Celebrating 78 Years of Ballet in Atlanta!

For 78 years, Atlanta has had a ballet company of its own—a Company that has truly embodied the spirit, resilience and joy of this city. We’re the Company we are today thanks to the vision, grace and stamina of pioneer Dorothy Alexander, who was the very first in the nation to believe that smaller communities could have their own dance companies. In 1929, she launched the Dorothy Alexander Concert Group (rehearsals were held in her garage), which later became the Atlanta Civic Ballet and finally, in 1967, Atlanta Ballet. Miss Dorothy guided her dance company for more than three decades before hand picking her successor, the brilliant Robert Barnett. And I followed Robert, being named the Company’s third Artistic Director in 1994. Much has changed since 1929. Today, Atlanta Ballet is one of the nation’s premier professional ballet companies, recognized for the artistry of our dancers and our innovative programming. We are as diverse and provocative as the city we call home.

John McFall
Artistic Director

Aldawna Morrison, Jr., Giray Atalay, Tian Shuai. Photo by Charlie McCullers.