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The Houston Ballet is the fourth-largest professional ballet company in the United States. Based in Houston, Texas, it is run by the Houston Ballet Foundation. The foundation also maintains the Ben Stevenson Academy, which trains more than half of the company's dancers. As of 2017, Houston Ballet's endowment is just over $70 million. The company holds over 75 performances each year and includes 51 dancers.

History
The Houston Ballet began as the Houston Ballet Academy. It was created in 1955 under the leadership of Tatiana Semenova. In 1969, the foundation formed a professional ballet company, which was directed by Nina Popova.

Ben Stevenson, artistic director of Houston Ballet from 1976-2003, helped the ballet become internationally famous.

Kenneth MacMillan, an artistic associate, worked with the company from 1989 until his death in 1992. Christopher Bruce, the resident choreographer, has created nine works for the company. Trey McIntyre, the choreographic associate, has created seven world premieres for the company. In 2003, Australian choreographer Stanton Welch became Artistic Director, and has also created many works for Houston Ballet.

In 1982, Sandra Organ became its first African American ballerina at the age of 19. In 1990, Lauren Anderson became the Houston Ballet's first African-American principal dancer.

In July 1995, the Houston Ballet became the first full American ballet company invited by the Chinese government to tour the country. Around 500 million people watched Houston Ballet's production of Romeo and Juliet, which was presented live on Chinese television.

For the company's 40th season in 2010, Stanton Welsh created a new production of La Bayadère.

In 2011 the company was the first company to win the Rudolf Nureyev Prize for New Dance. This achievement allowed the company to purchase a new piece by Jorma Elo.

Dancers
Source: Houston Ballet.


 * List of Houston Ballet performers

Center for Dance
The Houston Ballet administrative headquarters are in Downtown Houston, in the Center for Dance. Houston Ballet's Center for Dance had its grand opening on April 9, 2011. The site increased the number of dance studios, and a "black box dance laboratory" was added. The Center more than doubled the space that Houston Ballet had at its location before. It became the largest dance site of its kind in the United States and cost $46 million.