Since its founding in 1939, American Ballet Theatre has distinguished itself as one of the most internationally respected ballet companies. The repertory, though grounded in the great classics of the 19th century, continues to evolve with regularly commissioned original works by acclaimed choreographers. In the past, these have included the likes of Antony Tudor, George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Agnes de Mille, and Twyla Tharp. Likewise, the company’s dancers are among ballet’s most recognizable luminaries.
The offerings for children ages 4–12 deserve special mention. The ABT Kids Performances, designed to introduce children to ballet, are priced at $25 and feature selections from company repertoire narrated by members of the ABT artistic staff.
In November 2011, ABT’s fall season returned to City Center, after an absence of several years.
American Ballet Theatre (ABT) Information
- Public Transportation: Excellent (For The Met: subway lines 1 at 66th Street/Lincoln Center; A, B, C, and D, at 59th Street/Columbus Circle; and buses M5, M7, M10, M11, M66, and M104. For New York City Center: subway lines N, Q, and R at 57th Street/7th Avenue; the F at 57th Street; the B, D, and E at 7th Avenue/53rd Street; and buses M5, M7, M20, M31, M57, and M104)
- Handicapped Accessibility: Good at both venues
- Performances/Programs: The ABT spring season at the Met consists almost entirely of full-length classics such as La Bayadère and Swan Lake, while the fall season at City Center presents three or four shorter works (usually more contemporary) at each concert. Each individual work is performed four–eight times
- Ticket Prices: Vary from $25 to $94. At City Center, special family tickets may be available for $11. For selected performances, City Center offers $10 tickets to full-time undergraduate and graduate students under the age of 30 through the Peer-to-Peer program. Additionally, individuals can save up to 27% by purchasing tickets to three or more performances
- Group Discounts: For groups of 15 or more
- Third Party Website Discounts: Playbill Arts and High 5
- Other Discounts: Dance Pass
- Subscriptions: The Full subscription series consists of packages of four or six different performances, all on the same day of the week and one performance per week; Take 3 subscription is a pre-packaged trio of performances; Make 3 or More subscription is three-eight performances of your choice. ABT also offers a Family series that provides a 50% discount on tickets for children ages 4–17. Ticket exchanges are allowed within other Family series performances, pending availability and seat locations may vary for each performance. Subscribers have the flexibility to exchange any ticket in their subscription package for a ticket to any other performance within the season. Additionally, subscribers receive ABT’s bi-annual news magazine, On Pointe Magazine
- Membership: Basic membership is $75 and includes priority notification of American Ballet Theatre’s spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House (the Met), access to seats available exclusively to members for the City Center season, priority ticketing for all New York performances of the ABT Studio Company, two passes to the spring Dancers’ Circle Dress Rehearsal at the Met, invitation to the Spotlight Seminar series, and subscriptions to ABT’s publications On Pointe and Footnotes
- Special Young Adult Membership: Designed for young professionals ages 21–40, Junior Council members ($500) receive invitations to exclusive events with other members and ABT artists, junior-priced tickets to opening galas, a listing on the website, Playbill on ABT’s Young Patron Evening, and access to final dress rehearsals and the Fall Season Sneak Peak.
