Ballet Wooster Competitors

Established in 1804, Ohio University is the oldest university in the Northwest Territory. Located in Athens, OH, the University has earned a reputation for its rich educational tradition and outstanding academic programs. The main campus population is more than 20,000 and includes students from nearly every state and about 100 nations. Five regional campuses extend University access across southern Ohio and bring the University’s total enrollment to more than 35,000. Ohio University offers more than 250 areas of undergraduate study. On the graduate level, the University grants master’s degrees in nearly all of its major academic divisions and doctoral degrees in selected departments. Ohio University is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and has been designated as a high activity research university by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University also has been cited for academic quality by "U.S. News and World Report," "Washington Monthly" and others. The John Templeton Foundation also has recognized Ohio University as one of the top character-building institutions in the country.

Ball State’s 102-year tradition of innovation and distinction began with the generosity of the five Ball brothers, local industrialists who produced the famous Ball canning jars. To help fill Indiana’s need for more and better teachers, they bought the property of a defunct school in Muncie and gave it to the state. What was founded as a small teacher training college in 1918 is now a comprehensive, world-class university. We embrace the Ball family’s legacy symbolized by the iconic Beneficence statue on our campus—the enduring values of excellence, innovation, courage, integrity, inclusiveness, social responsibility, and gratitude. These values are the watchwords for our next century. bsu.edu/discover

One of the most exciting ballet companies in the United States, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has built a legacy of excellence and innovation since 1969. The company’s eclectic style and irrepressible energy have been shaped by a series of distinguished artistic directors over five decades. In the 1980s, former New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Patricia Wilde led the company to new heights and national acclaim with an emphasis on virtuosic technique and works by the modern masters, including her mentor, George Balanchine. From 1997 to 2020, the company flourished under the direction of Terrence S. Orr, former American Ballet Theatre ballet master and principal dancer. Mr. Orr created a powerful repertoire, including fresh versions of traditional ballets, original works commissioned to contemporary American music and dramatic works that push the boundaries of ballet as an art form. In June 2020, Susan Jaffe, a former American Ballet Theatre principal dancer became PBT’s seventh artistic director. Jaffe’s two-year role as artistic director was marked by a new version of Swan Lake. In May 2022, Jaffe announced that she would leave PBT to become the next artistic director of American Ballet Theatre. In March 2023, Adam W. McKinney became Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s (PBT) seventh artistic director and first artistic director of color. McKinney has a diverse and accomplished background in arts leadership across the globe, having served as an arts organization director, tenured professor, choreographer, dancer, educator and activist. He is a gifted teacher of classical ballet, whose expertise lies in creating environments that support the training and development of artists. McKinney will continue the legacy of his predecessors by centering classical ballet repertoire as well as introducing new contemporary works and choreographers to Pittsburgh audiences.