American Repertory Ballet/ARB's Princeton Ballet School

Princeton Ballet Society Founders Audreé & Bud Estey

American Repertory Ballet and its affiliate Princeton Ballet School are both maintained by the Princeton Ballet Society. The Princeton Ballet School, founded in 1954 by Audreé Estey, is one of the largest not-for-profit dance schools in the nation. Headed by Artistic Director Graham Lustig and School Director Mary Pat Robertson, Princeton Ballet School enrolls 1,500 students annually for classes in its studios in Cranbury, Princeton and New Brunswick. The school regularly places its graduates in professional dance companies, both in the United States and abroad.

In 1963, Mrs. Estey established the Princeton Regional Ballet Company. It became the professional Princeton Ballet Company in 1978 and quickly grew into a vital young company of national promise. In 1991, the company was renamed American Repertory Ballet, a name more clearly reflecting its artistic image and status as a nationally recognized ballet company.

American Repertory Ballet is New Jersey's leading dance company and one of the state's major arts organizations. Since 1987, it has been designated a Major Arts Institution by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, also receiving a Citation of Excellence for 1998-2003 - the only dance company to receive both honors.

Graham Lustig, an award winning, internationally recognized choreographer and teacher whose ballets have been performed on four continents, was named Artistic Director of the American Repertory Ballet and ARB's Princeton Ballet School in June 1999.

Since joining American Repertory Ballet Mr. Lustig has set his productions of Cinderella, Borderlines, The Shrew, Cadenza, Pas De Pizazz, and Paramore for the company. He has also created three original works for the company, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Silkscreens, and Graham Lustig’s The Nutcracker.

American Repertory Ballet is the Resident Dance Company at the New Brunswick Cultural Center and McCarter Theatre in Princeton. It is also a Principal Affiliate of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. The company regularly performs throughout the state and tours both nationally and internationally. In addition, ARB performs at the Joyce Theatre, New York City's premiere venue for contemporary dance. Its powerfuly athletic dancers perform both established masterpieces by great American choreographers such as George Balanchine as well as cutting edge works by choreographers such as Val Caniparoli, Kirk Peterson, Dominique Dumais, Salvatore Aiello, Susan Hadley, Mark Godden, Amy Seiwert, Ginger Thatcher, Elaine Kudo, and Artistic Director Graham Lustig.

American Repertory Ballet is committed to helping ensure the survival and accountability of dance as an art form through educational initiatives. DANCE POWER, ARB's visionary partnership with New Brunswick Board of Education, has provided more than 3000 New Brunswick children with tuition-free, sustained classical training since 1986. Innovative programming for all constituents includes classes for adults and children with disabilities.

Mrs. Estey Teaching class