As Boston’s premier ballet company, Boston Ballet offers audiences varied presentations of high-caliber classical, neo-classical, and contemporary choreography. This company’s annual Nutcracker is a particular local favorite. The month-long show casts many children who train at the Boston Ballet School and often involves one or more choral groups from the greater Boston community. In the past these have included the Boston Jazz Voices and the Merrimack Valley Chorus. Famous Bostonians such as radio announcer (and former Celtics player) Cedric Maxwell and City Council member Sam Yoon have even been known to make occasional cameo appearances in these productions.
The Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education also offers a variety of activities open to the community. Aside from operating the affiliated ballet school, Boston Ballet offers open-lecture series on weekday evenings designed to better acquaint audiences with dance and free pre-curtain discussions with Boston Ballet’s choreographers, designers, and guest artists.
Boston Ballet II, which performs primarily for community education purposes, is now in its fourth year of collaborating with the Boston Children’s Hospital on programming for children with Down Syndrome.
Boston Ballet Information
- Public Transportation: Good
- Handicapped Accessibility: Excellent
- Performances/Programs: Five programs per year, plus the annual Nutcracker. Each program runs one to two weeks with four-ten performances. The Nutcracker runs regularly throughout the month of December
- Ticket Prices: $25–$120. Children and college students may purchase tickets for $20 beginning two hours before performances. Seniors (65+) may purchase $20 tickets to select performances
- Group Discounts: Groups of 10 or more may receive discounts of up to 50% depending on the performance. Boston Ballet also now offers mini-group discounts for groups of less than 10 people
- Other Discounts: Through the Ballet in the Balcony program, public schools and non-profit student organizations in the greater Boston area can purchase Friday evening performance tickets for $10 each (non-student tickets are $15)
- Subscriptions: Subscriptions are available for three, four, or five shows. Student/youth subscriptions and Flex pass options are also available. All sales are final. Subscribers can exchange tickets for free. Other benefits include first choice seats and discounts on additional ticket purchases
- Membership: Basic donor fees start at $100 and include advance sales, invitations to attend members-only events, a 10% discount on Boston Ballet merchandise, and a subscription to Boston Ballet’s online newsletter
- Special Membership for young Adults: Young Partners of Boston Ballet is a group of dance enthusiasts ages 21 to 45. Membership is $250 annually. Benefits include exclusive members-only receptions, an annual black-tie spring ball, and 10% off all Boston Ballet merchandise.
