Milwaukee Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1970 and based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company states its mission is to transform lives and connect communities through performance, community engagement, education, and training. Michael Pink has served as Artistic Director since December 2002. The company maintains its own orchestra and employs an international group of dancers. Milwaukee Ballet II functions as the organization’s second company.
The company performs classical and contemporary works. Productions have included The Nutcracker, which Milwaukee Ballet began performing in 1977, and Peter Pan, which premiered in 2010. Recent seasons have featured mixed repertory programs combining classical and contemporary pieces. The organization describes its approach as “ballet without boundaries” and operates community engagement programs that serve more than 17,000 participants in a typical season, with particular focus on neighborhoods affected by residential segregation and income disparity.
Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy is the official school of the company and holds accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Dance. The school operates three locations in Downtown Milwaukee, Brookfield, and Fox Point, offering classes from beginner through pre-professional levels for all ages. Training is rooted in classical ballet and includes modern, hip hop, and other dance styles. The school provides summer programs and adult fitness classes.