello moves the company to Charlotte realizing his dream of support for a new Nutcracker and a school.
1993
NC Dance Theatre begins receiving ongoing support from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Arts & Science Council and opens its first official school. Aiello creates Rite Of Spring.
1995
The company is invited back to Spoleto Festival U.S.A. and later that year suffers the tragic loss of Artistic Director Salvatore Aiello.
1996
Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride are announced as Artistic Director and Associate Artistic Director.
1999
Arts & Science Council awards the company the coveted “Advancement of Excellence Grant” based on quality of professional programming, artistic vision and ability to make the strongest artistic advancement.
2000
Bonnefoux establishes a second company of professional dancers – NC Dance Theatre 2.
2004
Bonnefoux and company tour to Joyce Theater where his Shindig earns The New York Times praise “Lickety-Split Technique.”
2007
NC Dance Theatre was chosen to participate in the North Carolina Arts Council’s Cartwheels Program – an art touring program for elementary school children in rural counties.
2008
Bonnefoux and McBride receive Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Arts & Science Council of Charlotte, NC. This inaugural ASC Honors Program recognized creative individuals in the areas of science, literature, history, design, visual or the performing arts.
2009
On April 22, 2009, NC Dance Theatre broke ground on its new 34,000 square foot facility. Hugh McColl Jr. announced the new facility, located at 701 North Tryon Street, would be named the Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux Center For Dance.
2010
The company was invited to perform at The Kennedy Center’s Ballet Across America and received rave reviews.
2012
After a successful dance career that included eight seasons with Dance Theatre, Sasha Janes was named the company’s Associate Artistic Director.
2013
Founder Robert Lindgren passes at his home in Winston-Salem, NC at the age of 89.
The company is selected to perform Sasha Janes’ Rhapsodic Dances at The Kennedy Center’s Ballet Across America III.
2014
North Carolina Dance Theatre becomes Charlotte Ballet.
The Knight Foundation awards the company a $1.1 million grant. Of the grant, $1 million would be dedicated to funding contemporary ballets and masterworks while $100,000 was set to support the company’s dancers.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts names Associate Artistic Director Patricia McBride a Kennedy Center Honoree at the 37th Annual National Celebration of the Arts.
2015
The company performs Nutcracker at the Charleston Gaillard Center beginning a relationship designed to bring professional ballet to Charleston, SC.
2016
Charlotte Ballet receives $1 Million gift from the McColl family in honor of Jane Spratt McColl to support the creation of new sets and costumes for Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s Nutcracker.
2017
Artistic Director Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux retires after 20 years of leadership.
Hope Muir is announced as the fourth Artistic Director of Charlotte Ballet.
The company performs Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16 at American Dance Festival to kick off the festival’s 40th year.
2018
At the end of her first season, Hope had presented the work of eight new choreographers to the company, two American premieres and five new creations. She also established the highly successful Choreographic Lab.
2020
Charlotte Ballet presented a new series of digital performances, @Home With Charlotte Ballet, to engage audiences and artists through the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022
On April 7, 2022, Charlotte Ballet named nationally and internationally renowned artist, Alejandro Cerrudo, as its new artistic director.
