AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE 2018 ANNUAL REPORT | 1 BOARD OF GOVERNING TRUSTEES As of December 31, 2018 Lucia Chase and Oliver Smith, Founders Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1929-1994), Honorary Chairman Emerita OFFICERS TRUSTEES Andrew F. Barth, Chairman Linda Allard Sharon Patrick, Martin Sosnoff, Vice Chairmen Kara Medoff Barnett Brian J. Heidtke, President Francesca Macartney Beale Nancy Havens-Hasty, Treasurer Hamish Bowles Melissa A. Smith, Secretary Audre D. Carlin Carrie Gaiser Casey EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Amy R. Churgin Susan Feinstein Andrew F. Barth, Chairman Christina Fish* Brian J. Heidtke, President Sonia Florian Sharon Patrick, Vice Chair Pamela Ford Stewart R. Smith, Chair, Audit Committee William J. Gillespie Melissa A. Smith, Co-Chair, Development Committee; Sheila Grant Chair, Strategic Planning Committee James Hexter* Sarah Arison, Co-Chair, Development Committee; Yongsoo Huh* Co-Chair, Education Committee TABLE OF CONTENTS Henry P. Johnson Karen C. Phillips, Co-Chair, Education Committee Wendy Evans Joseph Board of Governing Trustees 2 Valentino D. Carlotti, Co-Chair, Finance Committee Christian Keesee Nancy Havens-Hasty, Co-Chair, Finance Committee Mission Statement 3 Shari Loeffler* Martin Sosnoff, Co-Chair, Investment Committee Paula Mahoney Letter from Leadership 5 Douglas C. Wurth, Co-Chair, Investment Committee Nancy McCormick Reynold Levy, Chair, Nominating Committee Company 6 Kevin McKenzie Lisa Smith Cashin, Member-at-Large Kara Moore* Beth Chartoff Spector, Member-at-Large ABT Orchestra 9 Ruth Newman Howard S. Paley Performances 10 Anka K. Palitz Dancer and Teacher Training Programs 20 David Rabkin* CHAIRMEN EMERITI HONORARY TRUSTEES Kathryn Raphael* Community Engagement and Outreach 26 Matthew Rubel Donald M. Kendall Mildred C. Brinn ABT Women’s Movement 32 Jonathan Schiller Melville Straus Ricki Gail Conway Jenna Segal* Special Events 34 Charles H. Dyson Deborah, Lady MacMillan Sutton Stracke Stephen J. Friedman Robin Chemers Neustein Financial Report 40 John L. Warden, Esq. Peter T. Joseph Anne M. Tatlock Joseph A. Wilson ABT Staff 42 Hamilton E. James Blaine Trump Douglas C. Wurth Lewis S. Ranieri Nancy Zeckendorf Donors and Sponsors 45 Edward A. Fox Donald Kramer Hee Seo in Other Dances. * Joined in 2018 Photo: Erina Baiano. MISSION | 3 from the Artistic Director, Executive Director, LETTER Chairman of the Board and President of the Board The mission of American Ballet Theatre is to create, to present, to preserve, and to extend the great repertoire of classical dancing, through exciting performances and educational programming of the highest quality, presented to the widest possible audience. How did we serve this bold mission and Gemma Bond, and Pam Tanowitz Theatre in Chicago. In addition to our in 2018? conducted a 2-week workshop in ABT popular ABTKids program for children studios. The engagement of female and families, which we offered to sold- We created: ABT commissioned five choreographers is propelled by the ABT out crowds in New York and Chicago, we world premieres in 2018: Harlequinade, Women’s Movement, our institutional introduced a Fall Family Matinee, which AFTERITE, Praedicere, Dream within a commitment to elevating women in included ballet-themed trick-or-treating Dream (deferred), and Garden Blue. These creative leadership positions. for children attending the performance in new works were created by MacArthur their Halloween costumes. And beyond Geniuses Alexei Ratmansky and Michelle We also introduced ABT Incubator, directed the world’s great stages on land, we Dorrance, trailblazer Wayne McGregor, and by David Hallberg, to offer emerging partnered with Celebrity Cruises to bring 20-year ABT collaborator Jessica Lang. choreographers the opportunity to work ABT dancers to new audiences on ships with ABT dancers, and to allow ABT around the world. Our social media following We presented: ABT brought epic ballet dancers the opportunity to participate is robust and growing, and we continue to theatre from Lincoln, Nebraska to Hong in the creative process. Of the five seek opportunities to amplify our dancers’ Kong, and from Detroit to Singapore. choreographers selected for the inaugural stories, in non-traditional performance We also brought communities together year, three were ABT dancers developing venues, in conversation and conference in Washington, DC, Chicago, Orange new works with their peers and colleagues. settings, and on digital platforms. County, and Los Angeles to celebrate the dynamism, diversity, and excellence of the We provided educational programming As we raise our sights and our aspirations, ABT dancers. of the highest quality: The ABT talent we are strengthening the Board, the Staff, pipeline is robust and thriving. In 