Les Ballets 1933

American ballet company

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June 18, 2026

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Les Ballets 1933 was a short-lived but influential ballet company founded in 1933 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. This avant-garde troupe aimed to establish a new style of ballet in Europe. Although it only existed for one season, its innovative performances, particularly Balanchine's choreography, greatly impressed Kirstein. This impression led Kirstein to invite Balanchine to the United States to help establish the School of American Ballet and the American Ballet company, laying the groundwork for the future of ballet in America. The company's brief existence was a crucial step in the development of American ballet and the careers of both Balanchine and Kirstein.1

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George Balanchine
The European years
…founders of the avant-garde company Les Ballets 1933, whose work so enormously impressed the American dance enthusiast Lincoln Kirstein that he invited Balanchine to organize the School of American Ballet and the American Ballet company (of which Kirstein was cofounder and director), thus beginning the association of “Mr. B.,” as…
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…founders of the avant-garde company Les Ballets 1933, whose work so enormously impressed the American dance enthusiast Lincoln Kirstein that he invited Balanchine to organize the School of American Ballet and the American Ballet company (of which Kirstein was cofounder and director), thus beginning the association of “Mr. B.,” as…
Read More