Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington. In the United States it is considered an "elite" company.[1] It is said to have the highest per capita attendance in the United States,[2] with 11,000 subscribers in 2004.[3] The company consists of 44 dancers;[4] there are over 100 performances throughout the year.
Pacific Northwest Ballet was founded in 1972, after the two-month residency of First Chamber Dance Company,[7] as part of the Seattle Opera and named the Pacific Northwest Dance Association.[8] Under the directorship of Kent Stowell and Francia Russell, originally of New York City Ballet,[9] it broke away from the Opera in 1977 and took its current name in 1978.[10] Stowell and Russell left at the end of the 2004–2005 season.[11] A portrait by artist Michele Rushworth was painted of Stowell and Russell and installed in the Phelps Center, Seattle, to commemorate their careers and retirement. Both had studied with and danced for George Balanchine.[12]Peter Boal succeeded Stowell and Russell as Artistic Director following their retirement.[11] In 2013, the company and its orchestra toured to New York for the first time in 16 years. The New York Times dance critic Alastair Macaulay, stated of their presentation that "This is a true company," more "unified in its understanding of Balanchine" than the New York City Ballet.[13]
In October 2007, PNB dancers Noelani Pantastico, Lindsi Dec, and Benjamin Griffiths, along with Pantastico's husband Brady Hartley, created the website PNB Unleashed. The website functions as a "more in-depth, behind the scenes perspective of the lives of PNB dancers and the necessary steps to creating a successful performance."[14]
In 2012 PNB brought in Twyla Tharp as its first artist in residence for a year-long residency.[15]
The Pacific Northwest Ballet School was founded in 1974.[16] Formerly directed by Francia Russell, and now directed by Peter Boal, it has been considered to be "one of the leading, if not the definitive, professional training school in the country."[17] The teaching is structured on that of the School of American Ballet.[18] Pacific Northwest Ballet holds an annual summer course in the month of July and is considered one of the leading summer dance education facilities in the country.
^Datz, Melody (20 March 2013). "Approaching Heaven". The Stranger (Seattle, United States). Retrieved 20 March 2013.
^"Batkhurel Bold". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a member of the corps de ballet in 1996, was promoted to soloist in 1999, and principal in 2004
^"Maria Chapman". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 1995, was promoted to corps de ballet in 1996, soloist in 2005, and principal in 2009
^"Karel Cruz". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a member of the corps de ballet in 2002, was promoted to soloist in 2007, and principal in 2009
^"Rachel Foster". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a member of the corps de ballet in 2002, was promoted to soloist in 2008, and principal in 2011
^"Carrie Imler". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 1995, was promoted to corps de ballet in 1996, soloist in 2000, and principal in 2002
^"Seth Orza". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a member of the corps de ballet in 2007, was promoted to soloist in 2008, and principal in 2010
^"Jonathan Porretta". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 1999, was promoted to corps de ballet in 2000, to soloist in 2002, and to principal in 2005
^"Lesley Rausch". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as member of the corps de ballet in 2001, was promoted to soloist in 2007 and principal in 2011
^"Benjamin Griffiths". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a member of the corps de ballet in 2005, was promoted to soloist in 2008
^"Kylee Kitchens". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a member of the corps de ballet in 2000, was promoted to soloist in 2012
^"Sarah Ricard Orza". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a corps de ballet dancer in 2007, was promoted to soloist in 2010
^"Chelsea Adomaitis". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 2009, was promoted to corps de ballet in 2010
^"Jessika Anspach". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 2004, was promoted to corps de ballet in 2005
^"Ryan Cardea". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 2009, was promoted to corps de ballet in 2010
^"Amanda Clark". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 2008, was promoted to corps de ballet in 2009
^"Kyle Davis". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 2008, was promoted to corps de ballet in 2009
^"Matthew Renko". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a member of the corps de ballet in 2011
^"Carli Samuelson". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a corps de ballet dancer in 2008
^"Price Suddarth". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 2010, was promoted to corps de ballet in 2011
^"Ezra Thomson". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 2009, was promoted to corps de ballet in 2010
^"Michael Auer". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Joined Pacific Northwest Ballet in 1979 as a principal dancer
^"Brent Davi". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Joined PNB as a member of the corps de ballet in 1989, was promoted to soloist in 1990, and to principal in 1992
^"Casey Herd". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Archived from the original on March 6, 2008. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a member of the corps de ballet in 1999, was promoted to soloist in 2002, and to principal in 2006
^"Ariana Lallone". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Archived from the original on February 6, 2010. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 1987, was promoted to corps de ballet in 1988, to soloist in 1993, and to principal in 1994
^"Stanko Milov". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Archived from the original on October 8, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a principal dancer in 1999
^"Noelani Pantastico". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Archived from the original on December 29, 2007. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 1997, promoted to corps de ballet in 1998, to soloist in 2001, and to principal in 2004
^"Jeffrey Stanton". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Archived from the original on October 8, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a member of the corps de ballet in 1994, was promoted to soloist in 1995, and made a principal in 1996
^"Mara Vinson". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Archived from the original on April 15, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 1999, was promoted to corps de ballet in 2000, to soloist in 2004, and to principal in 2007
^"Olivier Wevers". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Archived from the original on October 8, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a soloist in 1997, was promoted to principal in 1998
^"Chalnessa Eames". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Archived from the original on August 24, 2010. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as a member of the corps de ballet in 2001, was promoted to soloist in 2007
^"Jodie Thomas". Pacific Northwest Ballet. Archived from the original on April 15, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2012. joined PNB as an apprentice in 1995, was promoted to corps de ballet in 1996, and to soloist in 2000