Widely acclaimed for its classical ballet masterpieces as well as innovative explorations of contemporary dance, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre is currently recognized as one of the world's leading ballet companies. PBT's repertoire is a distinctive blend of ballets by 20th century masters, including Paul Taylor, Alvin Ailey, Agnes de Mille, Choo-San Goh, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, John Cranko and the great George Balanchine, new works by today's most passionate choreographers, and acclaimed versions of the 19th century classical ballets Coppelia, Don Quixote, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake.

Terrence S. Orr, PBT's artistic director, joined the company in July, 1997. A celebrated American Ballet Theatre ballet master and former principal dancer, Orr also serves as the director of the Agnes de Mille Dance Theatre Foundation.

Not only committed to its own development, in 1989 PBT launched its first comprehensive arts education program with a seed grant from the Henry C. Frick Educational Commission. In its first year the program reached 6,000 children. Since that time Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has distinguished itself in the area of community service with a multi-faceted program of education and outreach. Its primary target is young people, and to date, more than 65,000 children have been reached from over 200 school districts in a four-state region.

Another facet of PBT's relationship with children is the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, an official school of classical dance that has an enrollment of approximately 300 students and offers more than 12 levels of studio instruction. Additionally, a very unique program, the PBT School/Schenley High School Program, enables exceptionally talented students to continue high school study while pursuing intensive, professional dance training. Graduates of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School are dancing in professional ballet companies nationwide.

With an exceptional group of dancers, a dedicated staff and glorious vision of the future, PBT will continue to enchant and delight audiences along its course of excellence well into the next century. As one critic noted, "There is no such thing as an impossible dream when you have a ballet company as talented and high-spirited as the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre."