American Ballet Theatre: A History

"Every single choreographer of importance in 20th century made their mark in the first decade of American Ballet Theatre," explains current artist-in-residence, choreographer Alexei Ratmansky. Dance critic Anna Kisselgoff and former dancers Donald Saddler and Alicia Alonso describe the unique status of ABT as a multi-choreographer company since its founding 75 years ago.

The language of the ballet is in French; it all began in France with King Louis XIV in the 17th century. Wherever ballet is studied, the names of the steps are in French: tendu, grande battement, pirouette, tour en l’air, etc. Discover how ballet began and how it represented class and social position in aristocratic courts.

Julie Kent, principal dancer of American Ballet Theatre, joined the company in 1985 and will retire in 2015 after the company's spring season at Lincoln Center. In this film excerpt, she recalls a note she was given by Natasha Makarova before her debut in the ballet Bayadère. Makarova wrote, "Someone once said beauty can save the world. What a great responsibility you have on your shoulders.”

American Ballet Theatre principal dancers Gillian Murphy and Marcelo Gomes rehearse a section of Pillar of Fire by Antony Tudor. They describe their partnering work and friendship that has formed while dancing together in the company since 1997. This is an outtake from American Ballet Theatre: A History, premiering May 15 on PBS (check local listings).

Step inside the rehearsal studios as American Ballet Theatre Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie guides principal dancers Julie Kent and Ethan Stiefel in a duet.

Misty Copeland joined American Ballet Theatre in 2001 and is its third African-American female soloist and the first in two decades. Ric Burns’ documentary on the 75-year history of the preeminent ballet company includes rehearsal footage and interviews with Copeland. American Ballet Theatre: A History premieres Friday, May 15 at 9 pm on PBS (check local listings).

In this film outtake, Daniil Simkin, a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre, performs excerpts from Benjamin Millepied's "Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once" (2009). Kevin McKenzie, artistic director of American Ballet Theatre, Simkin, and Susan Jaffe, a former American Ballet Theatre dancer (1980-2002), speak about ballet dancers' constant search for perfection.

In this filmmaker interview, Ric Burns describes what camera techniques he used to capture the ephemeral nature of dance on film, as well as how he came to discover ballet through the process of filmmaking. The documentary American Ballet Theatre: A History premiered on American Masters in May 2015.

Encore broadcast. Ric Burns’ film on the 75-year history of the preeminent ballet company combines rehearsal footage, virtuoso performances and interviews with ABT's key figures including Alicia Alonso and the late Donald Saddler and Frederic Franklin; Susan Jaffe and Julie Kent, Misty Copeland, Gillian Murphy, Marcelo Gomez, choreographer Alexei Ratmansky and Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.