Rochester City Ballet’s mission is to create inspiring, entertaining and educational experiences through the art of dance while providing the highest level of artistic and technical excellence. We feel a particular urgency to our mission because we are the only professional ballet company in the state outside of NYC. For Upstate residents who don’t travel to NYC or the NYCB residency at SPAC (Saratoga, NY) we provide the only opportunity to see live professional ballet performances.

Rochester City Ballet’s rich history began in 1987 when it was founded by Timothy M. Draper as a student-based company. Upon the death of its founder in 2003, the Rochester City Ballet (RCB) contracted professional dancers, achieving status as the only professional ballet company in Western New York. In July 2010, RCB presented its first New York City season and in July 2013, Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival selected RCB to perform in the Inside/Out series. The company has become a nationally significant dance company and a cherished cultural institution in the Finger Lakes region.