Portland has danced to the music of Oregon Ballet Theatre since 1989, when Ballet Oregon and Pacific Ballet Theatre joined forces to give the Rose City one company of real ambition. More than three decades later, OBT remains the Northwest’s graceful heartbeat, performing downtown at the Keller Auditorium and the Newmark Theatre.
Every December, its production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker turns the Keller into Portland’s merriest room, with a live orchestra, a snowfall of stage magic and generations of local children in the cast. It is the holiday ticket many Portland families plan their season around.
But the company is far more than its Nutcracker. OBT pairs the great story ballets with bold contemporary works, commissions new choreographers and takes dance into schools and neighborhoods across the city. Its School of Oregon Ballet Theatre trains hundreds of young dancers, some of whom now perform with major companies around the world.
Whether it is a first ballet for a wide-eyed five-year-old or a date night with Tchaikovsky, Oregon Ballet Theatre is where Portland puts on its best shoes. Happy City News will see you in the lobby.