2018, four and the fan base for America’s National We preserved: Alexei Ratmansky’s students from the Jacqueline Kennedy Ballet Company. In 2018, we began a faithful recreation of Marius Petipa’s Onassis School were promoted to the multi-year process focused on fostering Harlequinade, created in 1900 and rarely Studio Company, nine Studio Company increased Diversity, Equity and Inclusion seen since the 1920s, was an important members were promoted to Apprentice, (DEI) at ABT and in ballet. Our focused historical exploration for a modern master. and seven apprentices joined the Corps de commitment to DEI is essential to ABT’s A co-production with the Australian Ballet, Ballet. Almost 1,500 students participated continued excellence and resonance. We Harlequinade involved almost 40 students in ABT Summer Intensives in five cities, are actively deepening our commitment to from the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis receiving the wisdom of ABT’s extraordinary DEI to reflect the diversity of America on School and challenged the ABT dancers to teaching faculty and pursuing their dreams our stages and in our training programs, in engage in storytelling from another era. of one day dancing with American Ballet our audiences, and behind the scenes in our Theatre. In addition, nearly 5,000 students leadership ranks. In all of this work, we seek We extended: Wayne McGregor introduced from NYC public schools attended free, to forge community cohesion and shared the dancers to a daring new choreographic narrated performances, and students at 15 experiences through the dynamism and process and a unique, kinetic movement NYC public schools were served through power of world class dance. vocabulary, Michelle Dorrance asked the the ABT at School Residency Program. dancers to explore complex percussive Ballet is a collaborative art form. As a result, sound, and Jessica Lang introduced We inspired the widest possible we extend our gratitude and our admiration large sculptural objects for the dancers audience, and we continue to reach to all of our artists, our colleagues, our to navigate and manipulate. In addition, still wider: ABT kicked off multi-year partners, and our friends around the world. the ABT Studio Company engaged partnerships with Duke University in For your courage. For your energy. For your Claudia Schreier, Stefanie Batten Bland, Durham, NC and with the Auditorium generosity of spirit. Sincerely, Gillian Murphy and David Hallberg in Other Dances Photo: Gene Schiavone. Kevin McKenzie Kara Medoff Barnett Andrew F. Barth Brian J. Heidtke Artistic Director Executive Director Chairman of the Board President of the Board LETTER | 5 COMPANY PROMOTIONS COMPANY In 2018, ABT promoted the following dancers within the Company Scene from Dream within a Dream (deferred). Photo: Marty Sohl. NEW SOLOISTS Zhong-Jing Fang Catherine Hurlin Katherine Williams Calvin Royal III Breanne Granlund Rachel Richardson PRINCIPALS Arron Scott Kiely Groenewegen Javier Rivet Cassandra Trenary Melanie Hamrick Jose Sebastian NEW CORPS DE BALLET Stella Abrera Katherine Williams Sung Woo Han Gabe Stone Shayer Roberto Bolle Sierra Armstrong Roman Zhurbin Courtlyn Hanson Courtney Shealy Isabella Boylston Zimmi Coker Emily Hayes Kento Sumitani Misty Copeland Luigi Crispino Simon Hoke Nathan Vendt Herman Cornejo CORPS Simon Hoke Connor Holloway Paulina Waski David Hallberg Andrii Ishchuk DE BALLET Andrii Ishchuk Marshall Whiteley Sarah Lane Virginia Lensi Anabel Katsnelson Stephanie Williams Alban Lendorf Alexei Agoudine Fangqi Li Jonathan Klein Remy Young Gillian Murphy Joo Won Ahn João Menegussi Erica Lall Jin Zhang Hee Seo Mai Aihara Javier Rivet Courtney Lavine Christine Shevchenko Nastia Alexandrova Virginia Lensi Daniil Simkin Sierra Armstrong APPRENTICES Fangqi Li Cory Stearns Alexandra Basmagy NEW APPRENTICES Carolyn Lippert Devon Teuscher Hanna Bass Jacob Clerico Isadora Loyola Jacob Clerico James Whiteside Aran Bell Jarod Curley Xuelan Lu Jarod Curley Gemma Bond Michael de la Nuez Duncan Lyle Michael de la Nuez Lauren Bonfiglio Léa Fleytoux SOLOISTS Tyler Maloney Léa Fleytoux Kathryn Boren Abbey Marrison Hannah Marshall Abbey Marrison Zimmi Coker Ingrid Thoms Betsy McBride Ingrid Thoms Skylar Brandt Luigi Crispino Cameron McCune Zhong-Jing Fang Claire Davison João Menegussi Thomas Forster Brittany DeGrofft Kaho Ogawa Joseph Gorak Scout Forsythe Gary Pogossian Alexandre Hammoudi Patrick Frenette Lauren Post Sarah Lane in Giselle. Blaine Hoven April Giangeruso Wanyue Qiao Photo: Kalid Al-Busaidi. Catherine Hurlin Carlos Gonzalez As of December 31, 2018. Luciana Paris Luis Ribagorda As of December 31, 2018. 6 | company promotions company | 7 ABT ORCHESTRA CONDUCTORS Ormsby Wilkins Charles Barker David LaMarche Music Director Principal Conductor Conductor and Music Administrator