History

Michigan Ballet Theatre, was founded in 1981 by Cornelia Sampson, and is now under the direction of Jennifer Ristoski. The company is committed to bringing cultural enrichment to audiences throughout Michigan. It is comprised of talented dancers drawn from an open audition, and its home is the Rochester School of Dance. In addition to season performances with local symphonies and an annual performance of the Nutcracker, MBT offers lecture demonstrations and performs for civic and cultural organizations. As a resident company, we hope to partially fulfill the growing demand for cultural enrichment in Michigan and give our talented youth the opportunity to perform and grow through the art of dance. By giving back to the communities in which audiences reside, we hope to make a positive, lasting difference in the lives of those we reach.

To date, MBT has presented two decades of Nutcrackers and Spring Galas. These have included performances with local symphonies and The Detroit Symphony Orchestra at professional venues including the Birmingham Theatre, Royal Oak Music Theatre and the Macomb Center for the performing Arts. In addition, MBT was selected to choreograph and present a made-for-TV version of the Nutcracker Ballet in conjunction with Oakland Community College and the Detroit Institute of Arts. This aired nationally, prime time, on public television.

Michigan Ballet Theatre has trained many dancers now in the professional field. Dancers have been accepted into major companies including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and The Royal Danish Ballet. We are proud of our track record and continually invite alumnae home to perform, entertain, and inspire the new young achievers in pursuit of professional careers.