The Atlanta Ballet
Ann Inglis called to my attention that the first ballet company in the States that is still around, is the Atlanta Ballet. It started in 1929 as the Dorothy Alexander Concert Group - the first regional ballet company. It became the Atlanta Civic ballet in 1944,. Today it is under the direction of Robert Barnett. Dorothy Alexander, born in Atlanta in 1904, started studying with Mrs. Dan Noble and later with Mikhail Fokine, Isadora Duncan, Tatiana Chami , Bronislava Nijinska, Ted Shawn, and Sadler's Wells School. through her efforts regional ballet was organized and she was made permanent director of the National Regional Ballet Association in 1963.
(First published March 1989)