while enriching the company with innovation. In
1992, Kevin McKenzie, the company’s principal
dancer, became artistic director and not only reiter-
ated the company’s dedication to its tradition but
also emphasized its role in disseminating dance
throughout the world.
The Joffrey Ballet The Joffrey Ballet was founded
by Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino as a company
presenting a distinctively American visualization of
dance. Arpino, originally lead dancer and then cho-
reographer for the company, became artistic direc-
tor in 1988 after the death of Joffrey. During the
1990’s, he continued the legacy of the company with
a repertory including traditional ballets and new
works that added new dimensions to the dance
form. In 1993, he choreographed and producedBill-
boards, a rock ballet danced to the music of Prince. In
1995, he moved the company to a permanent home
in Chicago and renamed it the Joffrey Ballet of Chi-
cago. In 1996, in keeping with the company’s tradi-
tion of performing socially significant ballets,
Arpino employed an all-female group of choreogra-
phers to createLegends, a ballet about women.
The Cincinnati Ballet During the 1990’s, the Cin-
cinnati Ballet was under the direction of four differ-
ent artistic directors. In 1992, the company cele-
brated its thirtieth-anniversary season with new
complete productions ofRomeo and JulietandSwan
Lake. In 1993, the company celebrated its twentieth-
season anniversary of performing The Nutcracker.
The year 1996 was a very eclectic year for the com-
pany as it staged both classical and contemporary
ballets, including Balanchine’sJewelsand Agnes de
Mille’sRodeo. From 1996 through 1999, the com-
pany staged premiere performances of eighteen bal-
lets, including a newNutcracker,The Princess and the
Pea, andBeyond Innocence.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater The Alvin
Ailey American Dance Theater has played an im-
portant role in expanding the definition of ballet.
Since the 1970’s, when Ailey choreographedThe
Riverfor American Ballet Theatre, Ailey and his
company have contributed innovative work to the
world of ballet. During the 1990’s, Masazumi
Chaya, associate artistic director, stagedThe River
for the Colorado Ballet, the Pennsylvania Ballet,
and the Florida Ballet. He stagedFlowersfor the
State Ballet of Missouri.
Complexions Contemporary Ballet In 1994, two
former principal Ailey dancers, Dwight Roden and
Desmond Richardson, founded Complexions Con-
temporary Ballet, composed of both classical and
contemporary dancers. The company, which prides
itself on being America’s first multicultural dance
company, draws its choreography and performance
from the full range of dance techniques. In 1995, the
company, with its blending of ballet, modern dance,
and other dance forms, receivedThe New York Times
Critics’ Choice Award. In 1997, co-artistic director
Richardson danced the lead role in American Ballet
Theater’s premiere performance ofOthello. In 1998,
he danced in the Broadway musicalFosse.
Impact In the 1990’s, ballet became a more fully
eclectic dance form. While the companies contin-
ued to perform the classical ballets inherited from
the Russian tradition, they also added new ballets to
their repertoires. These new creative works included
elements from modern dance and jazz dance and
were performed to various types of contemporary
music. During this period, the influence of George
Balanchine continued to dominate both ballet tech-
nique and choreography.
Further Reading
Greskovic, Robert.Ballet 101: A Complete Guide to
Learning and Loving the Ballet. New York: Lime-
light Editions, 2005. Discusses how a ballet is
choreographed, rehearsed, and performed. Re-
counts story lines of fourteen standard repertoire
ballets.
Kaye, Elizabeth.American Ballet Theatre: A Twenty-
Five-Year Retrospective. Kansas City, Mo.: Andrews
McMeel, 1999. Defines what constitutes a ballet
company. Offers an in-depth look at the McKen-
zie era.
Ramsey, Christopher, ed.Tribute: Celebrating Fifty
Years of New York City Ballet. New York: William
Morrow, 1998. Excellent for Balanchine’s influ-
ence on ballet. Includes a preface by Peter Mar-
tins.
Shawncey WebbSee also Broadway musicals; Cirque du Soleil;
Classical music; Music.78 Ballet The Nineties in America